HSY2601 FINAL PORTFOLIO (COMPLETE
GUIDELINE) Semester 1 2025 - DUE May 2025 Course
Power and the Western World (HSY2601)
Institution
University Of South Africa (Unisa)
Book
The Rise of Western Power
HSY2601 FINAL PORTFOLIO (COMPLETE GUIDELINE) Semester 1 2025 - DUE
May 2025; 100% TRUSTED Complete, trusted solutions and explanations.
Ensure your success with us....
Construct a portfolio narrative based on Nationalism and Industrialisation in
the 19th century. 1. Defining Nationalism and Industrialisation Word count:
1000 Words Format: Essay Experiential prompt: Imagine you're a student in
a 19th-century European university. How would you explain the rise of
nationalism and industrialisation to your peers? What hopes or fears might
people of your time express about these changes? Your narrative must: •
Clearly define both nationalism and industrialisation. • Discuss their origins,
key characteristics, and how they manifested in the 19th century. • Choose
one context as an example and focus on that. • Reference your narrative
using footnotes and a bibliography.
Portfolio Narrative: Nationalism and Industrialization in the 19th Century
Introduction
In the 19th century, Europe underwent profound transformations that shaped not only the
political and social fabric of the continent but also its economic and industrial trajectory. Two
key forces—nationalism and industrialization—emerged as powerful drivers of these changes.
As a student in a 19th-century European university, it would be essential to understand the
origins, key characteristics, and the ways these forces manifested in society. Both movements
presented a mixture of hope for progress and fear of the unknown, as they led to the reshaping
of national identities, economies, and social structures. In this essay, I will define nationalism
and industrialization, trace their origins, and examine their implications in the context of
Germany during the 19th century.
, Defining Nationalism and Industrialization
Nationalism is a political ideology that asserts the interests and identity of a specific group of
people based on shared cultural, linguistic, historical, or territorial characteristics. It is the belief
that a nation—an imagined community—should have sovereignty, independence, and control
over its own affairs. Nationalism calls for the unity of people who share common values,
traditions, and symbols. In the 19th century, nationalism was a force that sought to consolidate
political power into unified nation-states, often in opposition to foreign domination or
fragmented, multi-ethnic empires.
On the other hand, industrialization refers to the process by which economies shift from being
agrarian and craft-based to being focused on manufacturing and mass production, facilitated by
technological innovations. It began with the Industrial Revolution in Britain in the late 18th
century, but it quickly spread across Europe during the 19th century. Industrialization led to the
establishment of factories, the rise of urbanization, and significant advancements in
transportation and communication. It reshaped labor systems, social structures, and economies,
contributing to the rise of capitalist economies and altering traditional ways of life.
Origins and Key Characteristics of Nationalism
The rise of nationalism in the 19th century was largely a response to the political and social
changes of the previous century. The French Revolution of 1789 and the subsequent
Napoleonic Wars played a pivotal role in spreading ideas of national sovereignty and citizenship
throughout Europe. The French Revolution, in particular, challenged the old feudal system and
the divine right of kings, advocating for the idea of popular sovereignty—that power resides
with the people, not monarchs or aristocracies. Nationalism became a tool to mobilize people for
the nation-state, claiming that the state should reflect the will and identity of its people.
By the early 19th century, nationalism began to manifest in various forms, such as cultural
nationalism, which emphasized the shared language, heritage, and customs of a people, and
political nationalism, which focused on the creation or preservation of a sovereign state. In
Germany, for example, nationalism was born out of the desire to unify the fragmented German
states, which were still under the influence of the Holy Roman Empire and other foreign
powers, such as Austria and France. Intellectuals, poets, and philosophers like Johann Gottfried
Herder and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe played significant roles in fostering a national
identity based on shared culture and language.
Origins and Key Characteristics of Industrialization
The origins of industrialization lie in the technological and economic changes that began in
Great Britain in the late 18th century. The invention of the steam engine by James Watt and
innovations in machinery and production techniques dramatically increased productivity.