5.2

WHAP Unit 5.2: Nationalism and Revolutions

Colonial Independence: The British colonies in America began experiencing a sense of independence due to their geographical distance from Britain and the development of their own colonial legislatures.

Spelled out Enlightenment ideas emphasizing "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."
The colonists achieved victory in 1783, aided significantly by France, Britain's rival.
Global Impact: The revolution’s success inspired various uprisings and the establishment of representative governments based on Enlightenment principles worldwide into the 21st century.

Context and Background: In 1789, the French revolted against King Louis XVI, marking a significant revolt within the nation itself as opposed to colonial independence.
The revolution was driven by Enlightenment ideas; the rallying cry was “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity.”
The revolution produced the "Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen," highlighting civil rights rooted in Enlightenment beliefs.

Following the failure to establish a limited constitutional monarchy, French leaders formed a republic and aimed to radically transform socio-political and cultural traditions, leading to:
- The Reign of Terror, where thousands, including the king and queen, were executed.
After widespread chaos and war, Napoleon Bonaparte emerged, restoring order and declaring himself emperor.

As a consequence of the French Revolution, residents of Saint-Domingue (Haiti), primarily enslaved people led by Toussaint L'Ouverture, revolted against French rule at the turn of the 19th century.
An army sent by Napoleon to suppress the revolt faced defeat, resulting in the creation of the second republic in the New World after the United States.

By 1830, the successful Haitian Revolution inspired Latin American colonies to challenge Spanish and Portuguese authority.
Key leaders included the Creole elites, notably Simón Bolívar, who helped several nations gain independence through military victories, significantly weakening Spain's global power.
Bolívar authored the "Jamaica Letter," addressing the principles of independence and governance.

In contrast to the U.S., Latin America faced stark social and economic divisions; there was a significant gap between the educated elite and the impoverished masses.
Post-revolution, the elite continued to control the power structures, leading to challenges in establishing stable governance and insufficient socio-economic reform for the majority.

In response to Great Britain's annexation, the Maori people in New Zealand rebelled sporadically over four decades.
Despite developing a sense of Maori nationalism and cooperating among tribes, British forces ultimately prevailed by 1872.

Following the disintegration of the Roman Empire, Italy was fragmented into various kingdoms and city-states, sharing a common faith and language but lacking unity.
Count di Cavour led efforts to unify Italy, utilizing nationalism and practical politics (Realpolitik).

Cavour emphasized strategic alliances, notably with France, to counteract Austrian opposition.
He allied with radical revolutionary Giuseppe Mazzini and the guerrilla forces led by Giuseppe Garibaldi to realize the unification goal.

Similar to Italy, Germany's unification was driven by nationalism and the application of realpolitik, primarily orchestrated by Otto von Bismarck.
Bismarck manipulated a series of conflicts, particularly involving France, Prussia, and Austria, to consolidate German territories.
Nationalism intensified in Germany, particularly leading up to the formation of a unified German state in 1871 and extending through the World Wars of the 20th century.