AP European History Study U7Notes

Young Italy Movement: Aimed at Italian Unification, led by nationalist Giuseppe Mazzini.
- Mazzini's efforts set the stage for future unification despite initial failures.

Definition of Antisemitism: Racialist beliefs against Jewish people.
Historical Context:
- Jews had a long history of civilization, but faced discrimination and were often targets of mob violence.
- Many states passed laws recognizing Jewish equality, reducing harassment up until the rise of nationalism.
Key Event - The Dreyfus Affair:
- Albert Dreyfus: A Jewish captain in the French army accused of treason in 1894.
- Divided French society due to antisemitic attitudes.
- After ten years, Dreyfus was pardoned but the scandal highlighted societal rifts.
Consequences: Increased antisemitism further led to the rise of Zionism, a nationalist movement spearheaded by Theodor Herzl who advocated for a Jewish homeland in Palestine.

Clemens von Metternich and the Concert of Europe: Maintained conservative order in Europe post-1815, opposing revolutionary movements.
Emergence of Neoconservative Leaders exploiting nationalism for state control.
Notable leaders include Napoleon III in France and Otto von Bismarck in Prussia.

Bismarck's Role:
- Chancellor of Prussia; practiced Realpolitik—a pragmatic approach to politics prioritizing practical outcomes over ethical considerations.
Key Wars for Unification:
1. Prussian-Danish War (1864): Gained German provinces from Denmark with Austrian support.
2. Austro-Prussian War (1866):
- Skillfully negotiated non-interference treaties with powers like Russia and Britain to limit interference.
- Provoked conflict leading to Prussian victory, isolating Austria.
1. Franco-Prussian War (1870):
- Used deception to provoke France into declaring war, uniting German states against a common enemy.
- Following victory, Kaiser Wilhelm I proclaimed at Versailles, signaling German unification.

Three Emperors League (1873): Alliance between Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Russia to maintain balance in Eastern Europe.
Reinsurance Treaty (1887): Ensured neutrality between Russia and Germany unless either engaged in conflict with France.
Triple Alliance: Includes Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy, setting a stage for World War I.

Increasing nationalist sentiments led to unrest in the Balkans.
Congress of Berlin (1878) aimed at addressing these nationalist desires but resulted in increased tensions among various ethnic groups.
Two Balkan Wars further destabilized the region, contributing to the outbreak of World War I.

Charles Darwin: His theory of evolution challenged traditional religious views on creation.
- Natural Selection: Species adapt over time; "survival of the fittest" applied to both animal and plant life.
- The Descent of Man (1871): Extended the theory to human evolution, causing significant backlash from religious communities.
Emergence of Social Darwinism:
- Popularized by Herbert Spencer, who promoted the application of natural selection principles to social structures.
- Justified imperialist and colonial attitudes; argued stronger societies have the moral right to conquer weaker ones.

Positivism: Truth can only be verified through scientific means; undermining religious foundations resulting in relativism regarding moral values.
Modernism and Irrationalism:
- Rejection of Enlightenment thought; emphasized human instincts over rationality.
- Friedrich Nietzsche: Criticized Christianity's moral constraints, declaring "God is dead," advocating for liberation from traditional moralities.
Henri Bergson: Argued that reality is experienced intuitively rather than through scientific analysis.

The interconnectedness of these historical movements set the groundwork for significant events leading up to World War I and marked dramatic shifts in European ideologies, national identities, and social structures.