Nationalism and Revolutions

One of the consequences of Napoleon's conquests was that he awakened feelings of nationalism, or pride in one's country, in the people he conquered. After he was finally defeated, these feelings did not go away. Many of these conquered lands tried to establish nations that reflected the shared language and history of their populations.

Two such areas were the German and Italian states, which were each loose groupings of states at the end of the Napoleonic Wars. During the middle of the nineteenth century, increased nationalism among the Italian and German people and the efforts of nationalist politicians led Italy and Germany to unify into the countries as they exist today.

Essential Questions

• What events led to the unification of Italy?
• What role did Otto von Bismarck play in the unification of Germany?