Rise of Nationalism in Europe Class 10th Notes are perfect for CBSE students looking for easy and fast revision before the exam. In this Part 2, we explore how nationalism took root in Europe through industrialisation, the rise of the middle class, liberalism, Zollverein, and conservatism – all explained in a clear bullet-point format for your quick revision.
These notes are based on NCERT Class 10 syllabus and enriched with 19 years of teaching experience to make learning easier and faster for students.
The Making of Nationalism in Europe
- ✓ Till mid-eighteenth century, there were no ‘nation-states’ in Europe
- ✓ Germany, Italy, Switzerland – divided into kingdoms, duchies and cantons
- ✓ Eastern and Central Europe – under autocratic monarchies
- ✓ In these territories, diverse people lived but:
- ✓ They spoke different languages
- ✓ Belonged to different ethnic groups
There were two major classes in the French society
1. Aristocracy
- ✓ Members were small in number
- ✓ United by a common way of life
- ✓ They owned estates in the countryside and town houses
- ✓ They spoke French for the purpose of diplomacy
2. Peasantry
- ✓ They formed most of the population
- ✓ They had either no land or very little land
Industrialisation
- ✓ Took place in France and parts of German states in 19th century
After industrialisation:
- ✓ Rise of a new social group – i.e., middle class
- ✓ The idea of nationalism gained popularity among the middle class
Liberal Nationalism
Liberalism – derived from the Latin root liber, means free
For new middle class, liberalism had the following elements:
In Political Sphere
- ✓ Government by consent
- ✓ End of autocracy
- ✓ Adoption of constitution
- ✓ Representative government through parliament
- ✓ Inviolability of private property
- ✓ Equality before law
- ✓ Equality before law did not necessarily stand for universal suffrage
In Economic Sphere
- ✓ Freedom of markets
- ✓ Removal of state-imposed restrictions on movement of goods and capital
Napoleon’s administrative system:
- ✓ Had created a confederation of 39 states
- ✓ Due to obstacles like different measurement systems, consuming calculations and multiple currencies, trade became slow and costly
Formation of Zollverein
- ✓ A custom union formed at the initiative of Prussia in 1834
- ✓ Joined by most of the German states
- ✓ The union abolished tariff barriers
- ✓ Reduced the number of currencies from over thirty to two
New Conservatism
- ✓ A belief in preservation of old traditions and institutions like monarchy, church, social setup, property and family
- ✓ Conservatives did not tolerate criticism
Vienna Congress
- ✓ In 1815, representatives of Britain, Russia and Prussia met at Vienna
- ✓ The congress was hosted by Austrian Chancellor Duke Metternich
Objective:
- ✓ To undo most of the changes of Napoleon in Europe
Provisions:
- ✓ Restoration of Bourbon dynasty
- ✓ France lost territories which were annexed by Napoleon
- ✓ To prevent French expansion in future, a series of states were set up on the boundaries of France
- ✓ Austria got the control of north Italy
- ✓ Russia was given part of Poland
- ✓ Prussia got part of Saxony
- ✓ Kingdom of Netherlands, which included Belgium, was set up in the north
- ✓ Geneva was added to Piedmont
- ✓ Prussia was given important new territories on its western frontiers
- ✓ No change in German confederation of 39 states
Let’s go through some frequently asked questions from this chapter that often appear in CBSE exams.
Q1: Explain the term liberalism.
A: Liberalism – derived from the Latin root liber, means free. It stood for government by consent, equality before law, constitution, freedom of markets, and removal of restrictions on goods and capital.
Q2: What was Zollverein?
A: Zollverein was a customs union formed at the initiative of Prussia in 1834. It abolished tariff barriers and reduced the number of currencies from over thirty to two.
Q3: Which country formed Zollverein and why?
A: Prussia formed Zollverein in 1834. Earlier, due to different measurement systems and multiple currencies, trade was slow and costly.
Q4: What is conservatism?
A: Conservatism was a belief in the preservation of old traditions and institutions like monarchy, church, social setup, property, and family. Conservatives did not tolerate criticism.
Q5: Name the countries who participated in Vienna Congress
A: Britain, Russia, Prussia, and Austria participated in the Vienna Congress.
Q6: Who hosted Vienna Congress?
A: The Vienna Congress was hosted by Austrian Chancellor Duke Metternich.
Q7: What was the main objective of Vienna Treaty?
A: The main objective was to undo most of the changes made by Napoleon in Europe.