Class 10 History Notes: Nationalism in Europe

1. Frédéric Sorrieu’s Vision of Democratic Republics (1848)

1.1 The Revolutionary Prints

In 1848, French artist Frédéric Sorrieu created four prints imagining a world of ‘democratic and social Republics’. These prints showed his utopian vision of nations united in liberty and equality.

1.2 Key Symbols in Sorrieu’s Print

1.3 Nations in the Procession

• Leading: USA and Switzerland (already nation-states).
• Following: France, Germany (not yet unified), Austria, Two Sicilies, Lombardy, Poland, England, Ireland, Hungary, Russia.

Note: Germany’s black-red-gold flag in the print symbolized liberal hopes for unification, as Germany was still 39 separate states in 1848.

2. Nationalism in France

2.1 The French Revolution (1789–1799)

The French Revolution was the first major expression of nationalism, shifting power from the monarchy to citizens.

2.2 Steps to Build Collective Identity

• Introduced la patrie (fatherland) and le citoyen (citizen) to emphasize unity.
• Adopted tricolour flag to replace royal standard.
• Renamed Estates General as National Assembly, elected by citizens.
• Composed hymns, took oaths, and commemorated martyrs.
• Centralized administration with uniform laws, abolished internal customs duties.
• Standardized weights and measures (metric system).
• Promoted Parisian French, discouraging regional dialects.

2.3 July Revolution (1830)

2.4 February Revolution (1848)

2.5 Napoleonic Reforms

• Napoleonic Code (1804): Abolished privileges, ensured legal equality, secured property rights.
• Simplified administrative divisions in conquered regions.
• Abolished feudalism, freed peasants from serfdom.
• Removed guild restrictions, improved transport and communication.
• Mixed Reactions: Initially welcomed in Holland, Switzerland, Brussels, Mainz, Milan, Warsaw, but hostility grew due to high taxes, censorship, and forced conscription.

3. Nationalism in Germany

3.1 Pre-Unification Challenges

• German Confederation (1815): 39 states under Austrian control (Vienna Congress).
• Obstacles:
  • Austrian dominance under Metternich.
  • Religious divide (Protestant North, Catholic South).
  • Rivalry between Austria and Prussia.

3.2 Economic Nationalism

• Reduced currencies from over 30 to 2.
• Promoted trade and mobility via railways.
• Strengthened nationalist sentiments (Friedrich List: “Bind Germans economically into a nation”).

3.3 Stages of Unification

3.4 Proclamation of German Empire

• January 18, 1871: King William I proclaimed German Emperor in Versailles’ Hall of Mirrors.
• Bismarck became Chancellor, federal structure with 25 states.
• Modernized currency, banking, legal, and judicial systems.

4. Nationalism in Italy

4.1 Pre-Unification Challenges

• Divided into 7 states (only Sardinia-Piedmont ruled by Italians).
• North under Austrian Habsburgs, center under Pope, south under Spanish Bourbons.
• Italian language had regional variations, high illiteracy rates.

4.2 Key Figures and Events

5. Nationalism in Britain

• Gradual Process: No sudden revolution; English dominance grew after 1688.
• Act of Union (1707): United England and Scotland into Great Britain.
• 1801: Ireland forcibly incorporated into United Kingdom.
• Cultural Suppression: Scottish Highlanders banned from Gaelic language and dress; Irish Catholics repressed.
• British Identity: Promoted via Union Jack, English language, and anthem (“God Save Our Noble King”).

6. Nationalism in Greece

• Under Ottoman Empire since the 15th century.
• 1821: War of independence began, supported by exiled Greeks and West Europeans (Philhellenes, e.g., Lord Byron).
• Treaty of Constantinople (1832): Recognized Greece as an independent nation.

7. Nationalism in the Balkans

• Region: Included Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, Greece, Serbia, etc., under Ottoman control.
• Challenges: Ethnic diversity (Slavs, Greeks), Ottoman decline, and romantic nationalism.
• Conflicts: Balkan states competed for territory; European powers (Russia, Germany, Britain, Austria-Hungary) fueled rivalries.
• Outcome: Series of wars, culminating in World War I (1914).

8. Role of Culture in Nationalism

• Johann Gottfried Herder (Germany): Promoted folk songs and poetry as the true spirit of the nation.
• Grimm Brothers (Germany): Collected folktales to preserve German culture against French dominance.
• Karol Kurpiński (Poland): Used operas and folk dances (polonaise, mazurka) as nationalist symbols.
• Vernacular Language: Polish clergy used language to resist Russian domination after 1831 rebellion.

9. Role of Secret Societies

• Purpose: Underground groups opposed conservative monarchies post-1815, fought for liberty and nation-states.
• Giuseppe Mazzini: Founded Young Italy (1831) and Young Europe (1834) to promote unified republics.
• Impact: Inspired similar societies in Germany, France, Switzerland, Poland; frightened conservatives (Metternich called Mazzini a “dangerous enemy”).

10. Vienna Congress and Conservatism (1815)

• Hosted by Austrian Chancellor Metternich.
• Key decisions:
  • Restored Bourbon dynasty in France.
  • Created buffer states around France (Netherlands, Piedmont).
  • Gave Prussia and Austria new territories.
  • Maintained German Confederation (39 states).
• Imposed conservative regimes with censorship and no dissent.

11. Economic Hardship and Revolts (1830s–1848)

• 1830s: Population growth, job scarcity, and rural migration to slums.
• 1848: Food shortages, unemployment led to uprisings:
  • Silesian Weavers’ Revolt (1845): Weavers protested low wages, destroyed contractor’s property; 11 killed by army.
  • Paris Uprising (1848): Barricades forced Louis Philippe to flee.

12. Role of Romanticism in Nationalism

• Johann Gottfried Herder: Promoted German folk culture (songs, poetry) as the true spirit of the nation.
• Grimm Brothers: Collected German folktales, opposed French cultural dominance.
• Karol Kurpiński: Used Polish folk dances (polonaise, mazurka) as nationalist symbols.
• Eugene Delacroix: Painted The Massacre at Chios (1824) to evoke sympathy for Greek independence.

13. Visualizing the Nation

Symbol Meanings (Germania)

14. Role of Women in Nationalism

• Formed political associations, published newspapers (e.g., Louise Otto Peters’ journal).
• Participated in protests and meetings but excluded from voting.
• At Frankfurt Parliament (1848), women observed from galleries, not as deputies.

15. Nationalism and Imperialism

15.1 How Nationalism Led to Imperialism

• European nations like Britain, France, and Germany developed strong national pride after unification or revolutions.
• This pride pushed them to prove superiority by acquiring colonies in Africa, Asia, and other regions.
• Colonies provided:
  • Raw materials (e.g., cotton, rubber, oil).
  • Markets for European goods.
  • Strategic military bases.
• Nationalist leaders believed imperial expansion showed their nation’s power and prestige.

15.2 Impact on Colonies

15. Key Terms

• Absolutist: Centralized, repressive monarchy.
• Utopian: Ideal but unrealistic vision.
• Plebiscite: Direct public vote on a proposal.
• Suffrage: Right to vote.
• Conservatism: Preference for tradition, gradual change.
• Feminist: Advocacy for women’s equality.
• Allegory: Symbolic representation of ideas.
• Ethnic: Shared cultural or racial identity.
• Zollverein: German customs union (1834).
• Young Italy: Mazzini’s society for Italian unification.
• Imperialism: Policy of extending a country’s power through colonization or military force.
• Colony: Territory controlled by a foreign power.
• Nationalism: Loyalty to one’s nation, often driving imperial ambitions.

16. Important Dates