Unification of Italy and Germany

Question 1

ITALY
What roadblocks existed for Italians working for unification?

Answer 1

• nations not wanting to give up self rule (Papal states)
• different ideas of rule and unification (monarchy, constitutional monarchy, republic)
• foreign control over regions of Italy
• attitudes/ lack of national identity (thought of themselves as Venetian or Sicilian, but NOT Italian)
• differences between north and south (north= richer food/richer people; south= vegetable based foods/poorer people)

Question 2

ITALY
Risorgimento

Answer 2

• the unification movement in the late 1800s
• led and inspired by the work of Mazzini, Count Camillo Benso di Cavour, and Garibaldi

Question 3

ITALY
Giuseppe Mazzini

Answer 3

• “the heart”
• believed and supported young Italy
• began nationalist societies for young people
• sought to establish a sense of nationalism and unite Italy under a republican government
• believed a revolution would be necessary for unification

Question 4

ITALY
Why did Mazzini start with the youth of Italy?

Answer 4

• young
• impressionable
• easily persuaded
• future of the country
• more likely to not be stuck in old ways of thinking

Question 5

ITALY
Count Camillo Benso di Cavour

Answer 5

• prime minister of kingdom of Sardinia
• monarchist who supported liberal goals
• wanted a unified Italy under leadership of Sardinia using Realpolitik
• “practical (realist) politics”
• negotiated a deal with Napoleon III to help in a case of war with Austria- gained land when that war took place

Question 6

ITALY
Realpolitik

Answer 6

• practical/ realistic politics > compromise

Question 7

ITALY
Giuseppe Garibaldi

Answer 7

• “the sword”
• redshirts (aka the army)
• nationalist who created an army and fought for the liberation of kingdom of the 2 sicilies
• although being a possible threat to Cavour’s plan, Garibaldi gave up Naples and Sicily

Question 8

GERMANY
Early attempts at unification included…

Answer 8

• nationalism inspired by Napoleon
• German confederation (led by Austria)
• rivalry that began with the rise of Prussia (who created Zollverein)
  - German customs union dismantles tariffs
  between member nations
• Frankfurt Assembly
  - offered crown to Frederick William IV
  - he responded “nein” and said it came from
  the gutter

Question 9

GERMANY
What were some obstacles that Germans had to overcome on the road to unity?

Answer 9

• small state autonomy (self rule)
• rivalry between Austria and Prussia (both wanted to be the leading power and be unified)
• Richelieu (france) and the 30 Years War when he joined protestant side to help split Germany
• different kinds of governments
• NO nationalism (Identified as Prussian or Austria, but not German)
• cultural differences (southern germany was roman catholic and northern was lutheran)

Question 10

GERMANY
Otto von Bismarck

Answer 10

• part of the Prussian aristocracy (aka “Junkers”)
• well educated - (literate in english, french, and russian, studied law initially, (ultra) conservative, eventually became more pragmatic…Realpolitik)
• extensive government experience (served as Prussian ambassador to German Diet, Russia, France, and traveled extensively in Europe)
  appointed chancellor by King Wilhelm 1 of Prussia
• often referred to as “the Iron Chancellor”
• “Hohenzollern Nationalist”
• “Prussian Expansionist”

Question 11

GERMANY
Steps to Unification Included…

Answer 11

• strengthening of the army
• War with Denmark (1864)
• Austro-Prussian War (1866)
• Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871)

Question 12

GERMANY
War with Denmark

Answer 12

• alliance made between Austria and Prussia to gain control of the predominantly German areas Schleswig and Holstein
• victory for Austria and Prussia
• Austria gains control of Holstein, and Prussia gains control of Schleswig

Question 13

GERMANY
Austro-Prussian War

Answer 13

• used Holstein question to cause war with former ally
• was over very quickly and known as the “7 weeks War”

Question 14

GERMANY
Franco-Prussian War

Answer 14

• Hohenzollern Candidacy: member of Prussian ruling family was being considered for the throne of Spain
• Ems telegram
• siege of Paris
• Napoleon III out of power- 3rd republic declared in France
• Prussian troops lift siege of Paris
• terms of German Reich are announced from versailles
• Prussians take Alsace and Lorraine

Question 15

Similarities between Bismarck (German) and Cavour (Italian) to help in their quest to unification

Answer 15

• both held strong leadership positions is government that worked hand in hand with the monarchy
• wanted unification of their country (Italy and Germany)
• believed in and used realpolitik

Question 16

What were 2 events in history to prove the quote “the great questions of the day are not to be decided by speeches and majority resolutions, but by iron and blood”.

Answer 16

-Austro- Prussian War (1866) because Austria and Prussia went into quick 7 weeks war over a question that could have been negotiated
- Franco Prussian War- same idea, ems telegram caused great uproar over something that could have been negotiated and was misinterpreted
- both examples show how people are so quick to go into war instead of prevent it with talking it through

Question 17

Ems telegram

Answer 17

• the telegram that showed the details of the disagreement between King William 1 and a French Ambassador
• Bismarck edited the telegram to make it seem more threatening and led to war

Question 18

redshirts

Answer 18

the nationalist army that fought for the liberation of the kingdom of 2 Sicilies

Question 19

King Wilhelm 1

Answer 19

the king of Prussia that appointed Bismarck as chancellor