Outline of Italy's Unification

1. Obstacles to Italian Unity

A. Italy was a battleground for ambitious foreign and local princes.

B. The Congress of Vienna ignored the nationalists who hoped to end centuries of foreign rule and achieve unity.

C. Between 1820 and 1848 natioalist revolts exploded across the region, Austria sent troops to crush the rebels.

2. Struggles for Italy

A. After 1848, leadership of the nationalist movement, or Risorgimento, passed to the kingdom of Sardinia, which included Piedmont, Nice, and Savoy.

B. In 1852, Victor Emmanuel made Camillo Cavour Prime Minister.

C. In 1860, Giuseppe Garibaldi created and army of 1,000 volenteers, called the red shirts, to try and take control of Sicily.

3. Challenges Facing the New Nation

A. The greatest regional difference was between Northern and Southern Italy.

Aa. North was rich and had a lot of cities. South was rural and poor.

B. There was hostility betwwen Italy and the Roman Catholic Church.

Ba. Popes hated the seizure of the Papel States.

Bb. Thought of themselves as prisioners.

C. Despite Italy's problem, they did develope economically.

Ca. Even though the country lacked in natural resources, industries sprouted up in northern regions.