Revolutions of 1848-49 - booklet 3

Question 1

What were the main 2 aims of the COV?

Answer 1

• to return the borders of Europe back to the status quo
• to prevent further revolutions

Question 2

Which were the 2 authorities/states that the Italians looked to as potentially uniting Italy?

Answer 2

• Piedmont
• Papal States

Question 3

What were the main causes of the 1848 Italian revolutions?

Answer 3

• Foreign influences of Paris, Vienna & Germany
• Pope & his reforms
• Economic issues
• Nationalist fervour

Question 4

How did Foreign influences cause the revolutions?

Answer 4

• number of successful revolutions across the globe i.e. Paris & overthrowing of the Bourbon regime, German states united under 1 ruler. - Italians saw successes & inspired to revolt
• Vienna settlement redrew territorial borders - Presence of Aus. rule in Italy = feel oppressed & want to revolt against new rulers

Question 5

Pope Pius IX’s reforms

Answer 5

• released 2000 political prisoners
• 1847 - ends press censorship - allows liberal ideas to spread
• Appointed Lib. Cardinal Gizzi & set up the consulta (similar to elected parliament)
  These ‘reforms’ meant the Italian public felt that they had the backing of the Pope to push for greater reforms & began to see him as a potential candidate/leader for unified Italy

Question 6

Economic problems

Answer 6

Widespread crop failure = food prices rose
This lead to widespread social discontent as many reliant on agriculture for income & food. Thus the population desperate for reforms/revolts.

Question 7

Nationalist fervour

Answer 7

• Expansion of civil society through arts etc = ideologies expanded
• development of secret societies e.g Young Italy = clubs used as mask for political discussion.
  Thus the general mood was in favour of nationalism.

Question 8

Main reasons the revolutions failed

Answer 8

• ethnic divisions between revolutionaries - do not communicate with eachother
• most revolutionary movements exclude maj. of population (peasantry) so lack popular support
• fear of revolutions being too revolutionary
• Even at its strongest, lead state Piedmont cannot defeat Austria at its weakest - easily crushed by foreign powers
• conservatives still able to maintain power

Question 9

Main reasons the conservatives maintained power

Answer 9

• monarchy still controlled armed forces - can be used to crush rev. & crucial to rev. success
• ## use church to spread propaganda - maj. influence as Italy v. religious