DOCUMENT 1
This is the English translation of the first two verses of the Marseillaise, the French national anthem. It was written during the French Revolution in 1792. It was sung by the French soldiers as they fought in the wars of the revolution. The song was actually banned under Napoleon, as well as under King Louis XVIII (18) who ruled after Napoleon, and also under Napoleon III. It wasn't restored as the French national anthem until 1879.
To listen (in French) click here.
Ye sons of France, awake to glory!
Hark! Hark! the people bid you rise! bid you rise: ask you to rise
Your children, wives, and grandsires hoary hoary: white, old
Behold their tears and hear their cries!
Behold their tears and hear their cries!
Shall hateful tyrants, mischief breeding, tyrants: dictators, despots
With hireling hosts a ruffian band hireling: person hired to do a job
Affright and desolate the land affright: scared
While peace and liberty lie bleeding?
To arms, to arms, ye brave!
The avenging sword unsheathe! avenging: causing harm in revenge
March on, march on, all hearts resolved
On liberty or death.
Oh liberty can man resign thee,
Once having felt thy generous flame?
Can dungeons, bolts, and bars confine thee?
Or whips thy noble spirit tame?
Or whips thy noble spirit tame?
Too long the world has wept bewailing
That falsehood's dagger tyrants wield; wield: to hold or use
But freedom is our sword and shield arts: attempts to stop
And all their arts are unavailing. unavailing: not working
To arms, to arms, ye brave!
The avenging sword unsheathe!
March on, march on, all hearts resolved
On liberty or death.
What is the tone of the anthem? What kind of feelings does it evoke?
What does the anthem encourage the French people to do?
What does the anthem say that the two options are for the French people during the revolution?
Why do you think the anthem would have be banned under some French leaders?
DOCUMENT 2
The following is an infographic from a textbook about the unification of Italy.
How long had Italy been divided before it was finally unified in 1870?
What role did each of the four men play in the unification of Italy?
What was the last part of Italy to be added to the country?
Why was Italian unification difficult to achieve?
DOCUMENT 3
Below is a map of the revolutions that occurred in Europe from 1848 till 1849.
In which two countries did the most revolutions take place?
Would this map support the following thesis? "Though the idea of nationalism began in France, it quickly spread across Europe, eventually unifying Italy and Germany and creating chaos in Austria." Explain your answer.
DOCUMENT 4
Below is map from a textbook that shows the major nationalities in Eastern Europe from 1800 until 1914, when WWI began.
1. How many different nationalities are present in Eastern Europe at this time?
2. Which nationalities are present in the Austro-Hungarian Empire at this time?
3. Based on what you know about nationalism, why would this mix of nationalities created chaos in the region?
DOCUMENT 5
Below are two images that represent nationalism. On the left is an image of Marianne, the French woman who represents liberty. On the right is Italia Turrita, a symbol of Italy.
"Marianne is a national symbol of the French Republic, and a portrayal of liberty. Her profile stands out on the official government logo of the country, is engraved on French Euro coins and appears on French postage stamps. Marianne is one of the most prominent symbols of the French Republic, and is officially used on most government documents. Marianne is a symbol of democratic government, as opposed to monarchy, and she is an icon of freedom and democracy against all forms of dictatorship. Other national symbols of France include the tricolor flag and the national anthem La Marseillaise."
"Generally Italia turrita is depicted as a young woman in her prime, with typical Mediterranean features such as olive skin and dark hair. Often she is holding a bunch of ears of corn (symbol of fertility and the agricultural economy) or a sword and scales (representing justice)"
1. What do the two pictures have in common? List as many things as you can see.
2. What symbols of nationalism can you see in the two paintings?
3. What symbols do we have in American government that show ideas of liberty and democracy?
DOCUMENT 6
Below is an excerpt from a poem called "The German Fatherland," by Ernst Mortiz Arndt. He was a supporter of German nationalism and fought for German unification.
Where is the German's fatherland?
Then name, oh, name the mighty land!
Wherever is heard the German tongue,
And German hymns to God are sung!
This is the land, thy Hermann's land;
This, German, is thy fatherland.
This is the German's fatherland,
Where faith is in the plighted hand, plighted: pledged or promised
Where truth lives in each eye of blue,
And every heart is staunch and true. staunch: loyal
This is the land, the honest land,
The honest German's fatherland.
This is the land, the one true land,
O God, to aid be thou at hand!
And fire each heart, and nerve each arm,
To shield our German homes from harm,
To shield the land, the one true land,
One Deutschland and one fatherland! Deutschland: Germany, in German
1. According to the poem, where is the German fatherland?
2. According to the second stanza, what qualities should all good German people have?
3. According to the poet in the third stanza, what do the German people need to be prepared to do?
4. Based on this poem, why might Germany have been involved in starting World War I?