1. 1870’s “Italy” is unified for the first time in history
Only 2% of the inhabitants speak “Italian” as it is known today
The Vatican was opposed to Italian unification. They will eventually reach a compromise with Mussolini

2. 1870’s Germany is united for the first time
Dominated by Prussia, but did not include Austria (Hitler would achieve this 50 years later)
German unification was opposed by France and England

3. “The most important figure in German history between Martin Luther and Adolf Hitler”, pg. 759
Led the unification of the German states into one nation
Created the first “welfare state”, with unemployment insurance and old-age pensions funded through taxation
“The great questions of the day will not be decided by speeches and resolutions, but by blood and iron”
Hitler’s “National Socialism” would not have been possible without Bismarck

4. Nation-Building in the US: The Civil War

5. “by 1850, an industrial, urbanizing North was also building canals and railroads and attracting most of the European immigrants arriving in the nation.” pg. 762

6. “In sharp contrast, industry and cities developed more slowly in the South, and European immigrants largely avoided the region.”

8. For Lincoln, ending slavery was secondary to saving the Union
Some points to consider:
There was slavery in the United States during the Civil War
Were the actions of the South any different from the actions of the 13 American colonies 75 years earlier?
If Texas seceded today, would Obama invade? Bomb them? Let them go?
In other words, is our Union voluntary or not?

9. The U.S. emerges from the Civil War as an “indivisible” nation, no longer a confederation of states.
Before, people would say “The United States are….”
Now, we all say “The United States is…”

10. Pg. 765
1905 Russian Revolution: a general strike forces the czar to make some concessions and move towards democracy
The czar retains veto power over all decisions, so little change is actually accomplished
A far more severe and historically bloody second Revolution will occur 12 years later.

11. Pg. 774
The United Kingdom is pressured to give independence to Ireland.
British settlers in the north of Ireland are viciously opposed to Irish independence and use violence against the Irish, as well as any British supporter of Irish independence

12. The U.K. offers independence to most of Ireland, but maintains control in the northern counties, Northern Ireland, which remains part of the U.K. today
IRA leader Michael Collins accepted this compromise and was assassinated by his former followers, the “Real IRA”, who continued armed conflict with the UK for decades.

13. Pg. 781
“Zionism” was the Jewish version of nationalism, which aimed to establish a Jewish state in Palestine
The movement was motivated by centuries of vicious anti-Semitism in Europe. Jews were “everywhere a minority”
The establishment of “Israel” would be accomplished following the Holocaust