Nationalism is the recognition of shared common language, culture, and history. Many of the Italian states opposed the unification of Italy because they did not want to give up their power to one central government. While liberal revolutions were occurring, Italian nationalists led rebellions of their own. "Anger over foreign domination led Italian nationalists to call for unity and independence." Nationalism has been causing a lot of conflict in the past because Italian states opposed the unification of Italy and Italian nationalists led rebellions. Despite the failure of revolts in 1848 and 1849, Italian patriots still wanted to unify Italy. The states of Italy and the nationalists were unable to agree upon how to achieve unity in Italy. Many Italian citizens wanted a federation of states that would be guided by the pope, most of the liberals wanted a republic government, and all of the other citizens wanted a constitutional monarchy under the king.

             In 1861, Italy agreed to hold elections to vote and everybody agreed to unify Italy. "Our country is.no longer the field for every foreign ambition," rejoiced Victor Emmanuel. "It becomes, henceforth, the Italy of the Italians." The only countries to holdout were Venetia, which still belonged to Austria, and the Papal states, where French troops supported the pope. War had broken out against Prussia and Austria. The Italians took the side of the Prussians, so Austria was defeated, and Prussia rewarded the Italian ally with Venetia. Also in 1870, war broke out between France and Prussia, so that forced the French to withdraw their troops from Rome. In the September of 1870, Italian troops entered Rome to complete the unification of Italy.

             After the successful fight for the unification of Italy, liberal politicians passed laws to reduce the Catholic Church"s control of education. Anti-Catholic feelings were particularly strong in the 1870"s because the papacy had opposed Italian unification and refused to extend diplomatic relations to Italy.