The Rise of Nationalism in Europe Class 10 History Notes Chapter 1

Last Updated : 21 Apr, 2025

Class 10 History Chapter 1 is about nationalism in Europe in nineteenth-century Europe and the different issues which were visualized by Sorrieu and also the diverse processes involved in making the nation-states. A few important topics included in the chapter "The Rise of Nationalism in Europe" are Nationalism in Europe, the French Revolution, Nationalism, and Imperialism. The Class 10 History Rise of Nationalism in Europe Notes have been prepared by the experts and include the most important points. By understanding and going through these notes, students will develop a strong understanding of the important topics.

For easy access for the students, we have tried to compile CBSE Class 10 Social Science Notes which consist of the four subjects: Geography, History, Political Science, and Economics, in a single source. You can access the sources for free by visiting the website.

Board	CBSE Board
Textbook	NCERT Textbook
Class	Class 10
Subject	Social Science
Chapter	Chapter 1 History
Chapter Name	The Rise of Nationalism in Europe
Category	CBSE Class 10 Social Science Notes

The Rise of Nationalism in Europe Class 10 History Notes Chapter 1

The Rise of Nationalism in Europe Class 10 History Chapter 1 Notes

Below are the History notes of Chapter 1 - The Rise of Nationalism in Europe for Class 10 CBSE which covers all the important topics according to the latest CBSE Syllabus. You can also visit Class 10 History Notes so that you can access all the chapters of history in one place.

Table of Content

The Rise of Nationalism in Europe

Frederic Sorrieu Vision of the World

Four prints that visualized a dream encompassing a world of Democratic and Social Republics, by a French artist named Frederic Sorrieu became famous.

In the first print, people from Europe and America were walking on long trains and offering homage to the Statue of Liberty. Important symbols like the Torch of Enlightenment were carried by a female figure in one of her hands and the Charter of the Rights of Man in another hand.
Shattered remains of the absolutist institutions lie on the grounds of the earth.
In the imagination and vision of Frederic, people have been grouped to form distinct nations, which have been identified by flags and national dresses.
The procession was led by the United States and Switzerland, which was followed by France and Germany; which was then followed by Austria, the Kingdom of the two Sicilies, Lombardy, England, Poland, Hungary, Ireland, and Russia.
Symbols of Gods like Christ, saints, and angels gaze and are blessed upon them and have been used to symbolize fraternity among nations around the world.

The French Revolution and the Idea of the Nation

The French Revolution took place in 1789 and was one of the foremost and strong evidence as well as the movement of nationalism. There were several steps taken by the French Revolutionaries for creating a sense of collectiveness and identity within the people of France.

The most important amongst this included ideas on La Patrie and Le Citoyen. There was an emphasis on the national flag of French, the estates general came to be elected as well as estates general was renamed to be National Assembly. New hymns, as well as oaths, were taken and internal custom dues within the territories of French came to be abolished and a form of a uniform system of weights as well as measures came to be introduced and adopted. Among the people of France, the idea of a nation came to be incorporated and enhanced.

The Making of Nationalism in Europe

The states in Europe like Germany, Italy, and Switzerland were divided into small kingdoms, counties, and cantons and were ruled by rulers independently before the coming of nationalism.

Before the coming of nationalism in Europe, the states of Germany, Italy, and Switzerland have been divided into kingdoms, small duchies, and also cantons, the rulers of which had independent territories.

The Aristocracy and the New Middle Class

The most dominant and also influential class was that of Aristocracy, both politically as well as socially. The major part of the population was composed of the peasantry class. Industrialization began in England only in the second half of the eighteenth century; from which new social classes came into being; which included the working class and middle classes which were made up of people of professions which included businessmen, professionals, and also industrialists.

What did Liberal Nationalism Stand for?

Liberalism has been derived from the term "liber", which means to be freed. Exclusive rights like the right to vote and also to be elected were granted to the property-owning classes of men only. All the other people, men without property, and all women were excluded.
In the year 1834, Zollverein i.e the custom union was formed by the initiative of Prussia and was joined by almost most of the German states. When the union came into being, the tariff barriers were abolished and the number of currencies was reduced from thirty to two.

A New Conservatism after 1815

Spirit of Conservatism was the driving factor of the European governments in the year 1815. The philosophy of conservatives included monarchy, the church, hierarchies in the social order, property, and the preservation of the family.
The autocratic monarchies of Europe could be made more efficient with the help of a modern army, efficient bureaucracy, an economy that was dynamic, and abolition of the system of feudalism and serfdom.
In the year 1815, The European powers met at Vienna to draw up a settlement for Europe; including Britain, Prussia, Russia, and Austria.
The powerful Bourbon dynasty had been restored back to power and France had lost numerous of its territories which had been annexed by the Napoleon.
Freedom of the Press was the central idea on which liberal nationalists had drawn up the criticism against the new conservative group.

the rise of nationalism in europe - Congress of Vienna, 1815 — Congress of Vienna.1815

The Revolutionaries

Secret societies had been formed in the European states around 1815 for training the revolutionaries and also for spreading new ideas and opposition to monarchy and fighting for freedom as well as liberty.
Famous underground societies like Young Italy in Marseilles were founded by a famous Italian revolutionary called Giuseppe Mazzini.
Mazzini also founded Young Europe in Berne, with like-minded people from Poland, Italy, and the German States.

The Age of Revolutions: 1830-1848

A constitutional monarchy was installed with Louis Philippe at its head; by overthrowing the Bourbon Kings in 1930 by liberal revolutionaries. July Revolution ignited an uprising in Brussels which led to the breaking of Belgium from the United Kingdom of Netherlands. Also, the Greeks struggled for independence in 1821. The period between 1830-1848 came to symbolize the Age of Revolutions.

The Romantic Imagination and National Feeling

For the creation of ideas like the idea of the nation, culture played a very important part. The important components of culture included art and poetry, stories, and songs; which helped in expressing the feelings of a shared nation.
A cultural movement, which was known as Romanticism sought to develop feelings of nationalistic sentiments, and also language came to play a very important role.
Forceful imposition of the Russian language led to armed rebellion in 1831 against Russian rule and came to be crushed ultimately.

Hunger, Hardship, and Popular Revolt

Economic hardships were faced by the European countries around the 1830s and in the first part of the nineteenth century; there came to be an enormous increase in population. Economic scenarios like the rise of prices of food items and also a year of bad harvests led to widespread difficulties in town as well as the country. Food shortages and also widespread unemployment had brought the population to roads in Paris.

The Revolution of the Liberals

The revolution which was led by the educated middle classes was widespread in the year 1848. Demands were raised for the creation of nation-states on parliamentary lines by the middle classes- a constitution, freedom of association, and freedom of the press.

All-German National Assembly came to be voted for in Frankfurt where a large number of political associations came and gathered. 831 elected representatives on 18 May 1843, marched for taking their places in the parliament of Frankfurt convened in the Church of St. Paul. The constitution which came to be drafted by the German nation was headed by a monarchy but was subject to a Parliament. Friedrich Wilhelm IV, King of Prussia was offered the Crown but he rejected it and joined the monarchs to oppose the elected form of assembly.

The Parliament was dominated by the middle classes and a large number of women. Women also formulated their own forms of political associations and also founded a certain newspaper, and participated in political demonstrations, but were nonetheless denied suffrage rights during elections to the Assembly.

In 1848, autocratic monarchies of Central and Eastern Europe introduced certain changes, which had already taken place in Western Europe before 1815. Serfdom and bonded labor were abolished in Russia and Habsburg domains.

Read More: The Age of Revolutions: 1830-1848

The Making of Germany and Italy

Germany- Can the Army be the Architect of a Nation?

Germany and Italy came to be unified under nation-states and Nationalism in Europe slowly moved away after 1848. For national unification, Prussia came to take up the leadership and the architect was its chief minister, Otto Von Bismarck, who carried out the same with the help of the army and bureaucracy of the Prussian army.

Prussian King William I, 1971 came to be proclaimed as the Emperor of German and an assembly was held for the new German Empire. The dominance of the Prussian state in nation-building came to be demonstrated. In Germany, the systems of the economy like currency, banking, legal and judicial system were modernized.

Unification-of-Germany — Unification of Germany

Italy Unified

The division of Italy in the middle of the nineteenth century was into seven states and among those, Sardinia-Piedmont came to be ruled by the princely house of Italy. The seven regions were dominated by different kings and in the 1830s a secret society called Young Italy was formed by Giuseppe Mazzini.

Chief Minister Cavour led the movement and in the year 1859, Sardinia-Piedmont was defeated by the Austrian forces in 1860, they marched to South Italy and the Kingdom of Two Sicilies and won the support of peasants. The first proclaimed king of United Italy in 1861 was Victor Emmanuel II.

The Strange Case of Britain

Prior to the eighteenth century, there was no concept of the British Nation. With time, as the nation grew in wealth and power, Britain became powerful. The United Kingdom of Great Britain came to be formed under the Act of Union in 1707 between England and Scotland. In effect, England came to impose its influence on Scotland. There was forceful incorporation of Ireland into the United Kingdom in 1801. The symbols of Britain which came to be promoted actively include the British flag, national anthem, and English language; all of which were actively promoted.

Visualising the Nation

The country was represented in the form of a person and nations were represented as female figures in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Female figures portrayed the ideas of Liberty, Justice, and the Republic during the French Revolution. Red cap or the broken chain, a blindfolded woman with weighing scales were used as symbols of liberty and justice respectively.

Read More: Visualising the Nation

Nationalism and Imperialism

Nationalism was not retained after the last portions of the 19th century and after the year 1871, the Balkans was declared as the tensest area, which comprised modern-day, Bulgaria, Romania, Albania, Greece, Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Montenegro, and Macedonia.

Balkans area was made explosive because of the Ottoman Empire and throughout the nineteenth century the process of strengthening continued through the processes of internal reforms and modernization.

The intense rivalry also developed among various European powers during this time, because of powers over trade and colonies as also naval and military power, ultimately leading to many wars and ending with the First World War.

Europe was surrounded by the disaster because of Nationalism, Along with Imperialism in the year 1914. Many anti-imperial movements came to be developed but most of them struggled for the formation of independent nation-states. However, one of the important developments was, the idea of a "nation-state" was treated to be universal and also natural.

Read More: Nationalism and Imperialism

Nationalism in India - CBSE Class 10 History Notes Chapter 2

ananyasaikiaintern

Improve

Article Tags :