Download Sample Comparative Free Response Answer

Sample Comparative Free Response Answer
Prompt: Compare & Contrast the effects of nationalism on the Ottoman Empire and Europe from 1750
through 1914
While the rest of the world was modernizing, and industrializing, the Ottoman Empire's progress was
hindered by a stagnant economy, lack of capital, and weak rule. The adamant decision to institute reform and the
budding nationalism of the Orthodox Christians would lead to violent rebellion in the decades after 1750.
Napoleon's army spread liberalism in Western and Central Europe and nationalism in Easter and Central Europe. In
the Ottoman Empire, elites discovered liberalism and nationalism because of the improvements in printing
technology which allowed for the dispersion of ideas.
In 1750, tensions grew against the Ottoman sultan and the rising taxes, as a result of European influence on
the Ottoman Empire, a revolt broke out in Sarajevo, Kosovo. The Austrian-Ottoman war (1788-91) further
weakened the empire which lost parts in Serbia, Bosnia, Dalmatia, the Peloponnesus, and the Danube River. By the
20th century, the Young Turks emerged as a response to the overbearing European control. In 1909, they supplanted
the Sultan with his brother. In order to limit European influence, they facilitated the reforms of the bureaucracy,
education, and law. With the spreading of nationalism, the Ottoman Empire's identity shifted from multi-ethnic to
ethnic Turks. Officials, spurred by the nationalistic group, began to repress ethnic minorities such as the Armenians
and the Greeks. Within the Ottoman Empire there were dozens of ethnic, religious, and linguistic groups which
eventually adopted their own national identity.
Resentment for foreign rule simmered and took form in nationalist agitation in Ireland, Italy, Poland,
Hungary, Norway, etc. In Greece and Serbia, independence was won from the Ottoman Empire followed by
Belgium in 1831 from the Netherlands. Other nations were formed by unifying smaller states with a common
nationality such as Germany and Italy. There were several forces for unity, such as the nationalistic German
Brothers Grimm tales and influences of Fichte and Hegel. In Europe, it became nationalism against Napoleon, who
was seen as the obstacle for the countries he conquered. The revolutions of 1848 were spurred by famine, economic
crisis, and demand for political change such as redirection from the Concert of Europe. Although, they were
unsuccessful several new countries would form in Europe in the coming decades. They had achieved the goal of
spreading liberal and nationalistic causes. They also had other effects such as universal male suffrage in France,
abolition of serfdom, and the creation of a liberal constitution in Sardinia-Piedmont.
In 1815, European powers attempted to "legitimism" and restored the old powers. In 1819, The Carlsbad
Decrees symbolized political repression. It pushed nationalism underground because there was enforced censorship
in Austria, Germany, and Italy. The Congress of Vienna established a conservative order in Europe. Cavour and
Bismarck created conservative nation-states in Italy and Germany. In Italy, Mazzini was able to encourage war in
the name of national unity. For him, the unification of all of Europe was the logical continuation after unifying Italy
but it the European Union wouldn't come into existence for many decades. Despite ambitious attempts by
Metternich and other conservatives to suppress rebellions and restore Europe to pre-revolutionary state, she was
forever changed with the ideas that spread after the French Revolution. The revolution paved the way for the modern
nation-state and the sense nationality, according to Hegel, was the glue that held societies in a time when religious
and dynastic loyalty was plummeting. In 1867, Hungarian/Magyar nationalists led by Lajos Kossuth reached an
agreement which granted them a virtually independent state with the Habsburg Empire. Then, Slavic minorities
within the Austria-Hungarian Empire demanded control over their own interior government as well.
In the twentieth century, the effects of nationalism in the Ottoman Empire led to countries declaring
autonomy throughout the Empire's far-reaching lands. In 1902, there were rebellions in Macedonia and within a year
it was independent. In 1908, Austria-Hungary annexed the predominantly Muslim Bosnia-Herzegovina causing
tensions with Serbia. The Ottoman Empire lost its hold on Africa when Libya was conquered by Italy in 1912. The
Italo-Turkish War was a precursor to World War I because the "sick man of Europe" was defeated easily and thus
the Balkan League attacked the Empire before the conflict ceased. When the Great Powers signed the Berlin Treaty,
the Ottomans lost complete control of Serbia, Bulgaria, and Romania. Although Serbia gained independence in
1878, they wanted to create Greater Serbia with Russia as "protector of the Orthodox Christians." Balkan nations,
such as Austria with a large Slavic population in the south, were against this ambition. Even after acquiring territory
there was still dissatisfaction and tensions which would become the spark for World War I.
Nationalism was prevalent in Europe as a result of Enlightenment ideas such as liberalism and romanticism
as well as the Scientific and Industrial Revolution--which needed the spark of competition between nations to thrive.
In Europe, there were the French and Greek Revolution in the late 18th century and early 19th century as well as the
revolutions of 1848 throughout European nations except for England who had the greatest reforms. Nationalism was
a great political force in the 19th century. Through the impetus of nationalism all Ottoman European territories
either had autonomy or were in the hands of a European power. By 1914, there were new elements of nationalism
including the interwar years, decolonization, and genocides. Nationalism played a pivotal role in the First World
War which involved both Europe and the Middle East.
Take Notice:
Word Count: 919
5 Paragraphs w/ Introduction and Conclusion
Addresses the prompt specifically