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Napoleon invaded Italy and created a kingdom in the north. When he was defeated Italy reverted back to independent states. The revolution of 1848 swept across Europe. French troops were sent to roam to reiterate the pope. Victor Emmanuel and Koval were angered with the french for making peace with the austrinance before they got all they wanted.

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Austria was the most powerful state in the Holy Ramon Empire. Control over germane states dwindled during the reformation. Prussia became a kingdom and expanded its borders and became a dominant power in Europe. German states adopted their own german states.

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1810 chile declared independence. There independences was attained in 1818. Diego Portales was in charge and that resulted into education, stability, economic growth, and investments in rail roads. Chile and Argentina won a war vs Peru and Bolivia. Chile also pushed south to gain total control of the land.

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Chile was originally a part of Spain's empire but, in 1810 Chile broke from Spain and declared their independence. The Governor of Chile was involved in a huge scandal in oct of 1818. Chile declaring their independence lead to violence. September 18 is a day when Chile celebrates there independence.

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On September 18, 1810, Chile broke from Spanish rule, declaring their independence (although they still were theoretically loyal to King Ferdinand VII of Spain, then a captive of the French). This declaration eventually led to over a decade of violence and warring which did not end until the last royalist stronghold fell in 1826. September 18 is celebrated in Chile as Independence Day.

Prelude to Independence

In 1810, Chile was a relatively small and isolated part of the Spanish Empire. It was ruled by a governor, appointed by the Spanish, who answered to the Viceroy in Buenos Aires. Chile's de facto independence in 1810 came about as a result of a number of factors, including a corrupt governor, the French occupation of Spain and growing sentiment for independence.

A Crooked Governor

The governor of Chile, Francisco Antonio García Carrasco, was involved in a huge scandal in October of 1808. The British whaling frigate Scorpionvisited Chilean shores to sell a load of smuggled cloth, and García Carrasco was part of a conspiracy to steal the smuggled goods. During the robbery, the captain of the Scorpion and some of his sailors were murdered, and the resulting scandal forever besmirched García Carrasco's name. For a while, he could not even govern and had to hide out at his hacienda in Concepción. This mismanagement by a Spanish official fueled the fire of independence.

Growing Desire for Independence

All throughout the New World, European colonies were clamoring for independence. Spain's colonies looked to the north, where the United States had thrown off their British masters and made their own nation. In northern South America, Simón Bolivar, Francisco de Miranda, and others were working for independence for New Granada. In Mexico, Father Miguel Hidalgo would kick off Mexico's War for Independence in September of 1810 after months of conspiracies and aborted insurrections on the part of the Mexicans. Chile was no different: Patriots such as Bernardo de Vera Pintado had already been working towards independence.

France Invades Spain

In 1808, France invaded Spain and Portugal, and Napoleon Bonaparte put his brother on the Spanish throne after capturing King Charles IV and his heir, Ferdinand VII. Some Spaniards set up a loyalist government, but Napoleon was able to defeat it. The French occupation of Spain caused chaos in the colonies. Even those loyal to the Spanish crown did not want to send taxes to the French government of occupation. Some regions and cities, such as Argentina and Quito, chose a middle ground: they declared themselves loyal but independent until such a time as Ferdinand was restored to the throne.

Argentine Independence

In May 1810, Argentine Patriots took power in what was known as the May Revolution, essentially deposing the Viceroy. Governor García Carrasco attempted to assert his authority by arresting two Argentines, José Antonio de Rojas and Juan Antonio Ovalle, as well as Chilean patriot Bernardo de Vera Pintado and sending them to Peru, where another Spanish Viceroy still clung to power. Furious Chilean patriots did not allow the men to be deported: They took to the streets and demanded an open town hall to determine their future. On July 16, 1810, García Carrasco saw the writing on the wall and voluntarily stepped down.

Rule of Mateo de Toro y Zambrano

The resulting town hall elected Count Mateo de Toro y Zambrano to serve as governor. A soldier and member of an important family, De Toro was well-meaning but a bit daffy in his advancing years (he was in his 80's). The leading citizens of Chile were divided: some wanted a clean break from Spain, others (mostly Spaniards living in Chile) wanted to remain loyal, and still others preferred the middle route of limited independence until such time as Spain got back on its feet. Royalists and Patriots alike used de Toro's brief reign to prepare their arguments.

The September 18 Meeting

Chile's leading citizens called for a meeting on September 18 to discuss the future. Three hundred of Chile's leading citizens attended: most were Spaniards or wealthy Creoles from important families. At the meeting, it was decided to follow the path of Argentina: create an independent government, nominally loyal to Ferdinand VII. The Spaniards in attendance saw it for what it was-independence behind the veil of loyalty-but their objections were overruled. A junta was elected, and de Toro y Zambrano was named President.

The Legacy of Chile's September 18 Movement

The new government had four short-term goals: establish a Congress, raise a national army, declare free trade, and get in contact with the junta then leading Argentina. The meeting on September 18 set Chile firmly on the path to independence and was the first Chilean self-government since before the days of the conquest. It also marked the arrival on the scene of Bernardo O'Higgins, son of a former Viceroy. O'Higgins participated in the September 18 meeting and would eventually become Chile's greatest hero of Independence.

Chile's path to Independence would be a bloody one, as patriots and royalists would fight up and down the length of the nation for the next decade. Nevertheless, independence was inevitable for the former Spanish colonies and the September 18 meeting was an important first step.

Celebrations

Today, September 18 is celebrated in Chile as their Independence Day. It is remembered with the fiestas patrias or "national parties." The celebrations kick off in early September and can last for weeks. All over Chile, people celebrate with food, parades, reenactments, and dancing and music. The national rodeo finals are held in Rancagua, thousands of kites fill the air in Antofagasta, in Maule they play traditional games, and many other places have traditional celebrations. If you're going to Chile, the middle of September is a great time to visit to catch the festivities.

Concha Cruz, Alejandor and Maltés Cortés, Julio. Historia de Chile Santiago: Bibliográfica Internacional, 2008.

Harvey, Robert. Liberators: Latin America's Struggle for Independence Woodstock: The Overlook Press, 2000.

Lynch, John. The Spanish American Revolutions 1808-1826 New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1986.

Scheina, Robert L. Latin America's Wars, Volume 1: The Age of the Caudillo 1791-1899 Washington, D.C.: Brassey's Inc., 2003.

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On September 18, 1810, Chile broke from Spanish rule, declaring their independence (although they still were theoretically loyal to King Ferdinand VII of Spain, then a captive of the French). This declaration eventually led to over a decade of violence and warring which did not end until the last royalist stronghold fell in 1826.

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Before unification, Germany was made up of a lot of small kingdoms. France was ruled by napoleon lll. There was an appreciation that a new state would balance the power. The new German state, for the first time, write its own chapter in the colonialism. The unification in Germany was a watershed moment in European history.

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The Unification of Germany into the German Empire, dominated by Prussia with a federalist structure was announced on 18 January 1871 in the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles in France. This event would have a major impact on European politics for decades.

The details from this article will be useful in the world history segment of the UPSC Mains Exam

Background of the Unification of Germany

Before unification, Germany was a collection of small kingdoms that came into existence following the Treaty of Verdun in 843. These kingdoms would form the basis of the Holy Roman Empire. Yet, there was no homogenous German identity until the 19th century. This was in part due to the autonomy of the princely states and most inhabitants not ruled directly by the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire largely identified with their prince instead of the German emperor

This system of having small states within the empire was called "practice of kleinstaaterei " or "practice of small states". It was during the onset of the Industrial Revolution that brought about an improvement in transportation and communication, ultimately bringing far-flung regions in close contact with each other

The scenario changed upon the defeat and dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire by France during the Napoleonic Wars in 1806. Even though a German Confederation was re-established following the French defeat in 1815, a huge wave of German nationalism swept through the region at the beginning of the 19th century. This wave of nationalism gave rise to the demands of a centralized authority by the mid 19th century.

The rise of Prussia

The Congress of Vienna in 1815 had established a confederation of German states under the leadership of the Austrian Empire. For their part, the Austrians, in a bid to maintain their own influence over the German states, suppressed any expression of German nationalism and pitted the German states against one another. It ensured that no one state would become powerful over that of the other.

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Prussia, the easternmost state of the German Confederation was one such state. It had briefly attempted unification of the German confederation under its rule in 1848 until the combined power of other states, with support from the Austrian Empire, foiled it.

With the appointment of Otto von Bismarck as the Prime Minister of Prussia, the situation began to change.

Otto von Bismarck had a burning ambition to transform Prussia into a formidable power and avenge the humiliating loss at Austria's hands years before. To this end, he brought major reforms into the Prussian army that made it into the most disciplined and professional fighting force in that part of the world.

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The war that followed in 1866 (known as the Seven Weeks War) saw Prussia dealing a heavy blow on Austria and its German allies. So profound was the victory that it ended Austrian interference in German matters and allowed Prussia to lay the foundations of its own empire.

However, this would not be enough. Bismarck knew that only a new war with an old enemy would unite other German states, who had been traditional rivals of Prussia, to throw in their lot with the new Prussian empire. That enemy would be France

Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871

France was ruled by Napoleon III, the nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte. Unlike his uncle, Napoleon III would lack both political acumen and military skill. He would become a perfect target for Otto von Bismarck's machinations.

Through a series of clever diplomatic manoeuvres and subtle provocations, Bismarck managed to provoke Napoleon III into declaring war against Prussia. The seemingly aggressive move by the French was enough to restrain other European powers from supporting Napoleon III. The result in the German states was a wave of anti-French sentiments.

When Bismark marched the Prussian Army towards the French border in July 1870, they were joined by armies of the other German states. The resulting war would prove devastating for France with the most notable defeat being at Sedan in September 1870. It was enough for Napoleon III to tender his resignation as emperor to the French parliament and live out the rest of his life in England. But the war with the Prussians still continued regardless.

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The war would continue until the fall of Paris to the Prussian Army in January 1871. In the meantime, Bismarck had gathered the German general's princes and Kings at Versailles and declared King William I of Prussia as the Emperor of the German Empire on January 18. On the same day, the new Constitution of the German Confederation came into force, thereby significantly extending the federal German lands to the newly created German Empire with Prussia at its helm.

As for the French, furious and smarting under the humiliation of their own monuments being used to further the cause of their enemies, they would avenge their defeat decades later

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Result of the German Unification

The Unification of Germany was a watershed moment in European history that would forever change its political landscape. With the arrival of a new unified German nation onto European politics, the other powers took note with mixed feelings of appreciation, awe and fear. An appreciation that a new state would change the balance of power within continental Europe, awe at the fact that motley collection of bickering German state could band together to defeat a common foe in such a short span of time and fear at the prospect of facing a new powerful enemy whose military prowess was unmatched by any European army at the time.
Unification of Germany: UPSC Notes - Download PDF Here
The new German state would for the first time write its own chapter on colonialism when it undertook expeditions to Africa and Asia. This naturally brought the German Empire into conflict with its European neighbours in the continent and elsewhere. The aggressive approach would further antagonise other nations such as Britain, France and Russia. The animosity between them would spark the fires of the first world war in 1914, which would end the German Empire through the Treaty of Versailles (whose terms were dictated by France) in 1919, ironically in the very same halls where the German Empire was first proclaimed.

How did the process of German Unification take place?

In the 1860s, Otto von Bismarck, then Minister President of Prussia, provoked three short, decisive wars against Denmark, Austria, and France, aligning the smaller German states behind Prussia in its defeat of France. In 1871 he unified Germany into a nation-state, forming the German Empire.

What was the impact of unification of Germany?

The unification of Germany fundamentally altered the delicate "balance of powers" established by the Congress of Vienna with the creation of a large, wealthy, and powerful nation-state in central Europe. Moreover, it is a useful case study for the broader concept of "nationalism" as a historical agent.

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Unification of Germany [1871]: Franco-Prussian War | Otto von Bismarck

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Why is the Unification of Germany an important moment in European history? Who was the driving force behind it? How did it impact European politics for decades? Read the article to find out. Download Unification of Germany PDF notes for free. For Civil Services Examination preparation 2023, follow BYJU'S

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The northern half of Italy was under control of the Holy Roam Empire. Italy was thus divided into small principalities. Towards the end of the French revolution Napoleon Bonaparte would begin a series of wars that would change the pollical landscape of Europe for years to come. The new kingdom of Italy was structured by renaming the Old kingdom of Sardinia

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The Unification of Italy was a 19th century political and social movement that resulted in the unification of the different states of the Italian Peninsula, into a single state - the Kingdom of Italy.

Beginning in the 1840s, the unification was completed in 1871, the same year as the unification of Germany .

This article will give details about the Unification of Italy within the context of the .
Background of the Unification of Italy

The Italian Peninsula had fragmented into different city-states upon the demise of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD. Although briefly united under the Ostrogothic Kingdom, it again fell to disunity following the invasion of the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire) in the 500s.

The northern half of Italy was under the control of the Holy Roman Empire (a German-speaking Empire) beginning in the 8th century while the central and the southern half were intermittently governed between the Kingdom of Naples, Kingdom of Sicily and the Papal States.

The state of affairs continued well into the 17th century until the rise of the Italian city-states, such as Milan and Venice, changed the balance of power in the region. Wars would be fought between the states and the Holy Roman Empire culminating in the Peace of Westphalia in 1648. Although it would end the involvement of the Holy Roman Empire, most of Northern Italy would still be ruled by the Spanish branch of the Habsburgs, who ruled the Holy Roman Empire at the time. The Spanish Wars of succession would end the Habsburg Rule in Italy by 1714

Italy under Napoleon

The empire established by Napoleon had served as a fuel for revolutionary ideas, as he even encouraged nationalism. Italy would be split again following the Napoleans' fall in 1815, its city-states divided among various European powers, with the Empire of Austria having the most power. But by this time the Italian people had enough of foreign involvement in their land and would begin a series of insurrections to drive the foreigners out and unite their country.

The Unification of Italy Begins
Unification of Italy: UPSC Notes - Download PDF Here
During the 1820s and 1830s, the movement for unification would grow finally culminating in revolutions break out in many Italian states in 1848. Although the revolutions would be suppressed, it did little to stem the tide of revolutionary activities. Guiseppe Garibaldi would emerge as the face of Italian unification during this period.

Guiseppe Garibaldi (1807-1848) was a revolutionary who had taken part in 1848 insurrection but had to go into exile when it failed. Lending his support to King Victor Emmanuel II of Piedmont, he would return to Italy in 1860 bringing with him an army consisting of volunteers from Sicily and Naples. In 1858, Victor Emanuel, along with other northern Italian states, had allied with France to permanently end Austrian involvement in the region.

The insurrection in 1860 would be a success as Garibaldi and his army of Redshirts would conquer the island of Sicily and Naples. Meanwhile, the northern states had joined up with Piedmont-Sardinia and accepted Victor Emmanuel II as their King. Garibaldi handed Naples and Sicily to him in November 1860 and by 1861 Italy was declared as a kingdom. Only Venice and Rome would remain under foreign control and they became a part of Italy in 1866 and 1871 respectively. Thus, the Unification of Italy was completed.

The aftermath of the Unification

Although the reunification was a reality, it leads to total domination of the Kingdom of Piedmont. Despite promises that regional authorities would participate equally in the government, it was the ruling class of Piedmont that dominated the government during the initial years.

The Italian people wanted a united Italy with a weak central government and strong states. What they got instead was a strong central government with little to no power exercised by the states.

The new Kingdom of Italy was structured by renaming the old Kingdom of Sardinia and annexing all the new provinces into its structures. The first king was Victor Emmanuel II, who kept his old title.

The new constitution was Piedmont's old constitution. The document was generally liberal and was welcomed by liberal elements. But this was resented by pro-clergy elements in Venice, Rome Naples and Sicily.

The first decade of the Kingdom of Italy saw civil wars raging in Sicily and Naples which was harshly suppressed. The inevitable long-run results were a severe weakness of national unity and a politicized system based on mutually hostile regional violence. Such factors remain in the 21st century
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Unification of Italy [1848 -1871]: Background, Events and Aftermath

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The Unification of Italy was a 19th century political and social movement that resulted in the unification of the different states of the Italian Peninsula, into a single state - the Kingdom of Italy. To know more about the events regarding the unification of the Italian Peninsula, read the full article here.