Unification of ItalyNation Building

Nationalism

• The desire of a group of people united by language, religion, culture to form a nation

Why?• The need/want for unity in Italy stemmed from the

French Revolution• Under Napoleon Italy was combined into larger states• (unlike the first map you have completed)

• Growing nationalist sentiment in Italy after tasting unification

Problems Facing Unification: Geography

• Apennine Mountains separated East and West

• Po river divided North and South

Problems of Unification: The Church

• Pope wanted control of the Papal States• Unwilling to give up land

Problems of Unification: Leader?

• Other states could not agree on who would lead the nation• Lack of a strong leader or royal blood• Common disagreement between all states

Problems of Unification: Outside Influences

• Other European nations did not want a strong Italy• Feared its power as a full nation

• Some European nations had control over Italian states• Austria: Northern Italy• Spain: Western Italy

Cavour (Northern Italy)• Prime Minister or Sardinia• Brilliant Economist• Controlled 20 percent of the population of “Italy”• 27 percent of exports• Built canals, reformed trade and land use

• First successful leader of unification• Knew he needed outside help to rid Italy of foreign

rule

Crimean War: 1852

• Sardinia (under Cavour) joined Britain and France in their war against Russia

Crimean War: 1852

• Sardinia (under Cavour) joined Britain and France in their war against Russia

• War was fought over territories in the declining Ottoman Empire • (Turkish Islamic Empire)

Crimean War: 1852• Sardinia (under Cavour) joined Britain and France

in their war against Russia• War was fought over territories in the declining

Ottoman Empire • (Turkish Islamic Empire)

• Because Sardinia helped with the war they received favour from France

War with Austria: 1858• Cavour sows nationalists discontent in Lombardy• Eventually riots and rebellions break out

• Austria declares war and sends troops to attack Lombardy

• French send troops to aid Sardinia• Make a deal to aid Sardinia in return for Savoy and Nice

• Austrians driven out of Lombardy

The Dominoes start to fall • The states of Tuscany, Modena, Parma, and the

Papal province of Romagna all begin to move towards Sardinia

• Held plebiscites (popular votes) deciding whether to join Sardinia

• By 1860 All of Northern Italy except Venetia belongs to Cavour and Sardinia

Why do the dominoes fall?

• Nationalism

Southern Italy

Unification: Southern Italy• Nationalist sentiment growing in the Kingdom of

the Two Sicilies• Ruled by the Bourbon House of Spain

Giuseppe Garibaldi• Dashing military commander who wanted nothing

less than a completely unified Italy• In 1860 formed a 1000 man volunteer army called

the “Red Shirts”• Had “unofficial” approval from Sardinia

• Attacks the kingdom of the Two Sicilies • Aimed to drive out the Bourbon rulers

War!• Garibaldi and the Red Shirts land on the island of

Sicily and conquer it in a daring campaign• They then sail to the mainland and thump the

Bourbon forces there• He then turns his army north to the Papal States

in the middle• Cavour intercedes with a Sardinian army• Worried that attacking the pope would anger the

French who is under their protection

Cavour and Victor Emmanuel• Convinces Garibaldi to turn over Sicily and Naples

to Sardinia• By the end of 1860 Cavour controls all of “Italy”

proper except: Venetia and Rome• In 1861 parliament representing all of the

controlled territories meets and proclaims Victor Emmanuel (the king of Sardinia) the King of Italy• Side note: 3 months later, just as the unification is about

complete Cavour dies. Suck.

Afterword 1866-1870• In 1866 Italy joins Prussia in a war against Austria• Austria loses and cedes Venetia to Italy

• In 1870 Prussia and France go to war and France withdraws its troops from Rome, leaving her undefended• Italians enter the city and a vote is held vote for

annexation to Italy

Unification of Italy:

• complete