Italian Unification What do you know about Italy

Italian Unification

• What do you know about Italy?

Situation in 19 th C. Italy • Centrally located in Southwestern Europe at the crossroads of trade and cultural diffusion • Made up of many small kingdoms and principalities instead of one unified kingdom, leaving it vulnerable to attack • The north was industrial and the south was agricultural, much like the US before the Civil War, and therefore the north and south did not trust each • Was a constant victim of invasion and war • After the Napoleonic conquests of the early 1800’s, many in Italy came to understand “united we stand, divided we fall”

Reasons for Italian Unification • In 1830, nationalist leader Giuseppe Mazzini founded Young Italy , a nationalist group committed “to constitute Italy one, free, independent republican nation. ” • A united Italy made sense; it would end trade barriers among the Italian states and stimulate industry, as well as protect Italy against foreign invasion

Leaders of Italian Unification • Giusseppe Mazzini- the “soul of the nationalist movement because he founded the Young Italy group • Guisseppe Garibaldi- The “sword” of the movement because he was the leader of the Red Shirts, the military branch of the Young Italy movement. He squashed opposition to the movement • Camilo Cavour- the “brains” of the movement because he convinced France to aid Italy in a war against Austria, then turned on France once the war against Austria was won

Effects of Italian Unification • Italy becomes an imperial power, united under the leadership of Victor Emmanuel of the Savoy Family • The Balance of Power in Europe has been tipped; Austria, France, and Britain are worried about the new competition • Germany would follow Italy’s lead, forcing European powers to look outside of Europe for new areas to exploit for resources

Did you know…? • The Italian Flag got its tricolor design from the Italian Kingdom of Sardinia; red and white from Milan (the head of the Italian Kingdoms), and green because green represented the military • Italy's Queen Margherita visited the Pizzeria Brandi in Naples in 1889. The pizza maker on duty that day, Rafaele Esposito, created a pizza for the Queen that contained the three colors of the new Italian flag. The red of the tomato, white of the mozzarella and fresh green basil was a hit with the Queen and the rest of the world.