Nation-Building in Europe
In the last part of the 19th century, European nationalists continued the struggle for unification, self-rule, and independence. In 1567 Hungary gained equal statues with Austria. In 1870 - 1871 both Italy and Germany achieved unification. In Eastern Europe nationalism helped to break up the Hapsburg and Ottoman Empires. It also created problems for the tsars, who ruled over many nationalities.
Nationalism inspired feelings of pride and loyalty. Love of one’s people and homeland stirred the heart. It answered a human need to feel part of a community. Those who fought to realize their nationalist goals felt they were engaged in a noble cause. Late in the 19th century, however, nationalism broke with the liberal tradition. It led to extremes that caused international rivalries and hatred, When some people linked it to racial myths, nationalism became even more distorted.
Unification and Nationalism
FRANCE
1. Many political upheavals took place in France during the 1800s. By 1824, Charles X, a brother of the late Louis XVI, had become king. Charles believed in the divine right of kings and tried to rule according to that idea. In July 1830, the people rose up in revolt. Charles fled to England. Louis Philippe then became king. Louis Philippe called himself "citizen king" and said that he would honor the constitution. However, he very much favored business interests. He then came under attack from the working people who wanted the government to benefit them more. In 1848, riots broke out in Paris. Louis Philippe then also fled to England. France then began the Second Republic. Louis Napoleon, a nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte, was chosen president. By 1852, Louis Napoleon had made himself Emperor Napoleon III of the Second French Empire. He ruled until 1870, when he was captured by German troops during the Franco-Prussian War. France then began the Third Republic.
ITALY
2. For hundreds of years, the Italian peninsula was divided into many small states. Some of these were independent. Some were under foreign rule. The unification of Italy took several years and a number of stages, in the 1850s, Count Camillo di Cavour became prime minister of the Kingdom of Sardinia. Cavour made his state the strongest and richest on the peninsula. He wanted to create a unified country ruled by the king of Sardinia, Victor Emmanuel II. In 1859, Cavour got Napoleon III of France to join Sardinia in a war against Austria. As a result of this war, Sardinia got control of most of-northern Italy. Giuseppe Garibaldi then helped unify Italy by conquering the states in the southern part of Italy. Garibaldi gave his conquered lands to Victor Emmanuel. In 1866, Venetia became a part of the Kingdom of Sardinia. And in 1870, Rome was added. Unification was complete.
OTTOMANS
3. During the 1800’s, the Ottoman Empire grew weaker. In part, this came from the rising desire for independence among many of the peoples of the empire. In part, the weakness also came from economic and political troubles. The government was harsh, corrupt, and inefficient. And taxes were unfair. The Greeks were the first of many to break away from the empire. After several years of fighting, they gained their independence in 1829. As a result of the Russo-Turkish War, independence came to Romania, Montenegro, Serbia, and Bulgaria. At the same time, other countries took parts of the empire also. In 1830, France took Algeria, while in 1882 Britain took Egypt.
GERMANY
4. Otto yon Bismarck did much to bring about the unification of Germany. In 1862, Bismarck became prime minister of Prussia. In 1864, Bismarck got Austria to join Prussia in a war against Denmark. After defeating Denmark and gaining the area called Schleswig, Prussia turned against Austria. Again, Prussia won. As a result of this war, Austria was removed from German affairs and gained lands that at last joined all of Prussia together. In July 1870, Bismarck tricked France into declaring war against Prussia. Soon France was defeated. France then had to give the areas called Alsace and part of Lorraine to Prussia. This made Prussia much stronger. And it made the south German states, which had not trusted Prussia; join with Prussia more readily out of patriotic fervor against France. In January 1871, King William of Prussia was named Emperor of Germany. Although Bismarck remained in power until 1890, most of his work was now done.
