1. Aim: What is nationalism and why do groups of people form nations?
Focus Activity: Answer on your activity sheet:
Why are Mexico and the Unites States not part of the same country? List as many reasons you can think of that separate the United States and Mexico into 2 independent nations:

2. Nationalism:
The belief that people’s greatest loyalty should not be to a king or an empire, but to a nation of people who share a common culture and history.
Nation-state:
When a nation has its own independent government, and the people share a common culture and identity.

3. Types of Nationalist Movements
Unification Separation

4. Focus Question:
Examine the map of Europe below. What modern day nations do you notice are missing?

5. German Unification (1865-1871)
Source:

6. German people began to think of themselves as a “German” and wanted their own country.
2. Some German states were unified economically by not taxing each other.
By attacking the German states, Napoleon aroused German nationalism against France.
To Unify or Not to Unify
France feared that a unified Germany would be the most powerful European nation, so they tried to keep Germany weak.
2. Austria, led by Prince von Metternich, wanted to keep Germany weak so that they could not unite and grow stronger than Austria. Austria issued the Carlsbad Decrees made it difficult for nationalist ideas to spread because they censored the newspapers and universities.
3. The Congress of Vienna tried to keep a balance of power in Europe.
4. The rulers of the smaller German states did not want a unified Germany because they would be forced to give up their power to the Prussian leaders.

7. Otto von Bismarck Chancellor of the German state Prussia
“Blood and Iron!”
Believed in realpolitik: Tough politics without morals or idealism.
Inspired nationalism through provoking foreign wars and achieving military victories.
Source:

8. Aim: Was Italian unification inevitable?
Focus Question: Think back to what you learned about Italy in Global I. What were two periods in history when Italy was the center of wealth, power, and achievements?

10. Cavour: ‘The Brains’
Provided political leadership; was considered a master “statesman.”
As prime minister of Piedmont-Sardinia, did most of the diplomatic work for unification.
Sought to create a constitutional monarchy with King Emanuel II.
Source:

11. Garibaldi: ‘The Sword’
Provided military leadership.
Red Shirt campaigns helped free the Two Sicilles
Sought to create a republic, but accepted Cavour’s ideas in order to achieve unification.
Source:

12. Mazzini: ‘The Soul’ Provided inspiration through published writings.
Organized the Young Italy movement.
Believed the duty to one’s nation fits between duty to family and God.
Source:

13. Italian Unification (1858-1870)
Source:

14. Closing Activity 1. Were German and Italian unification inevitable?
2. How can nationalism be both a unifying and separating force?