Cosas

Late 19th century- Italy was still a pre-industrial society

Suffered from grinding poverty, especially in the south.

Many Italians emigrated, hoping for a better future where they were headedto

Due to unification, feudal land system was broken down, however, this did not lead to the success in farms. Lack of success in farms because land was unproductive and barren

Families wereusually large and stayed together in one house… The 6 character's family can associate with that.

At the end of the 19th century, socialism was growing quickly in Italy.

In the years 1896-1915, theItalian economy boomed. Northern Italy rapidly industrialized and many ordinary Italians saw a rise in their standard of living.

1914: Beginning of WW1: Italy remains neutral

1919: Italy suffersa huge economic crisis… prices for everything fall.

Early 1920's: Italy turns fascist under soon to be dictator/president Mussolini

War production ends and country goes into economic stumblewith huge rise in inflation

The Treaty of the Triple Alliance (1882) binds Germany, Austria, and Italy in the mutual defense of one another in the event of a French attack on any of the countries1892: The Italian Socialist Party is formed.

By 1900, Italy was a relatively new country with little sense of national direction. Italy had for centuries been divided up into separate states suchas the Papal State, Venice, the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies etc. But from 1861 on, these states all came together with one king as their leader. In 1871, Rome was made the capital of Italy. So by 1900,Italy was barely 30 years old as a nation.
Parts of the north had a history of wealth – especially Venice and the Papal State. The north became Europe’s main producer of silk – taking advantage ofthe fertile soil found there which was needed to grow mulberry bushes on which silkworms fed.
However, the region south of Rome (the kingdom of the Two Sicilies) had been poor throughout its...