Making Modern Italy

Lesson Plan - Get It!

Audio:

Each of us has the opportunity to change the world in which we live.

It could be something simple, like an act of charity or showing kindness to others. It could be a choice of career, like when people choose a job that impacts the world in one way or another.

Some people change the world in bigger ways. They have a vision — a great idea — about how things should be, and they work persistently over time to make that vision a reality.

Giuseppe Garibaldi (pronounced ji-se-pe ga-ri-bal-di) was one such person. Garibaldi was born in 1807 when Italy was in pieces. There was no country of Italy, but only bits and pieces owned by one king or empire or another.

Garibaldi's great idea was to combine all those pieces as one country. He believed in an idea known as Risorgimento (re-sor-ji-men-to) — the rebirth of Italy. He said a unified Italy would be better for the Italian people than many different mini-states.

Many people fought against this idea. Most kings don’t want to give up their power after all. Garibaldi was even kicked out of Italy for trying to start a revolution, a war to bring Italy together. He spent many years in South America.

In 1848, he returned with a force of just 60 fighters, the Italian Legion.

It took him a long struggle and many years of hardship, but by 1861, Garibaldi saw Italy as one kingdom.

Though he was loved by some and hated by others in his lifetime, Garibaldi is now considered a national Italian hero.

Answer the following questions in your notebook.

• What was Garibaldi’s dream?
• What is the Italian name for this idea?
• What kinds of things did he have to go through to achieve his dream?
• What was the end result?

Then, consider these questions

• Why do you think Garibaldi is considered a hero?
• What does it mean to hold a vision or dream, and why is it important?
• What does the life of Garibaldi teach us about facing difficulties?

The task of bringing a whole country together is difficult and often violent. Garibaldi and others were trying to bring Italy together around the same time Abraham Lincoln was trying to put America back together during the American Civil War.

In the Got It? section, find out about the different pieces that the Italian revolutionaries had to bring together to make a modern nation.