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FIND OUT MORE. Holy Roman Empire 385 • Thirty Years’ War 406

WHY WAS POLAND IN REVOLT?

Between 1772 and 1795 Poland was divided between

Russia, Prussia, and Austria. There were nationalist

uprisings against the Russians in 1830 and 1863, but

independence was not regained until 1918.

WHO WERE THE REDSHIRTS?

Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807-1882) dreamed of uniting

Italy and freeing it from foreign rule. In 1860 he

assembled 1,000 volunteers, who wore red shirts as a

uniform. They sailed from Genoa to Sicily and joined

an uprising against that kingdom’s French rulers.

They then crossed to southern Italy. Garibaldi later

tried to march on Rome, and fought against Austria.

WHEN DID GERMANY COME INTO BEING?

Since the Middle Ages, Germany had been a patchwork

of free cities and small states within the Holy Roman

Empire. In the 19th century, these came together, first

economically, then politically. In 1871, Wilhelm I of

Prussia became emperor of a united Germany.

4 ITALIAN FREEDOM FIGHTER

Garibaldi leads his Redshirts into

battle. As a young man, Garibaldi

had joined the “Young Italy”

movement. Forced to flee to

South America, he fought

against dictatorship and injustice

there before returning to Italy in 1848.

Nationalism

Nationalism means the wish of a people to govern

themselves as a nation. This ideal reshaped the map of

Europe in the 19th century. Later in the century,

nationalism took on a second meaning – an exaggerated

belief in the superiority of one’s own nation.

1 THE GREEKS RISE UP
This postage stamp commemorates the 150th anniversary of the Greek
uprising (1821-1827) against Turkish rule. The savage response of the
Turks gained the Greek rebels sympathy across Europe.

IRISH BOMB BLAST 3

Ireland became part of the United

Kingdom in 1801. A nationalist

organization, the Irish Republican

Brotherhood (or “Fenians”), was

founded in New York in 1857 to

campaign for a free Ireland. It

launched attacks in Manchester

and London in 1867.

1830– Nationalist

1831 agitation; calls

for democratic

reform across

Europe

1832 Greece

recognized as

independent

from Turkey

1848 Nationalist and

liberal uprisings

across Europe

1871 Germany unites

as an empire

1871 Italy becomes a

single nation

NEW NATIONS

The red shirt

became a symbol

of freedom

OTTO VON BISMARCK

1815–1898

Bismarck was a Prussian

politician, a conservative, and

a royalist. He opposed the

liberal nationalists who

demanded democratic change

in Germany in 1848, but

played a major role in creating

the German Empire of 1871.

nationalism