Italy Booklet 3: The Creation of the Kingdom of Italy

Question 1

When was the National Society formed? How many members were there by 1857?

Answer 1

formed in the 1850s
members rose to 8000 by 1857

Question 2

How influential could the National Society actually be in promoting Italian Unification?

Answer 2

-uniting different factions
-contains high profile competent Italians (Garibaldi, Manin)
-they’re talking to Cavour

Question 3

Why might Cavour be a little reluctant to openly support the National Society?

Answer 3

-Cavour might not want to support radicals because of worry with France
-only 8,000 members - not big enough numbers for change

Question 4

What nationalist organisation was set up in Piedmont as a replacement to Young Italy?

Answer 4

The National Society

Question 5

Who plotted to assassinate Napoleon III in 1857 and what was controversial about his letter?

Answer 5

-Orsini
-Some thought the letter was orchestrated by Napoleon

Question 6

What role did VEII play after the bomb plot?

Answer 6

VEII presented Piedmont as the best guarantee against the radicals

Question 7

What was the secret agreement between France and Piedmont called?

Answer 7

The Pact of Plombieres

Question 8

What did the Pact of Plombieres aim to do?

Answer 8

aimed to make Austria start a war and then the French help Piedmont to rid the northern states of Austria. Make Austria seem like the aggressor and France as helping the weak Piedmont

Question 9

What did each side aim to get from the Pact of Plombieres?

Answer 9

Piedmont- the control of the north, Austria out of Italy
France- Nice and Savoy

Question 10

What was VEII’s nationalist speech called in January 1859?

Answer 10

Grido di dolore (Cry of Anguish)

Question 11

How many troops did the French and Piedmontese provide?

Answer 11

200,000 - French
100,000 - Piedmont

Question 12

What two different names are the 1859 war called?

Answer 12

-Franco-Austrian war
-The second war of Italian Independence

Question 13

What was Garibaldi’s private army of soldiers known as?

Answer 13

Cacciatori delle Alpi
hunters of the Alps

Question 14

What was the Orsini bomb plot? When was it?

Answer 14

-1858
-an attempt on Napoleon III’ s life. 3 large bombs set off in London. Failed and Orsini sent to prison,. Napoleon grew bitter of Italy

Question 15

Why was the Pact of Plombieres secret?

Answer 15

Napoleon III was Napoleon Bonaparte’s nephew so the rest of Europe could think he’s trying to take Europe. The rest of Europe would be cautious of him

Question 16

Where did Garibaldi meet Victor Emmanuel and hand over the south?

Answer 16

Teano

Question 17

What year was the Orsini bomb plot?

Answer 17

January 1858

Question 18

When was the Pact of Plombieres?

Answer 18

July 1858

Question 19

When was war with Austria declared?

Answer 19

April 1859

Question 20

When did the National Society start revolts in the Central Duchies?

Answer 20

April 1859

Question 21

When was the Battle of Magenta?

Answer 21

4th June 1859

Question 22

When was the Battle of Solferino?

Answer 22

21st - 24th June 1859

Question 23

When was the Peace of Villafranca?

Answer 23

11th July 1859

Question 24

Why did Napoleon disapprove of activities in the Central Duchies?

Answer 24

He believed the National Society was organising an attack on the pope. He also believed the annexation of the Central Duchies went beyond the terms of Plombieres

Question 25

What was proposed at the Peace of Villafranca?

Answer 25

-Austria would give Lombardy to France who might choose to give it to Piedmont.
-Piedmont was not to be given control of Modena or Parma and the rulers who fled were to be restored.
-An Italian confederation was to be set up, with the pope as its head.
France would not take Nice and Savoy.

Question 26

When was the Treaty of Zurich?

Answer 26

November 1859

Question 27

Why did Napoleon sue for peace?

Answer 27

-Only one doctor per 500 casualties on the allies side.
-High casualties due to new and more accurate weaponry on the enemies side.
-France didn’t think Piedmont had the resources and expertise to maintain the conflict.
-Cavour seemed increasingly more interested in the Central Duchies and that was beyond the terms of the Pact of Plombieres.

Question 28

How did British show support to Italy?

Answer 28

British foreign secretary Lord John Russell proposed the future of the Italian Peninsula should be decided through the idea of ‘self-determination’

Question 29

When did Cavour resign?

Answer 29

July 1859

Question 30

When was Lombardy annexed to Piedmont?

Answer 30

December 1859

Question 31

When did Cavour return?

Answer 31

January 1860