Nation States Europe

​Main Ideas

1. Nationalism sparked independence movements in Europe.

2. Newly created nations in Europe sought to expand their influence.

​Key Terms and People

nationalism: devotion and loyalty to one’s country nation-states: self-governing countries made up of people with a common culture

Giuseppe Garibaldi: Sicilian leader who helped unite Italy into a single country

Otto von Bismarck: Prussian leader who developed a plan to unify Germany

​NATIONALIST UPRISINGS

Nationalism is devotion and loyalty to one’s country. It usually comes about among people who share a common language and religion and who believe that they share a common culture. During the 1800s, nationalism was a powerful force. It led to independence movements in Latin America. It also led some groups in Europe to create their own nations, which changed the map of Europe.

​In the early 1800s, many people who had been conquered by Napoleon wanted to rule themselves. They began to unite with others who shared their cultures. They supported the idea of nation-states, self-governing countries of people with a common cultural background.

​After Napoleon was defeated, some groups in Europe rebelled against foreign control. Some succeeded such as Greece, which won independence from the Ottoman Empire. But some revolutions failed. Hungarian and Czech nationalists in the Austrian Empire were defeated. Italians and Germans failed to form their own countries at that time too.

​NEW COUNTRIES ARE FORMED

In the early 1800s, what is now Italy was divided into many states. Each had a different ruler. As nationalism grew, many people in Italy wanted to unite into one country. Efforts to unite the country failed at first. Then Camillo di Cavour became prime minister of Sardinia and formed alliances. After driving the Austrians from the north out of the area, other Italian states united with Sardinia. Also, Giuseppe Garibaldi overthrew the government in Sicily. He and Camillo di Cavour joined their lands together into one kingdom.

​Germany was also made of many small states in the 1800s. German nationalists grew stronger as Italy became united. Prussia was the largest of the German states and Austria was its closest rival. Otto von Bismarck was the prime minister of Prussia. He came up with a plan to unite Germany. He built a strong army and won wars against Denmark and Austria. Prussia’s victories gave it more territory and made it leader of the northern German states. Then Bismarck waged war against France. Feelings of nationalism in the southern German states caused them to side with Prussia. They won and agreed to unite. Bismarck’s plan had succeeded, and the German Empire was proclaimed in 1871. King Wilhelm of Prussia became emperor, ruling over all of Germany except Austria.

​Then Germany concentrated on building its economy and military. It joined other European countries in competition for colonies. European imperialism, or control of a region or country by another country, strengthened during this time. By controlling other regions of the world, Europeans gained raw materials for industry.