Nationalism in the 1800s

Uncover the forces of 19th-century nationalism! Learn about Germany's unification & Japan's Meiji Restoration.

What isnationalism? Nationalismis being proud of your country and believing that your country is better than other countries. In the 19th century (1800s), nationalism was on the rise in many places around the world. Read the passages and answer the questions that follow. Nationalism in Germany In the early 1800s, there was no such country as "Germany." German-speaking people lived in a number of different smaller countries, like Prussia and Bavaria. However, in the 1800s, a number of events happened that led to the unification of the country we call Germany. First, between 1806 and 1812, Napoleon invaded these lands. He ruled them all as one country called the Rhine Confederation (after a nearby river). After Napoleon's defeat, the German-speaking kingdoms continued trading with each other, which made their relationship stronger. In the 1860s, a politican named Otto von Bismarckbecame chancellorof Prussia. Chancelloris an elected ruler, sort of like our president. Bismarck built up a huge military and led Prussia into three wars. Each war made Prussia more powerful. Bismarck was able to use the German military to annex (take over on) the other German-speaking kingdoms, creating the nation we know today as Germany.After Germany unified into one nation, Bismarck was able to become an industrial giant. Like Britain, Germany had people looking for work, and natural resources to fuel machines. The leaders of the new German government were convinced that Germany would be an economic giant as well as a military giant. The leaders supported scientific research and reorganized the banking system, and wanted to increase trade with nearby nations. They believed that Germany would become the strongest nation in all of Europe, and even the world.In 1888, Wilhelm IIbecame kaiser of Germany. A kaiser is like a prince or a king. In Germany, the Kaiser and Chancellor ruled together - the kaiser, who inherited his power, and the chancellor, who was elected by the people, to balance each other out. (England is like this today - they have a Queen and a Prime Minister.) Kaiser Wilhelm II believed that his right to rule came from God. He did not want his power to be balanced or challenged by anyone else. He surprised everyone by asking Bismarck to resign, despite everything Bismarck had done for the country. What events occurred in the early 1800s to help unite Germany? Choose 2. Napoleon governed the Germanic lands as one country during his rule. German-speaking people followed a number of different religions. Otto von Bismarck sent a telegram to Napoleon III in 1866. The German-speaking countries built strong trade relationships after Napoleon's defeat. How did Bismarck use war to create a united Germany? He used war to build alliances between Germany and other nations like Russia and France He made the kingdom of Prussia very powerful and used it to take over the other Germanic kingdoms He used war to show that he was a powerful general so that the other kingdoms would follow him on their own He used war to take over nations in the Americas to make Germany famous The German government did all of these things to promote economic development except: Reorganize the banking system Support scientific research Increased trade with nearby nations Supported the use of immigrant child labor in factories Which factors enabled Germany to become an industrial nation like Britain? Choose 2. Raw materials natural resources People looking for work Many rivers for transportation The invention of the steam engine Recognizing Sequence Put the events in the correct order. 1 Otto von Bismarck built up the Prussian army 2 German-speaking kingdoms united into a single country under Bismarck's rule 3 Germany improved its industry and became an economic power as well as a military power 4 Kaiser Wilhelm II, a nationalistic ruler, believed that he could rule Germany better alone and removed Bismarck from power Nationalism in Japan In the 1600s and 1700s, Japanese rulers saw that the world was changing quickly. They were afraid of these changes, seeing them as a threat to their way of life. The rulers closed Japan's borders, isolating themselves from other nations. As the rest of the world became modern and increasingly inter-connected, Japan was left behind.Then, in the 1850s, discontented Japanese citizens led a revolution which removed the shogun,or ruler, from power. They placed an emperor named Mutsuhito in power. They moved the capital of Japan to Tokyo, which is still its capital today. This began a period of Japan's history called the Meiji Restoration.During this period, the Meiji reformers tried to improve society to build a country they could be proud of. First, they wrote a constitution, or governing document, that gave all citizens equality under the law. Then, Japan industrialized, to compete with European nations like Britain and Germany. Finally, the Japanese built up their military. They were a small island nation and knew that eventually they would run out of the resources they needed for industry. They used their military to attack and influence other nations. They forced Korea to open their ports to Japanese trade; engaged in a conflict with China called the Sino-Japanese War, which they easily won, gaining ports in China; and even fought Russia in the Russo-Japanese Warten years later. By the early 1900s, Japan was the strongest power in Asia. How did the Japanese respond to their rulers' decision to isolate the country? They led a revolution and replaced the rulers They emigrated (left) the country and moved to nearby nations that had more freedom They went to war with Russia They secretly created industrial machines on their own How did the Meiji reformers try to modernize Japan? Choose 3. They wrote a new constitution that gave people more rights. They built up the military. They installed telegraph lines to improve communication They improved their industries to compete economically with Britain and Germany. According the the passage, the Japanese used their military during this time with against all of the following countries EXCEPT Germany Russia China Korea How were Bismarck's Germany and Meiji Japan similar? In both countries, an old emperor was overthrown to make way for a new government. Both countries were made up of groups of smaller countries. Both countries improved both their economy and their militaryin order to compete with other nations Both countries relied on loans from powerful banking families to improve their economies.