HISTORY-CHAPTER 1-The rise of nationalism in EUROPE

GREEK WAR OF INDEPENDENCE:-

GREECE HAD BEEN A PART OF THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE SINCE THE 15TH CENTURY. THE TREATY OF
CONSTANTINOPLE RECOGNIZED GREECE AS AN INDEPENDENT NATION IN 1832.

1. THE GREEK WAR OF INDEPENDENCE (1821–1829), ALSO COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE GREEK
REVOLUTION WAS A SUCCESSFUL WAR WAGED BY THE GREEKS TO WIN INDEPENDENCE FOR G REECE
FROM THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE.
2. IN 1821 THE STRUGGLE FOR REVOLUTIONARY NATIONALISM IN EUROPE SPARKED A STRUGGLE FOR
INDEPENDENCE AMONGST THE GREEKS. NATIONALISTS IN GREECE GOT SUPPORT FROM OTHER
GREEKS LIVING IN EXILE AND ALSO FROM MANY WEST EUROPEANS WHO HAD SYMPATHIES FOR
ANCIENT GREEK CULTURE . THE GREEKS WERE SUPPORTED BY THE WEST EUROPEAN COUNTRIES
LIKE THE FRENCH KINGDOM, GREAT BRITAIN AND RUSSIAN EMPIRE.
3. POETS AND ARTISTS LAUDED GREECE AS THE CRADLE OF EUROPEAN CIVILIZATION AND MOBILIZED
PUBLIC OPINION TO SUPPORT ITS STRUGGLE AGAINST A MUSLIM EMPIRE .
4. TREATY OF CONSTANTINOPLE WAS PART OF THE CONSTANTINOPLE CONFERENCE. FRANCE,
BRITAIN, AND RUSSIA (GREAT POWERS), AND ON THE OTHER SIDE THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE
PARTICIPATED IN CONSTANTINOPLE CONFERENCE .

PEASANTS’ UPRISING OF 1845:-

1. IN 1845, WEAVERS OF SILESIA HAD LED A REVOLT OF AGAINST CONTRACTORS WHO SUPPLIED THE
RAW MATERIALS . THEY GAVE THEM TO ORDER FOR FINISHED TEXTILES BUT REDUCED THEIR
PAYMENTS.
2. THE WORKERS WERE LIVING IN ABSOLUTE POVERTY AND MISERY .
3. ON 4 JUNE AT 2 PM, A LARGE CROWD OF WEAVERS EMERGED FROM THEIR HOMES AND MARCHED
IN PAIRS UP TO THE MANSION OF THE CONTRACTOR .
4. THEY WERE DEMANDING HIGHER WAGES. BUT, THEY WERE TREATED WITH SCORN AND THREATS.
5. THEN, SOME OF THE WEAVERS ENTERED FORCEFULLY INTO THE HOUSE. THEY SMASHED THE
WINDOW P ANES , FURNITURE AND PORCELAIN. THEY ENTERED THE STOREHOUSE AND TORE TO
SHREDS THE SUPPLIES OF CLOTH .
6. THE CONTRACTOR FLED WITH HIS FAMILY BUT CAME BACK AFTER 24 HOURS WITH THE ARMY . I N
THE EXCHANGE THAT FOLLOWED ELEVEN WEAVERS WERE SHOT.
THE REVOLUTION OF THE LIBERALS:-

THE 1848 REVOLUTION OF THE LIBERALS RELATES TO THE VARIOUS NATIONAL MOVEMENTS PIONEERED BY EDUCATED
MIDDLE CLASSES WITH THE REVOLTS OF THE POOR, UNEMPLOYED AND STARVING LABOURERS AND WORKERS IN EUROPE.

 POLITICALLY, LIBERALS DEMANDED CONSTITUTIONALISM WITH NATIONAL UNIFICATION , A NATION -STATE WITH A
WRITTEN CONSTITUTION AND PARLIAMENTARY ADMINISTRATION .
 SOCIALLY , LIBERALS DEMANDED TO FREE SOCIETY FROM ITS CLASS-BASED PARTIALITIES AND BIRTH RIGHTS . THEY
ALSO DEMANDED TO ABOLISH BONDED LABOUR .
 ECONOMICALLY , LIBERALS DEMANDED FREEDOM OF MARKETS AND THE RIGHT TO PROPERTY. THEY ALSO
DEMANDED THE ABOLITION OF STATE-IMPOSED RESTRICTIONS ON THE MOVEMENTS OF GOODS AND CAPITAL .
UNIFICATION OF GERMANY:-

1. MIDDLE-CLASS GERMANS TRIED TO UNITE THE DIFFERENT REGIONS OF GERMAN CONFEDERATION, BUT
THEIR PLANS DID NOT TAKE PLACE DUE TO ACTIONS OF LARGE LANDOWNERS CALLED JUNKERS OF PRUSSIA.
PRUSSIA TOOK THE LEADERSHIP FOR THE UNIFICATION .
2. OTTO VON BISMARCK OF PRUSSIA PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE OF A MAIN LEADER IN THE ACT OF NATION -
BUILDING .
3. THE UNIFICATION PROCESS WAS CONCLUDED AFTER PRUSSIA WON WARS WITH AUSTRIA, DENMARK, AND
FRANCE OVER SEVEN YEARS.
4. IN JANUARY 1871, THE PRUSSIAN KING , W ILLIAM I, WAS DECLARED THE G ERMAN EMPEROR IN A
CEREMONY HELD AT VERSAILLES . THREE WARS OVER THE SPAN OF SEVEN YEARS WITH AUSTRIA, D ENMARK
AND FRANCE ENDED IN A PRUSSIAN VICTORY . IN J AN 1871, PRUSSIAN K ING W ILLIAM I WAS PROCLAIMED
GERMAN EMPEROR.
5. MORE IMPORTANCE WAS GIVEN TO MODERNISING THE CURRENCY, BANKING , LEGAL AND JUDICIAL SYSTEMS
IN G ERMANY.

UNIFICATION OF ITALY:-

1. THE UNIFICATION OF ITALY IS THE RESULT OF DEDICATION, CONTRIBUTION AND EFFORT OF THREE GREAT
LEADERS MAZZINI, C AVOUR AND GARIBALDI.
2. DURING 1830S, GIUSEPPE MAZZINI HAD TRIED TO UNITE ITALY. HE FORMED THE SECRET SOCIETY CALLED
YOUNG ITALY. BUT BOTH THE UPRISING IN 1831 AND 1848 FAILED.
3. EVEN THE RULING ELITES ALSO WANTED A UNIFIED ITALY WHICH WOULD OFFER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND
POLITICAL DOMINANCE.
4. THE UNIFICATION OF ITALY WAS A RESULT OF MANY WARS. CHIEF M INISTER CAVOUR MADE A TACTFUL
DIPLOMATIC ALLIANCE WITH FRANCE AND SARDINIA-P IEDMONT SUCCEEDED IN DEFEATING THE AUSTRIAN
FORCES IN 1859.
5. A LARGE NUMBER OF ARMED VOLUNTEERS UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF GIUSEPPE GARIBALDI JOINED THE
UNIFICATION MOVEMENT .
6. IN 1860, THEY MARCHED INTO SOUTH ITALY AND THE KINGDOM OF THE TWO SICILY SUCCEEDED TO DRIVE
OUT THE SPANISH RULERS WITH THE HELP OF LOCAL PEOPLE.
7. IN 1861, V ICTOR EMMANUEL II WAS PROCLAIMED AS KING OF UNITED ITALY.
BALKAN REGIONS’ CRISIS:-

1. THE FEELING OF NATIONALISM BECAME INTENSE IN THE BALKAN REGION AFTER 1871. THE BALKAN REGION
FORMERLY COMPRISED THE PRESENT -DAY TERRITORIES OF ROMANIA, BULGARIA , MACEDONIA, CROATIA,
GREECE, BOSNIA HERZEGOVINA , SLOVENIA, SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO.
2. THE PEOPLE IN THESE COUNTRIES WERE CALLED SLAVS. THE DISINTEGRATION OF THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE IN THE
REGION MADE THE SITUATION VERY EXPLOSIVE IN THE REGION AS EVERY STATE WAS JEALOUS OF ONE ANOTHER
AND HOPED TO GAIN INDEPENDENCE AT THE COST OF THE OTHER .
3. ONE BY ONE, ITS EUROPEAN SUBJECT NATIONALITIES BROKE AWAY FROM THE CONTROL OF THE OTTOMAN
EMPIRE AND DECLARED INDEPENDENCE .
4. AS THE DIFFERENT SLAVIC NATIONALITIES STRUGGLED TO DEFINE THEIR IDENTITY AND INDEPENDENCE , THE
BALKAN AREA BECAME AN AREA OF INTENSE CONFLICT.
5. DURING THIS TIME, MANY POWERFUL EUROPEAN NATIONS SUCH AS ENGLAND, FRANCE, RUSSIA AND GERMANY
COMPETED TO GAIN CONTROL IN THE BALKAN REGION .
6. THIS COMPETITION FOR GAINING PROMINENCE IN THE REGION FINALLY LED TO THE FIRST WORLD WAR IN 1914.