640 - 647 (Assign 15)

The Women's Rights Movement

• The women's rights movement emerged amidst the revolutionary fervor of the late 18th and 19th centuries.

• Key demands included:

  • Right to vote

  • Access to public education

  • Opportunities in professional occupations

  • Participation in public affairs

• Despite these efforts, the movement saw limited successes, with women gaining some access to education but not to voting rights or professional careers.

• Social reformers of the 19th century, while largely focused on white males, began to lay the groundwork for broader societal changes regarding women and minorities in the 20th century.

Olympe de Gouges and the Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen

• Olympe de Gouges (1748-1793), a playwright, published her declaration in 1791.

• She challenged the 1789 Declaration of the Rights of Man, asserting women's rights and equality.

• Key Articles from her declaration include:

  • Article 1: Asserts women are born free and equal to men.

  • Article 2: States the purpose of political associations is the protection of natural rights for both genders.

  • Article 3: Affirms national sovereignty is vested in both women and men.

  • Article 6: Laws should represent the will of all citizens, regardless of gender.

  • Article 17: Discusses property rights for both genders.

• De Gouges was eventually executed for her beliefs; her work became a founding document for feminist thought.

The Spread of Enlightenment Ideas and Nationalism in Europe

• The Enlightenment ideals spurred numerous revolutions across the Atlantic, notably in the Americas and France.

• Nationalism began to arise, fostering a sense of identity among peoples, independent of Enlightenment thought.

• The Napoleonic Wars further entrenched nationalism, as they mobilized citizens in defense of their nations and extended French influence.

Concepts of Nation and Nationalism

• A nation refers to a community of people with shared characteristics such as language, customs, and historical experiences.

• Nationalism demands political loyalty to the 'nation' and promotes the creation of independent national states.

• Cultural nationalism in the late 18th century, exemplified by Johann Gottfried von Herder, emphasized the uniqueness and heritage of individual nations.

• Early proponents, like the Brothers Grimm, sought to collect national folk tales, which they saw as reflections of the national spirit.

Political Nationalism and Movements

• Nationalist sentiments escalated throughout Europe in the 19th century.

• Giuseppe Mazzini's Young Italy advocated for independence from foreign rule and the establishment of a national state.

• Nationalist movements often emerged as responses to foreign governance or minority status within greater empires.

Anti-Semitism and the Formation of Zionism

• The rise of nationalism also contributed to anti-Semitism, resulting in violence against Jewish communities, particularly in Eastern Europe.

• The Dreyfus Affair in France highlighted societal distrust towards Jews and catalyzed the Zionist movement initiated by Theodor Herzl, advocating for a Jewish homeland in Palestine following intense anti-Jewish sentiment.

The Revolutions of 1848

• A series of nationalist rebellions swept through Europe during the 1820s and culminated in 1848:

  • The Greek War of Independence succeeded with Western support.

  • The revolutions in France, Belgium, and other regions sought greater freedoms and national sovereignty.

  • Many uprisings were crushed, but they signaled a rising tide of nationalistic sentiment across Europe.

The Unification of Italy and Germany

• Nationalism led to the unification of Italy and Germany toward the end of the 19th century:

  • Italy: Count Cavour and Giuseppe Garibaldi were pivotal in rallying Italians and achieving unification.

  • Germany: Otto von Bismarck engineered a series of wars to unify German states under Prussian leadership, culminating in the proclamation of the Second Reich in 1871.

  • Both unifications illustrated the profound impact of nationalism, driven by political and military leadership, altering the balance of power in Europe.

Conclusion

• The Age of Revolution transformed political landscapes influenced by Enlightenment ideals, yet also fomented strong national identities.

• This period was marked by tensions between nationalistic aspirations and established social hierarchies, especially related to gender and ethnicity, setting the stage for future conflicts and reforms.