1. Chapter 13: The Consolidation of Large Nation-States, 1859-1871
13.63: Backgrounds: The Idea of The Nation State

2. Introduction
(12 years) saw the formation of new German empire, unified kingdom of Italy, drastic changes in Tsarist Russia, dual monarchy of Austria Hungary
New technologies and new industries strengthened the political power of nation states
Reflected greater speed of movement of ideas, people, goods
RR, steamship, telegraph
Nation states became dynamic forces in the evolving social and economic life of all modern societies

3. Backgrounds
Before 1860
Only really 2 nation-states (France and Britain)
Spain looks united geographically but is really divided
Switzerland, Portugal, and the Netherlands are nation-states but small and peripheral
rest were small states comprising fragments of a nation and empires
Since 1860
Nation-state system prevailed
Consolidation, sovereignty, and independence served large populations and small ethnic groups
Served to create large nations out of smaller populations while breaking other populations into component parts
map of Europe from 1871 to 1918 was simplest it ever was
Mainly served to create larger units in place of small ones

4. Characteristics of nation states
Political authority is based upon the will of the people, is representative of the people
People must have a common will (sense they belong to a community)
The “people” are usually those who speak the same language
Outsiders usually speak a different language
People possess a common history or origin, race, common future, common geographic home
People are committed to a collective destiny

5. Consolidation and Constitutionalism
Governments found that to effectively rule a sense of membership and support was necessary among the subjects
The consolidation of large nation states had two phases
Union of preexisting smaller states (territorially)
Creation of new ties between government and governed (morally and psychologically)
New segments of the population were admitted to political life
Creation of liberal and representative institutions
Favored constitutional progress
Established authorities help achieve aims of the revolutionists
Changes were realized through a series of wars
United States civil war
Crimean War
Italian War
Danish War
Austro Prussian War
Franco Prussian War

6. The Crimean War, 1854 – 1856
Crimean War helped the success of European nation movements
chief significance is that it weakened Austria and Russia (backbone of Treaty of Vienna, 1815)
1st war covered by newspaper correspondents
1st war in which women (Florence Nightingale) recognized as nurses

7. Russian pressure on the Ottomans
Russia had designs on Black Sea region for long time
1853 Nicholas I moved in on Moldavia and Wallachia (Romania)
Ostensibly to protect Christians in the Ottoman Empire
The French consider themselves to be the protectors of Christians in the Ottoman Empire
France had a long relationship with the Ottomans through trade and diplomacy
Napoleon III resents Nicholas I (who sees him as a revolutionary adventurer)
France encouraged the Turkish government to resist Russian claims to protect Christians in Turkey
War breaks out between Russia and Turkey in 1853
France joined the side of the Turks
England joined the side of the Turks
Sardinia (Piedmont) joined the side of the Turks to gain support for the resolution of the Italian Question
Austria (with designs on the Balkans) takes up arms against Russia
England blockages the Baltic and the Black seas
French and British invade Russia (via Crimea)
Nicholas I died in 1855 and Alexander II sued for peace

8. Peace in 1856
Powers that met (in Paris) agreed to protect the Ottoman Empire
Russia ceded the left bank of the mouth of the Danube to Moldavia
Russia gave up its claim to be the protector of the Christians in the Ottoman Empire
Moldavia and Wallachia united as Romania and Serbia were recognized
Trouble on the horizon
Napoleon III needed glory
Italians wanted unification
Prussians felt they were losing ground politically
No role in the Peace of 1856
Change meant tearing up the Treaty of Vienna of 1815
Weakness in the Austrian, Russian and Ottoman Empires ushers in the age of nationalism