... the question before Italy was foreign rule on independence, unity in federation, political change from above or social and economic revolution from below. All these were undecided and even the road was unclear. It was doubtful whether they could succeed with no foreign aid but only an ant-revolutionary Holy Alliance. The main forces of Risorgimento, that is, Romanticism with the ... had devised a scheme for the creation of a constitutional kingdom of Central Italy under the Duke Francis of Modena whom he had won over to his ideas. On the other hand, a silk merchant Menotti had visions o...

• Word Count: 10644
• Approx Pages: 43
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... this day. Against this turbulent background, the British were free to ply their trade as they wished, selling silver and devices like clocks and firearms in return for cotton, spices, silk, indigo, jewels and opium. Before long the East India Company was one of the largest employers in London. In India, its major settlements developed into self-sufficient communities, with forts ... still shone with an air of gilded gentility. Silken canopies graced the private boxes at Calcutta theaters, while palanquins with golden bells and embroidered curtains were carried down St. Thomas Road. One ...

• Word Count: 5127
• Approx Pages: 21
• Grade Level: Undergraduate