Newark, N. J., Examination for High School Teachers of History.—May 21, 1910.
European History in the Secondary School
D. C. KNOWLTON, PH.D. Editor.
THE UNIFICATION OF ITALY.
Italy in Its Relation to Europe.
The history of the unification of Italy is so closely connected with developments outside the peninsula that it is difficult to make the details of the story intelligible, and at the same time preserve the proper European perspective. In order to link together the various episodes which mark the appearance of this new state, the teacher must, of necessity, direct the attention of the class to ground already traversed, besides anticipating in a measure certain events which call for fuller treatment later. There is, then, an unparalleled opportunity for review; but a very real difficulty arises when the instructor has occasion to refer to such events as the Six Weeks’ War or the Franco-Prussian War, which have not yet been taken up in their European setting. In view of these problems it might be advisable to review some of these details after the story of German unification has been told, making the year 1871 an occasion for a retrospect of the history of the preceding quarter of a century. In this way the importance of this period may be brought home forcibly to the class. “With the Crimean War began a period of wars and territorial changes. In sixteen years there were four European wars between great powers, not to mention the local wars in Italy and Denmark; all central Europe was rearranged.” (Seignobos, p. 787.) “Indeed the changes made in the map of Europe between 1850 and 1871 were in some respects greater than the final results of the warfare which ended in that great pacification.” (The reference here is to the Congress of Vienna.)[2]
The Central Theme.
The main points which call for emphasis at the hands of the instructor have been summed up by Seignobos in the following statement: “The union of Italy was accomplished by all the Italian advocates of unity, royalists and republicans, working in harmony with the Piedmontese government, aided by a great European power, first France, then Prussia (p. 351).” Possibly additional interest may be aroused by suggesting the thought that here was the unusual spectacle of a nation made one, “not by conquest, but by consent.” This idea may be brought out best by comparison.