19th century

===Revolutions of 1848===
{{main|Revolutions of 1848}}
[[File:Maerz1848 berlin.jpg|thumb|upright|Liberal and nationalist pressure led to the [[Revolutions of 1848|European revolutions of 1848]]]]
The [[Revolutions of 1848]] were a series of [[political upheaval]]s throughout [[Europe]] in 1848.  The revolutions were essentially [[democracy|democratic]] and liberal in nature, with the aim of removing the old [[Monarchy|monarchical]] structures and creating independent nation states.

The first revolution began in [[Revolutions of 1848 in the Italian states|January in Sicily]].{{clarify|date=December 2017}} Revolutions then spread across Europe after a separate revolution began in [[French Revolution of 1848|France in February]]. Over 50 countries were affected, but with no coordination or cooperation among their respective revolutionaries.

According to Evans and von Strandmann (2000), some of the major contributing factors were widespread dissatisfaction with political leadership, demands for more participation in government and democracy, demands for freedom of the press, other demands made by the working class, the upsurge of nationalism, and the regrouping of established government forces.<ref>R.J.W. Evans and Hartmut Pogge von Strandmann, eds., ''The Revolutions in Europe 1848–1849'' (2000) pp. v, 4</ref>