Essential+Questions

Essential Questions

1. Why did a united Italy make sense to those who favored unification?

With the same language, history, and geography to end trade barriers, Italy was becoming untied and this made sense to people favoring unification. The same spoken language made communication simple and easy. And when trying to unite a country, the same basic language would allow people to feel more connected to one another. Another advantage was having the same general history and background. If the people of Italy had different backgrounds then this would cause a gap between the territories. This would make it harder to unite, but having the same history brought them closer. Lately, a united Italy would help break down trade barriers and this would increase trade and stimulate industry.

2. What were the obstacles in the way of Italian unification, and why might these obstacles make unification difficult?

To finally become united, Italy would have first face many obstacles. Besides being separated, the nationalists were being ignored by the Congress of Vienna. The Congress of Vienna ignored all the nationalists’ attempts to reason and argue the issue of uniting Italy. Without any support from the government the nationalists had little chance of uniting Italy by themselves. Another major obstacle was that Italy was separated: northern Italy was controlled by Austria. All other states were controlled by Hapsburg monarchs. Italy being controlled separately would drive a wedge in unification. Either both controllers would have to agree and come together, or one side would have to fight the other.

3. What steps did the Italian leaders take to Italy, or ignite nationalists feelings, in the people?  ﻿Italian leaders took many steps, to unify, or ignite nationalists feeling in people. one way Cavour did this was by fighting fo rall states to show them that no one state was more important. He spread these beliefs to everyone nad anyone possible. Through recruiting people to fight for freedom, getting more nations on his side and making speeches to spread his feelings on unification. Another leader who spread nationalist feelings was Guiseppe Garibaldi who was also an ally of Mazzini, another nationalists leader Garibaldi, along with Mazzini, openly spread his feelings about nationalism. Garibladi recruited over 1,000 red-shirted volunteers to helpfight for all the states.

4. What military steps were taken in order to free Italian people from oppressive rule?

While trying to free the Italian people from oppressive rule there was several military steps taken. One of the first military steps was Sardinia versus Austria. Sardinia over powered Austria and annexed Lombardy with the help of Naploen the III and France. Following there example, other states rebeled against Austria's foreign rule and joined Sardinia. Another major step was taken by Garibaldi when he recruited over 1,000 red-shirted volunteers to overtake The Kingdom of the 2 Sicily. Garibaldi did gain control, but later turned over the conqured land to Victor Emmanuel II. Garibaldi then marched to Naples, which he conquered as well. As with the Kingdom of 2 Sicilys Garibaldi After Cavour died his successors for him and in the end completed his dream of a united Italy.turned the land over to Emmanuel.

﻿5. What nationalists groups were formed and created in order to strengthen the unification movement?

There were a couple groups that were formed during Italy's unification movement. The main one was Young Italy. It was a secret society the idea of democratic nationalism to many of the Italian people. Young Italy was founded by Giuseppe Mazzini and existed all across Italy. Its members were completely confidential, but it openly spread its ideas through its own newspaper. Another group was Carbonari. Carbonari was a group that worked towards making government constitutional and political freedom. This group also met in secret. It made an accomplishment in Naples where they had a successful revolt, but not soon after they were quickly overlooked as Young Italy gained more of people's attention. Another group wasn't a societ, but a military group. They were Gaaribaldi's 1,000 red-shirted volunteers. These men joined Garibaldi as he tried to take over Naples and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilys to unite Italy. They were successful and helped further Italy's unification.

6. What challenges did a united Italy face when they finally were brought together as a nation-state?

Italy had to face several challenges when it became a nation-state. One of the problems was with the Pope. The Pope didn't like the way the Papal States had been forcefully taken over and the Pope tried to convince any Catholic Italian, many Italians at the time, to not cooperate with the new government. Another challenge was the differences between Northern and Southern Italy. The North was richer and had many more cities, while the South was much more rural and was poorer. The government also had to struggle against violent outbursts from people who were strongly against the government that was put in place. To pacify these people the government mad laws to improve social conditions and giving men the right to vote.

7. What role did Napoleon play in the unification of Italy?

Napoleon III played a role in Italy’s unification. Sardinia-Piedmont original attracted his attention when they joined in a war with Britain and France against Russia in 1855. A few years later Cavour, Sardinia-Piedmont's prime minister at the time, made a secret deal with Napoleon the said Napoleon would help Sardinia if it every went to war with Austria. Cavour started a war with Austria the next year. With the help of Napoleon and the rest of France Sardinia was able to defeat Austria. This showed other provinces that they could also over throw Austria's rule and Sardinia graciously accepted these newly freed provinces and them part of its country. Sardinia started to unite Italy this way building one government to control all the little provinces.

8. Explain the viewpoint of the liberals and the conservatives with regards to Italian unification?

The conservatives at the time were people such as the Congress of Vienna, the Prince of Austria Metternich, and monarchs ruling the other Italian States who thought the idea of unifying Italy was silly and wanted to keep things the way they were. The conservatives wanted to keep traditions and see little change, such as to keep monarchs ruling and to have an established church. They believed it would undermine basic social values and in a way Italian Unification did undermine their idea of social values. It transfered some power from the monarchs to the people who could vote. On the other side there was the liberals. They were people such as Camillo di Benso Cavour, Giuseppe Mazzini, Giuseppe Garibaldi, and Napoleon. These were all people who wanted to change the government from the monarch rule to a government based on a constitution. They fought agianst the conservatives to unite Italy under such a government.

<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 13pt;">9. How does Nationalism unify the people of the Italian States?

<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 13pt;">Nationalism helped to unfiy the Italian people from different states. Nationalism is to have pride or devotion to one's nation, which is usually people who share the same culture, language, and heritage. Almost all Italians had the same language (Italian), heritage, religion (Catholic), and culture. These things most likely made them feel closer to each other and further from their rulers. No wonder the Italian people wanted to rule themselves, why should they have to be ruled by someone who doesn't understand or practice their ways? The Italian peopl efaught back and didn't bow down to another culture because they were proud of their nation.