Concept Lesson

Where you create your own definition!

In 1757 at the Battle of Plassey the British East India Company took control of India and ruled it until 1857 when a rebellion by Indian soldiers called the Sepoy Rebellion, caused the British government to take over control of India from the company. The British instituted a number of reforms including reforms of the education system. Indians didn’t like the educational reforms because they ignored and defamed India’s culture, history, and values. Indians were proud of their history and also wanted their freedom from British rule. In 1876 a group of Indians formed the Indian National Association to “promote by every legitimate means the political, intellectual and material advancement” of the Indian people. Other groups that believed in the supremacy of India also formed to instigate for freedom from British rule.

By the end of the 1800s, foreign interests dominated the Chinese economy and government. These interests had won numerous trade concessions and privileges allowing foreign traders and missionaries to travel the country at will. In response to these actions, The Society of the Righteous and Harmonious Fists, also known as the Boxers, began as an anti-foreigner movement that wanted China to be free from foreign interference. The Boxers were extremely devoted to their nation. Chanting “Support the Qing, destroy the foreign” they began attacking foreign missionaries and destroying anything connected to outsiders. In June 1900, Boxer fighters gathered in Beijing and besieged the foreign embassies; however, they were unable to overwhelm the foreigners before they were rescued by military troops.

During the period of Italian Unification, which began with the termination of Napoleon’s reign in 1815 and ended around the mid to late 1800’s, there were strong groups in Italian society that hoped to finally establish Italy as an independent nation, uniting the many smaller regions of the country under one national title. This period is largely characterized by the devotion of the Italian people to their county; Italians aggressively fought the Prussians and the Austrians in order to gain independence and move Italy forward as a nation. The Italians came to regard their military leader, Garibaldi, as a national hero and placed faith in their military strength. Ultimately, the Italians were tired of being ruled by other countries and were ready to establish themselves as their own entity.

During Hitler’s reign over the German people he created a myth of German strength and superiority. He preached to his people about the need to grow and expand their living space, or “lebensraum” and he created many programs such as the Hitler Youth, which were designed with the intent of uniting the people. As a result of these actions, German citizens made economic or labor-related contributions to the country, thus feeling a special connection and dedication to their nation. Hitler brainwashed his citizens into believing that they were superior to everyone else. He had citizens work for the state in order to create a belief that they had a stake in the successes and failures of the state. The German people were extremely devoted to their country and were willing to make great sacrifices in order to ensure its success.

Nationalism

Although the British had ruled Ireland for centuries, the Irish people began to demand independence in the 1800s and were promised home rule after World War I. When this independence was not provided, certain groups of Irish people began to fight violently against the British. Sinn Fein, the Irish political group fighting for independence, and its army, the Irish Republican Army, lead the battle against the British. The two sides eventually reached a compromise in which Ireland was divided in two: the northern Protestant regions would remain with the United Kingdom, and the southern Catholic region eventually became the Irish Free State. This resolution did not please many Irish citizens and violent fighting continued in a divided Northern Ireland between Protestants who wish to remain with the British and Catholics who wanted to separate. Those who wanted separation were motivated by a belief that they would be better served as an independent state. Their devotion to their country, culture, and religion was strong; many Irish lost their lives in this lengthy battle which only recently came to a close.

After September 11th American citizens rallied around their country in a force comparable only to the effort put in on the home front during World War II. The tragedy of September 11th devastated all American people, not just those living in New York, Washington, or Pennsylvania. As a direct result, all Americans did their part to contribute to the recovery effort. They felt a renewed pride in their nation and wanted to demonstrate their patriotism. American flags flew off the shelves of stores and many flocked to the sites of the tragedies to help with recovery efforts. September 11th was also a turning point in U.S. foreign policy. Americans invaded Afghanistan without the full support of the international community in an attempt to eliminate potential terrorists. After facing a tragedy as grave as September 11th, Americans were determined to fight back, show support for each other, and ultimately move on from the devastation while maintaining a strategic position of power.