The unification of Italy

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1870
Italain forces conquered Rome and completed the unification of Italy
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Italy as a geographic expression
Italy was considered to be unimportant on the world stage, it had not been united for 1500 years and was instead divided into eight main states causing it to be see as a group of states occupying the Italian Peninsula.
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Italy before unification
The eight Italian states had fought for hundreds of years and the wealthiest states were Tuscany, Venezia and the Papal States.​The “Italian” language was only spoken in Tuscany, so only about 2.5% of the population spoke it.
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Italy before unification#2
The Italian states were mostly stricken by poverty so many people could barely afford to eat.​ Thousands of people migrated each year in hopes that they could have a better life in USA, Argentina or North Africa.​ ​
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Risorgimento
This meant to “Rising Again” from Italian and refers to the period when the single state of Italy was formed.​ It took place between 1815 and 1870.​ In this period Italy was uniting again for the first time since the Roman Empire.​ ​
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The making of Italy
"Italy" was a new and forced concept and many people did Italian.​ There were sharp contrast between Northern and Southern Italy. The two halves of Italy could not identify with each other, they could not even speak the same language.
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The North#1
They were politically dominant due to Piedmont's influence. The aristocracy, middle-classes and skilled craftsmen were located in the North. They also had reasonable standards of living, considerable industrial development.
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The North#2
They had good soil, favorable climate, higher production.​ Their education had improved but illiteracy was still at 70% .​Law and order were largely maintained
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The south
They resented political domination by the North, they were largely a region of rural peasantry, widespread poverty and low living standards,hot climate, poor soil, low production. 87% illiteracy,80% truancy rates, lawlessness and mafia activity
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Problems facing liberal Italy- Lack of identity
Italian loyalty tended to be towards the family or the immediate locality rather than towards the Italian nation.​ The Liberal Government believed that Italy would only become truly united when the public started to view themselves at Italians
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Problems facing liberal Italy- hostility of the catholic church
The Catholic Church was a powerful force as the majority of the population were Catholics. They​ lost some of their land when Italy was created and were resentful. ​The pope refused to recognize the Italian state and ordered elections be boycotted
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Problems facing liberal Italy- Economic problems
Italy was mostly an agricultural country, with 68% of the population dependent on the land for their livelihood. Industry was underdeveloped due to a lack of natural resources in Italy e.g coal ,iron ore.​​
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Problems facing liberal Italy- Economic problems #2
The Liberal Government did not make much from taxes, so did not have the money to improve schools or expand the military.​
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Problems facing liberal Italy- Humiliating foreign policy
Italy wanted to rival the great Powers of Europe which meant gaining colonies but they were late to the scramble for Africa. It failed to take control of Tunisia where were already Italian immigrants and was defeated when trying to take Abyssinia.
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Economics
In 1893 there was an economic crash in Italy after the Banca Romana was found to have printed money illegally. The Liberal Government developed new policies to improve things.​ Liberal Italy began to catch up with the rest of Europe.
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Economic miracle
The economic growth that allowed Italy catch up to the rest of Europe and allow its standards of living to increase
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Growing Challenges- Socialists
Rapid industrialisation in Northern Italy from the 1880s produced a big working class in society who were committed to trying to gain control the Italian state, but realised that this would be a long-term aim.​ They worked to gain better pay
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Italian Socialist Party
Founded in 1895.it had 27,000 members and ran its own newspaper, Avanti! In 1900 it received 200,000 votes in the General Election and secured 32 seats in the Chamber of Deputies
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Aims of the Italian Socialist party
They wanted to introduce the vote to the entire male population of Italy, and eight-hour working day, and more rights for women.
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Growing Challenges- Catholics
The Pope gave up his hostility to the Unified Italy as the Church decided Socialists were a bigger threat because they were a competitor for the hearts and minds of ordinary Italians. The Church removed their ban on Catholics voting in election
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Growing Challenges- Nationalist
few Nationalists in Italy, but they had a lot of support in the media. They condemned the Government for failing to make Italy a great power. They demanded a larger Italian Empire in Africa and military spending, very vocal about Adowa.
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Growing Challenges- Futurists
There was a mood of revolt against the existing boring and serious world in the early twentieth century. They admired speed, technology, youth and violence and praised original ideas, but hated things that they considered to be old e.g politics​ ​
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The triple Alliance
The Triple Alliance was a secret agreement between Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy.They promised to help each other in warfare situations and Italy had been promised help to set up colonies and an empire. ​
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The triple Entente
The Triple Alliance was rivaled by the Triple Entente in 1907.​ The Triple Entente linked France, Russia and the United Kingdom.​
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What sparked the war?
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
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Neutralists
Neutralists feared that Italy was not ready for war, or that the war would harm the country and the economy.
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Interventionist
They feared what would happen if they were not on the winning side at the war’s end.​
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Italy's claim for staying neutral
they had not been consulted before Austria-Hungary had started the war, and this meant that the alliance was defunct.​ ​
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Why did Italy really stay neutral
Italy secretly wanted to have good relations with the United Kingdom because they provided Italy with a lot of coal and had the most dangerous naval forces in the world.​ They never liked Austria-Hungary, as they held some Italian land
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Treaty of London
Italy signed the Treaty of London. In return for entering the war on the side of the Triple Entente, Italy was promised lands that belonged to Austria-Hungary once they had been beaten. e.g Dalmatia, Trentino
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Salandra
Only Salandra and two other men made the decision to sign the Treaty of London. Parliament was left in the dark. Salandra lost a lot of support, and temporarily resigned.
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Italy going to war
the Chamber of Deputies granted the Salandra’s government emergency powers and money. The majority was 407 to 74.The following week, Italy declared war on Austria-Hungary.​ ​ They did not actually declare war on Germany until 28 August 1916.​​
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Italy as a geographic expression

Back

Italy was considered to be unimportant on the world stage, it had not been united for 1500 years and was instead divided into eight main states causing it to be see as a group of states occupying the Italian Peninsula.

Card 3

Front

Italy before unification

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

Italy before unification#2

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

Risorgimento

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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