The Growth of Nationalism

1
The Growth of Nationalism

• Summary Notes

2
Growth of Nationalism - Sample Questions

• How effectively did nationalists promote their
  cause in Germany between 1815 and 1850? (2005)
• Why did nationalism grow in Germany between 1815
  and 1850? (2004)
• To what extent was there a real growth in
  national consciousness in Germany between 1815
  and 1850? (2003)

3
Growth of Nationalism - Sample Questions

• Assess the importance of economic factors in the
  growth of nationalism in Germany during the
  period 1815-1850 (2001)
• How important was cultural nationalism to the
  growth of national feeling in Germany between
  1815-1850? (2000)

4
Types Of Questions

• There are two main types of
• questions
• Why did nationalist feeling grow?
• This type of question will ask you to look at the
  main factors.
• The question may ask how important was a
  particular factor or it maybe more general.
• Whichever way the question is phrased always
  indicate what is the most important factor!

5
Why Did Nationalist Feeling Grow?

• Napoleonic Occupation
• This marked the first stirrings of
• nationalist feeling. The reorganisation
• of the German states into the
• Confederation of the Rhine was a first
• small step towards unification. Without
• this future change would not have been
• possible.

6
Why Did Nationalist Feeling Grow?

• German Confederation
• This brought the states together
• and encouraged them to work
• together in small ways. It also
• made them more aware of what
• they had in common, although
• they were keen to preserve their
• independence. Without this future
• steps would not have been possible.

7
Why Did Nationalist Feeling Grow?

• Cultural Nationalism
• Marked the beginning of a
• common sense of identity among
• Germans due to the spread of
• nationalist and liberal ideas. It would
• take political change in order to
• achieve unification. Although shared
• by a minority and suppressed by the
• German Confederation these ideas
• would resurface again in 1848.

8
Why Did Nationalist Feeling Grow?

• Zollverein Economic Nationalism
• Brought the German states together
• economically and made them surrender
• a small part of their independence for
• economic benefits. The next obvious
• step would be political union as many
• states recognised the benefits of co-
• operating together for the common
• good.

9
Why Did Nationalist Feeling Grow?

• 1848 Revolution
• First major attempt to achieve political
• union through democratic change.
• This was clear evidence of the extent of
• nationalist feeling among the German
• states. Attempts to achieve a united
• Germany failed not due to a lack of
• support among Germans but due to
• key figures at the time who were keen
• to preserve the status quo. It was only a
• matter of time before unification took place.

10
Types Of Questions

• There are two main types of
• questions
• To what extent was there a growth in nationalist
  feeling?
• You need to look at each of the main factors.
• However you need to weigh up the extent to which
  there was a growth in nationalist feeling.

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To what extent was there a growth in nationalist
feeling?

• By 1850 a dramatic increase in nationalist
  feeling was evident.
• Nationalist feeling had developed from being
  anti-French in the early 1800s to a definite
  sense of Germany identity by 1850.
• Nationalist feeling had spread among wide
  sections of the population.
• This had led to the first demands for political
  union in 1848.
• Although unification was not achieved,
  nationalist feeling did not dwindle or disappear.

12
Napoleonic Occupation

• States reorganised into 39 Confederation of
  Rhine McKichan quote.
• Disillusioned by Napoleonic rule Thomson quote
• Joined together in 1813 War of Liberation
• First demands for political union, but not
  widespread

13
German Confederation

• Congress of Vienna 1815 keeps status quo
• Renamed German Confederation
• States agree to a regular Parliament and will
  defend each other if attacked.
• Independence of states maintained.
• Austria strongest state was a major barrier to
  unification.
• Not inevitable that united Germany would be
  created.

14
Cultural Nationalism

• Started before 1815 with Romantic movement.
• Thinkers and writers looked to the past.
• Encouraged common sense of identity.
• Metternich concerned about spread of
  nationalist/liberal ideas through student
  societies.
• 1819 Carlsbad Decrees tried to stop spread of
  ideas.
• Nationalist ideas limited to educated
  town-dwellers didnt matter to vast majority of
  Germans.

15
Zollverein

• Prussian keen to develop economically
  simplified tax system to encourage sale of
  Prussian goods.
• By 1831 25 states were part of the Zollverein
  customs union.
• Trade and transport improved.
• Power of Prussia increased/Austria excluded.
• William Carr quotes mighty lever of unification.
• Nationalist argued that political union should be
  next.

16
1848 Revolutions

• Revolution spread throughout Europe including
  Prussia.
• Demands for united Germany.
• 1849 Frankfurt Parliament met to discuss issue.
• Decided on a Kleindeutsch union without
  Austria.
• Prussian King refused to lead a united Germany.
• Desire for a united Germany dwindled out, leaders
  of states reasserted control over their own
  territories.
• As long as Austria continued to oppose
  unification it would be difficult to achieve.