Nationalism

Imagine a world without Italy. Without Greece. Without Ireland or Germany. These nations all arose during a worldwide surge of nationalism in the late 17th century. The surge unified some parts of the world and tore other areas apart.

This Title takes kids on a tour of the surge beginning in Europe with the transformation of a handful of kingdoms like Sardinia, Lombardy, and Tuscany into a single nation, Italy. The tour continues by exploring the conflict between France and Prussia and the breakup of the Ottoman Empire that resulted in Greece being an independent nation. Next is the great continent of Africa, where Europeans reimagine nationalism as imperialism in their drive to control as much land as possible. The second-to-last stop is in the British colonies across the Atlantic, where kids get a new perspective on the origins of our nation. The final stop is Japan. Here, kids explore the rise of a nation destined to be the first Asian power to defeat a European power in modern times.

Kids interested in the evolution of modern nation-states in Europe will enjoy finding out about details of the transition. Those fascinated by world leaders will be able to explore the individuals who made this transition happen. Map lovers will enjoy poring over the many maps that depict old and new borders during this period. Kids of European, African, or Asian ancestry will be interested to find connections around the world.