THE

UNIFICATION
OF ITALY
 WHAT IS NATIONALISM?
 Nationalism is a feeling of
belonging and loyalty that causes
people to think of themselves as a
nation.
 During the 19th and 20th centuries,
nationalism was a powerful force
throughout Europe.
 Nationalism was a force that
connected all Italians, why????
 BARRIERS TO ITALIAN
NATIONALISM
 Geography - The River Po divided north
and south and the Apennines Mountains
divide east and west.
 Illiteracy – as most of the population could
not read and write, nationalistic
propaganda was difficult to spread.
 The Pope - felt a united Italy would reduce
his rights in the Papal States.
 European powers such as France and
Britain did not want a unified and strong
Italy controlling the Mediterranean.
 FACTORS THAT LED TO ITALIAN
UNIFICATION
 Geography
 Italy is isolated
 The Alps are to the North, surrounded by oceans.
 Geographic isolation allows Italy to develop its own
ways, customs.
 History
 Italians are very proud of their heritage and history
 Napoleon’s conquest of Italian states led to Italian
unity and a strong desire to never be conquered
again
 All speak Italian though often different dialects
 Risorgimento – Italian Nationalist Movement
 GIUSEPPE VERDI – GREAT ITALIAN COMPOSER
In Nabucco (1842), Verdi’s first
successful opera, a chorus of
captives in the ancient Babylon of
Nebuchadnezzar sing movingly about
their hopes for freedom. Italian patriots
borrowed the song which remains a
favorite patriotic song in Italy. Even the
letters of Verdi’s name became part of
the Italian nationalist movement. The
crowds that shouted “Viva Verdi” were
using a widely understood shorthand
phrase for “Viva Vittorio Emmanuale
Rei de Italia”
(Long live Victor Emmanuel, King of
Italy)
https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwKGZ90
exng
EFFORTS OF THREE MEN: MAZZINI, CAVOUR,
GARIBALDI
 GIUSEPPE MAZZINI,
“HEART OF ITALIAN UNIFICATION”
 He was a member of the
Carbonari - a secret group
which used violence to
obtain what it wanted. Do
you think this was
successful?
 He formed Young Italy,
made up of young people
whose job it was to arouse
enthusiasm for a united
nation.
 Tried revolution but it
failed. Who stopped him?
 COUNT CAVOUR
“ARCHITECT OF ITALIAN UNIFICATION”
 Believed in Realpolitik – Who else
used this POV?
 Reformed Kingdom of Sardinia’s
economy
 Cavour was the “architect”
(planner) of Piedmont-Sardinia’s
war against Austria. (France
helped)
 Annexed Lombardy – Who had this
land?
 This action encouraged other
Italian states to revolt against
foreign rule & support of
unification.
GARIBALDI “THE SWORD OF UNIFICATION ”
 Garibaldi joined Young Italy movement, 1833
 Nationalist activities forced Garibaldi to flee
Italy twice
 Learned techniques of guerilla warfare while
living in South America
 Returned to Italy often to continue fight to
free Italy from Austrian domination 1854
 Why was Giuseppe Garibaldi called “sword” of
Italian Unification?
 GARIBALDI’S RED SHIRTS
 1000 followers known as Red
Shirts because of colorful uniforms
 By July 1860, Garibaldi & the Red Shirts gained
control of island of Sicily (How did Cavour
help?)
 September, Garibaldi & Sardinian troops
conquered Naples
 Red Shirts now controlled southern part of
Italian peninsula which alarmed Cavour!
 Predict what happens next!!!!
WILL ITALY BECOME A REPUBLIC?
 “The Nationalist Hero”
Garibaldi wanted a
republic, but Cavour, the
practical politician
wanted a Monarchy

 In a patriotic move,
Garibaldi offered the
Kingdom of Two Sicilies,
Naples and Sicily, to
Sardinian King Victor
Emmanuel II – Monarchy
prevailed!
 CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING
 Defend the following beliefs:

 Cavour was the “brain” of

Italian unification

 Mazzini the “heart” of Italian

unification

 Garibaldi “sword” of Italian

unification

Talk with a partner and count

how many steps it took!

Take 30 seconds!
All unified
by 1860
except
Rome and
Venetia,
why???

Who
controlled
them?
UNIFICATION
 1861, territories held elections, all agreed to
unification
 Venetia & Rome were not included
 1866 – Italy formed an alliance with Prussia and
won Venetian at the end of Austro-Prussian
War.
 1870 - Prussia forced French to withdraw from
Rome during Franco-Prussian War.
 Italian troops entered Rome, unification is
complete under King Victor Emmanuel II
CHALLENGES FACING THE NEW NATION
 Divisions – regional differences between
wealthy north and rural/poor south
 Hostility between Italy and the Roman
Catholic Church; Pope resented seizure
of Papal States & Rome
 Concerns over Constitutional gov. & two
house legislature being fair
 Anarchists – wanted to abolish all gov.
 People were forced to emigrate, or
move from Italy due to over population
HOW DOES
NATIONALISM
IMPACT THE
ITALIAN
STATES?

ANALYZE &
INTERPRET THE
POLITICAL CARTOON
TO ANSWER THIS
QUESTION
Europe in the 19th Century: