Nationalism and the Creation of Italy

Nationalism is basically showing that you belong to your country and showing that you have loyalty to your country by showing your support in different ways. I am nationalistic because I celebrate the 4th of July, which is Independence Day for the U.S. I also use my country's currency, which is the dollar, and I also support the troops that fight for my country. If my country would go against another country in the Olympics, for example, I would most likely root for my country.

Nationalism can bring people together by making them feel connected. In my country, we feel connected because the troops fighting in a war right now are fighting for our country. Nationalism was used to create the nation of Italy. This happened in the early 1800s when people from Italy became interested in the traditions and culture of Italy. After the French Revolution, people in Italy also thought that they also need equality and freedom. Before Italy was the Italy we see it as today, it was made of small kingdoms. Most of Italy was controlled by Austria while the remaining land was separated into nations. Italy became its own country after many battles with Austria. Just like our country wanted independence from Great Britain, Italy wanted to fight so that they could be independent from Austria.

Simon Bolivar and Latin American Revolutions

Simon Bolivar, born in Caracas, Venezuela on July 24,1783, was a South American general. He was actually considered one of South America's greatest generals. When he was young, he was sent to Europe to go to school in Spain. Soon after, he returned to Venezuela and got married. Unfortunately, though, his wife died shortly after their wedding. Bolivar went back to Europe and then traveled to United States, which had just won its independence from Great Britain. When Bolivar went back to Venezuela, he decided that it was time for his country to be independent from Spain.

In 1810, Bolivar joined a group of men that captured Caracas and the announcement of independence from Spain was made later on. But, Spain did not want to give up the land so they attacked Bolivar and his men, resulting in one of his men surrendering. Bolivar traveled to New Granada, which is the country Colombia today, and wrote Cartagena Manifesto. In Cartagena Manifesto, Bolivar said that New Granada should help him in his quest for Venezuela's independence because they both want the same thing and Venezuela's freedom would protect the freedom of New Granada. After receiving help from New Granada, Bolivar invaded Venezuela in 1813.

Bolivar was forced to go back to New Granada by the Spaniards. In 1815, Bolivar traveled to Haiti and managed to convince their president to help him on his quest. A couple of years later Bolivar went back to South America to continue his quest. Bolivar and his army won the Battle of Boyaca in 1819 and in that same year he created the Angostura Congress, which founded Gran Colombia, and Bolivar was named president. After another battle in 1822, northern South America was finally liberated. But, that was only the northern part. Bolivar and his army then prepared to march through the Andes Mountains to liberate Peru. In 1823, Bolivar was given the role to invade Peru and soon after he was given the role he arrive in Lima to plan the attack.

Finally, in 1824, Bolivar and his army defeated the Spanish army in a few more battles to finally remove the Spaniards from South America. The Republic of Bolivia was created in the Congress of Upper Peru in honor of Bolivar, since Peru had become a separate state. Without Bolivar's determination and perseverance, Bolivia might have never existed. He wanted to defeat the Spanish and gain independence from Spain and he did.

John Locke And "The Enlightenment"

John Locke's ideas during The Enlightenment are very similar to what Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Constitution because he had a great influence on Thomas Jefferson when he was writing the Constitution. The "rights" that Thomas Jefferson talks about in the Constitution include life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. He is trying to say that everyone is created equally so, therefore, they should be able to have the same freedom as others in their nation and they should be able to live their lives how they choose to, with no one forcing them to do things that they don't want to. People in the nation should have equal rights, no one should have more rights than others and they also shouldn't have less rights then others as well. According to the Declaration of Independence, the governments power comes from the people of the nation. This could mean that the people of the nation have the right to change or get rid of the government if they thought the government was doing very bad. They would then set up a new and more improved form of government.