19th-Century Perspectives and Political Developments

Introduction

Painting - The Church at Auvers-sur-Oise by Vincent Van Gogh As the European powers moved closer to the 20th century, they came increasingly into conflict with one another. Industrialization led to a need for increased raw materials, creating a European scramble for Asian and African colonies. Two new nation-states, Germany and Italy, emerged, while Russia continued to test its boundaries in order to gain access to a warm-water port. Advances in technology and science brought about changes in lifestyle as well as an increase in disposable income and free time. Meanwhile, the rise of mass politics and the pace of social change created new forms of tension and unrest in domestic politics. The so-called Belle Epoch saw Europe flourish as it extended its influence and control over large swaths of the globe. Yet, under the surface of European preeminence, the strains that would later lead to World War I were becoming apparent.

Image - The Church at Auvers-sur-Oise by Vincent Van Gogh.

Essential Questions

How would you define modern nationalism?
How did industrialization affect nationalist ideologies?
What significant trends in emancipation impacted the Jews of Europe in the 19th century? What was Zionism?
Why and how did the Habsburg Empire reconfigure itself in 1867?
How did the Crimean War of 1853-56 impact the European state system?
What were the similarities and differences between German and Italian unification in 1871?
How did Bismarck use alliances to try to stabilize Europe after 1871?
What role did the Balkans begin to play as an area whose instability could affect the entire continent?
Who was Charles Darwin and how was he significant in the 19th century? What is the connection between Darwin and Social Darwinism?
How did figures like Sigmund Freud and Albert Einstein, joined by philosophers such as Friedrich Nietzsche, begin to cast doubt on supposed certitudes that extended back to the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment?
What were the motivations for the New Age of Imperialism and how did it resemble but also contrast with the expansion that had taken place during the Age of Exploration?
How did New Imperialism differ in Africa and Asia?
What significant military actions and anti-imperialist uprisings accompanied New Imperialism?
What were Impressionism and post-Impressionism?

Module Lessons Preview

In this module, we will study the following topics:

Unification of Italy - The Italian city-states finally unify under Victor Emmanuel II.
Unification of Germany - Otto "Blood & Iron" von Bismarck brings the last vestiges of the HRE under the control of Wilhelm I.
The Eastern Question - Russia's desire for a warm water port brings it into conflict with the rest of Europe.
Imperialism & International Rivalries - European nations go in search of new lands in Asia and Africa.
La Belle Epoch - Culture and Politics in a Pre-War Europe.

Textbook Assignment and Questions

As you work through this module, be certain to read the chapters on 19th Century Perspectives and Political Developments in your textbook. As you are reading you may wish to jot down notes in the unit review form. Please pay careful attention to developments in science during this period and to the connections between developments within Europe and developments outside of Europe. Use the textbook and other resources to answer the questions that accompany the lessons. The module assessment may contain two randomly selected questions for you to complete.

Download a copy of the unit review form here.

Identifications

Complete the attached identifications. The module assessment may contain these ids for you to match with correct answers.

Download the list of ids here.

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