Nationalism, Unification, and American Expansion in the 19th Century

The Birth of Nationalism

In the Middle Ages and modern times, the word "nation" designated a group of people in one place who were under the power of a single monarch.

There were two main approaches to the concept of nation:

• The German Romantics defended a cultural conception of the nation.
• The French proposed a political conception of the nation.

This ideology gave rise to two significant processes: state nationalization policies were launched, and many peoples struggled to become independent states.

Nationalist Disintegrating Movements

Part of the nationalist movement led to the disintegration of existing political entities. The most severe cases were the Austro-Hungarian and Turkish (Ottoman) empires, which were formed by diverse peoples. While the Austro-Hungarian Empire largely resisted fragmentation during the nineteenth century, the Turkish Empire was fragmenting throughout the century. The first territory to become independent from the Turks was Greece in 1829.

Unification of Italy and Germany

The Italian peninsula was divided into several states, some under foreign domination. However, the existence of a common language forged a sense of unity among Italians. The unification of Italy was led by Piedmont and culminated in 1861.

In Germany, Prussia was the leading state in the unification process. During the first half of the nineteenth century, mechanisms of economic cooperation were established among German states. From 1862, King William I of Prussia and his minister Bismarck accelerated the process that transformed Prussia into a great power.

Westward Expansion in the U.S.

Between 1800 and 1850, the U.S. population increased from 5 to 23 million, due to the influx of immigrants from Britain and Germany. New territories were added through westward expansion. This expansion provided land and forged the identity of the people of the USA.

In this vast territory, three regions differed by their economic and social characteristics:

• The Northwest, with significant industrial and urban development.
• The South, whose economy was based on large landholdings.
• The West, where small independent farmers predominated.

The American Civil War

The Civil War lasted four years (1861-1865) and ended with the victory of the North. It was a very destructive war, as modern weapons were first implemented. The conflict resulted in half a million dead and razed many territories.

The Reconstruction Era

The post-war period, known as Reconstruction, was a time of great economic prosperity. During this time, the U.S. began an unstoppable economic development, becoming the first industrial nation in the world at the beginning of the 20th century.

Although slavery was abolished after the war, with the withdrawal of the Northern army, the South suppressed favorable laws from the early period of the 20th century. In this era, politics was organized around two parties: Republicans and Democrats.