In the 15th century the Ottoman Turks brought a violent end to Christian rule in Southern Europe, and their empire’s expansion was only halted at the Gates of Vienna in 1683. However, by the 19th century the Ottoman Empire was known as “the sick man of Europe”, and its territories were ripe for nationalist uprisings. …
Springtime of Nations: Richard Cobden
Pure-hearted Hero of a bloodless fight! Clean-handed Captain in a painless war! Soar, Spirit, to the realm of Truth and Light, Where the Just are! If one poor cup of water given shall have Due recognition in the Day of Dread, Angels may welcome this one, for he gave A nation, bread! His bays are …
Springtime of Nations: Brittany
On the Atlantic Coast of France a minority group which has had ancient claims to independence seeks once again to be free, alongside its comrades to the South in Corsica. This week we will be talking about the Bretons and their homeland Brittany. The Bretons migrated from celtic Britain around 500 A.D and by the …
Springtime of Nations: South Brazil
The man who more than anyone else symbolized the 48 Springtime of Nations was Giuseppe Garibaldi, also known as one of the founding fathers of a united Italy. Before his great fame, he fought for liberty across the Atlantic ocean, helping a now obscure movement that wanted independence from Brazil and freedom from slavery. We …
Springtime of Nations: Texas
In 1840s America, the “Texas Question” (should Texas be let into the United States) caused great division among Americans even in the same party. Now, instead of whether Texas should join the U.S, the new Texas Question is, “Should Texas Secede?” American interest in what became the Republic of Texas dates back to Aaron Burr’s …
Soldiers of Liberty: Simon Bolivar
Anyone remotely familiar with South American history will know that at its base, it is a tragedy. The revolutions of the early 19th century which freed the continent from the shackles of foreign despotism failed to carry through to ending domestic despotism. Still, the peoples of South America venerate the man who more than any …
The First Springtime of Nations
In our video on Venice we heavily referenced the 1848 European Revolutions that are often called the Springtime of Nations. However, given the debt our channel has to these events, it’s high time we cover them in more detail. The five separate national movements in 1848 we think are worth talking about occured in France, …
The History of Mutualism and Its Relationship to Anarchism
The first American anarchist, Josiah Warren, had two big ideas. The first he called “the sovereignty of the individual,” which would later be known as anarchism. And the second he called “cost – the limit of price,” which would later be known as mutualism. The Sovereignty of the Individual is the same idea as what …
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The Struggle of the Doukhobors against the State
North America has been seen as the land of opportunity for almost 300 years. The continent, especially in its infancy, was a place of refuge for religious minorities fleeing persecution, such as the Quakers and the Mennonites. Sadly this group of religious dissenters, which like the aforementioned groups shared a communalist and pacifist outlook, did …
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