Industrial Revolution and Nationalism FRQ

THESIS:  This struggle for workers' rights inspired many governmental and national revolts during the years 1815 - 1848, and it was really the unity that emerged that would make these revolutions successful.
- Industrial Revolution revolts and rights
- Greek Independence
- Germany as a country (unsuccessful)


**During the Industrial Revolution, farming took a back seat to industry as new discoveries made mass-producing goods faster and more efficient.  John Kay produced a loom where two people could weave at the same time instead of one.  To keep up with that, the spinning jenny was invented to spin even more thread.  With more machines to produce more goods, the demands for goods grew, and so did the demand for workers.  In no time, these workers' rights started being taken away so that the employers could receive as much profit as possible.  As a result, the people rebelled to try and get their own rights.  This struggle for workers' rights inspired many governmental and national revolts during the years 1815 - 1848, and it was really the unity that emerged that would make these revolutions successful.
**Workers in the Industrial Revolution were not happy with the way they had to live.  They worked longer hours than they ever had for less pay.  Women and children even were forced to work excruciatingly long days in order to match the large quota their employer wanted.  As a result of this, the people formed things like labor unions and went on strike to try and get their rights back.  On top of this, Corn Laws were put in place to outrageously tax food.  The people were not getting paid enough to work ridiculous hours, and they had to give up a decent chunk of that hard-earned money in order to pay the tax on their grains.  People protested to both get rights for workers and to repeal the Corn Laws.  They used their unity to get their government to grant their wishes.  This strategy did end up working:  the government made factory owners give the workers decent pay, or minimum wage, laws were put in place to restrict the amount of hours women and children could work in a day, and Corn Laws were repealed with the help of Robert Peel.
**The Greek people echoed these thoughts of wanting their own rights later in the era of nationalism.  For the longest time, the Ottoman Turks had occupied and controlled Greece, but now the Greek people wanted their own freedom.  Fortunately for Greece, people in England, France, and Russia were not on very good terms with the Turks, so they were willing to side with Greek nationalists. Eventually, in 1832, Greece received its independence.  Three of the most powerful countries of that time had helped the Greeks to gain this independence.  By working together, they were able to kick the Ottoman Turks out and gain independence.  Similar to the Industrial Revolution, these different people banding together for a common cause and accomplished it with teamwork.
**Similarly, Germany tried to gain a legal unity within it separate states, left detached since the Holy Roman Empire dissipated.  They met at the Frankfurt Assembly to decide whether or not the German states should converge into one nation.  There were naysayers in Prussia called the Junkers, though, and a whole Germany was decided against in the Berlin Assembly.  Though this revolt did not succeed, this happened because of the lack of unity and agreement within Germany.  The Austrians were on one side of the debate, the East Prussians were on another, and the rest of the Prussians had yet another different opinion, while all the smaller principalities, though not as significant, also had their own opinions.  Though the same intent of the Industrial Revolution protests and the fight for Greek independence was there, the unity was not, therefore this was not  a successful attempt at nationalism.
**Through the power of teamwork, many groups throughout both the Industrial Revolution and the Age of Nationalism were able to overcome boundaries to gaining their own rights, whether they be workers or nationalists.  Other revolts of this time, on the other hand, were not successful because of the lack of unity.  The period from 1815 - 1848 was one littered with revolt after revolt, but the key to a successful revolt, as was started in the time of the Industrial Revolution and carried throughout liberalism, conservatism, and nationalism was agreement and togetherness.