Political Trends in the
West during the 19th
Century
Mr. Millhouse
AP World History
Hebron High School
Introduction Question
What events during the 18th and early
19th century would have an influence on
Western political systems?
Enlightenment
French Revolution
Reign of Napoleon
Industrial Revolution
Nationalism
What is nationalism? What are nationstates?
Nationalism: Belief that people should
be loyal to their nation—rather to a
king or empire
Nation-State: An independent country of
people having a common culture or
identity
Nationalism


Most powerful political ideal of the 19th
century
Nationalism weakens multi-national
empires
– Austria-Hungary, Russia, & Ottoman

Nationalism creates new nations
– Italy and Germany
Europe in 1800
Europe in 1900
Unification of Italy


After 1815 parts of Italy
were controlled by
Austria & Spain
Nationalist leaders unify
most of Italy by 1860
– Giuseppe Mazzini
– Count Camillo di Cavour
– Giuseppe Garibaldi

Faced several problems
after unification
Italy in 1800
Unification of Germany



Otto von Bismarck
German nationalism
sparked by
Napoleonic wars
Otto von Bismarck
stages a series of
wars to unify
Germany
German unification
completed in 1871
Government Reforms

Changes in government functions
– The Constitutional Question
– The Social Question

Beginning of the welfare state
– Social insurance (worker’s compensation,
unemployment, etc.)
– Symbolized extension of government
Reform Movements

Political Reform
Movements
– Utilitarianism
– Socialism
– Communism

New Political Parties
– Socialists
– Communists
– Labour
Karl Marx
Labor Reform

Labor unions
– Unions use collective bargaining and
strikes to push for reforms
– Britain attempted to outlaw labor unions

Reform laws
– Factory Act of 1833 – Child Labor
– Mines Act of 1842 – Women and children
cannot work underground
Democratic Reforms

Great Britain
– Reform Bill of 1832
– Chartist Movement
– Working class
suffrage in 1867
– Rural laborers in
1884
Feminist Movements

Goals
– Sought legal and
economic rights
– Women’s suffrage

Stanton (seated) with
Anthony
Leadership
– Middle class women
– Emmeline Pankhurst
– Elizabeth Cady
Stanton
– Susan B. Anthony
Feminist Movements

Methods
– Protests
– Hunger strikes
– Support for war effort

Accomplishments
– GB: Women over 30
gain right to vote in
1918
– US: 19th Amendment
(1920)