Unification of Italy and Germany

1. Unification of Italy and Germany Ch 24 sec 3

2. Nationalism • Nationalists believed: • …that people of a single “nationality,” or ancestry should be united under a single government. • …that a nation, like a person, has the right to be independent.

3. The Fall of Empires • Nationalism would destroy centuries-old empires • A jumble of ethnic groups made up the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Russian Empire, and the Ottoman Empire. • All three empires were threatened when nationalism rose among ethnic groups in the countries.

4. Fall of Empires (con’t) • Responses to nationalism: • Emperor of Austria-Hungary tried splitting empire in half • The Ottoman Empire tried to solve the problem of Nationalism by passing social reform • Russia tried to rule with an iron fist • All three would collapse around World War I

5. The Unification of Italy • Nationalism also built nations and nation-states • Italy was made up of many small territories • Unification would be led by two people: • Camillo di Cavour • Giuseppe Garibaldi

6. Cavour Unites the North • Prime minister of Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia • Worked for King Victor Emmanuel II • Worked tirelessly to expand Sardinia’s power • Main goal was to control northern Italy • Cavour allied Sardinia with France and drove Austria out of northern Italy • Secretly began helping nationalist rebels in southern Italy

7. Garibaldi Unites the South • Giuseppe Garibaldi led a group of Italian nationalists called the Red Shirts • May 1860 – Captured Sicily in battle • Crossed into mainland Italy • Volunteers flocked to his cause as he marched up the Italian peninsula • Voters gave Garibaldi permission to unite southern Italy with Sardinia

8. Unification! • Cavour arranged for King Victor Emmanuel II to meet Garibaldi in Naples • Garibaldi agreed to let Emmanuel rule a unified Italy South North

9. The Challenge of Unification • Tension rose between northern and southern Italy • North – Industrialized • South – Agricultural • The two regions had very different ways of life • Prime ministers changed frequently • Economic problems • Riots and peasant revolts

10. The Unification of Germany • Most powerful German state was Prussia • Had the strongest army in Europe • Was most industrialized of the German states • German King Wilhelm I wanted to make the army stronger • Parliament refused to give him money to do it

11. Bismarck! • Wilhelm named Otto von Bismarck his prime minister • Master of “realpolitik” • Practice of tough power politics with no ideology • Bismarck re-fitted the army without permission from parliament

12. First Step Towards Unification • Bismarck allied Prussia with Austria-Hungary • Defeated Denmark and gained the regions of Schleswig and Holstein • Prussia ruled Schleswig (north) • Austria-Hungary ruled Holstein (south) • Bismarck saw future conflict with Austria

13. Bismarck Defeats Austria • Tension over Schleswig and Holstein erupted in the Seven Weeks’ War. • Prussia crushes Austria and gains territory • North German Confederation is created • Prussia dominates

14. Franco-Prussian War • Southern German States did not like Prussia • South = Catholic • North = Protestant • Bismarck thought a war with France would unite north and south Germany

15. Franco-Prussian War (con’t) • Bismarck creates a telegram that causes France to declare war on Prussia • Prussia easily clobbers France • Southern Germany accepts Prussian leadership • Jan 1871 – Wilhelm crowned Kaiser (emperor) of Germany • Called their empire the Second Reich • First Reich: The Holy Roman Empire