Pearson Edexcel · A-Level · History
Course version: 9HI0 · Version from Sept 2015
The unification of Italy, c1830–70 - 2 The rise of Piedmont, 1849–56:…
Full specification wording
Paper 2, Option 2D.1: The unification of Italy, c1830–70 - 2 The rise of Piedmont, 1849–56: Economic developments in Piedmont: commercial and industrial growth; the significance of trade agreements and the impact of the development of railways; government investment in infrastructure; the significance of Cavour.
Piedmont's economy after 1849 combined state action with private enterprise.
Checked against the Pearson Edexcel 9HI0 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 3 of 4
- 3 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
Piedmont's economy after 1849 combined state action with private enterprise. Commercial and industrial growth appeared in textiles, engineering and shipping, while trade agreements with Britain, France and Belgium widened markets and supplied capital. Railways expanded from about 8 km in 1848 to over 800 km by 1859, cutting transport costs and linking Genoa to the interior. Government investment in infrastructure included roads, ports and telegraphs, funded by loans and tariffs. Cavour, as minister and then prime minister, negotiated treaties, promoted free trade and secured foreign investment, making Piedmont the most economically advanced Italian state and a credible leader of unification.
What earns the marks
- Explains specific sectors of commercial and industrial growth, such as cotton and silk textiles, engineering works and the port of Genoa.
- Assesses the significance of trade agreements, for example the 1851 treaty with Britain and later treaties with France and Belgium, in expanding markets and attracting capital.
- Evaluates the impact of railway development, using figures such as the expansion from about 8 km in 1848 to over 800 km by 1859, and links this to internal trade and military mobility.
- Analyses government investment in infrastructure, including roads, ports, telegraphs and subsidies, and its role in stimulating private enterprise.
- Judges the significance of Cavour, considering his free-trade policies, diplomatic negotiations and management of state finances.
- Connects economic change to Piedmont's political leadership of Italian unification.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Treating economic growth as uniform across Piedmont.
Put it right: Recognise regional contrasts, with industrial growth concentrated in Genoa, Turin and Lombardy after 1859.
Assuming railways alone caused industrial growth.
Put it right: Explain how railways interacted with trade agreements, government investment and private capital.
Crediting Cavour with all economic change.
Put it right: Acknowledge the roles of King Victor Emmanuel II, ministers such as Rattazzi and private entrepreneurs.
Exam tips
- Use precise dates and figures, such as the 1851 trade treaty with Britain and the railway expansion from about 8 km in 1848 to over 800 km by 1859.
- Link each economic development to its political consequence, for example how railways and trade agreements strengthened Piedmont's position in Italy.
- Plan answers around the four clauses of the statement to ensure balanced coverage.
Try the lesson
The start of the Paper 2, Option 2D.1: The unification of Italy, c1830–70 - 2 The rise of Piedmont, 1849–56: Economic developments in Piedmont: commercial and industrial growth; the significance of trade agreements and the impact of the development of railways; government investment in infrastructure; the significance of Cavour. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
Which Piedmontese statesman, who became prime minister in 1852, is most closely associated with the policy of encouraging commercial and industrial growth in Piedmont?
Listen
Piedmont's economy after 1849 combined state action with private enterprise. Commercial and industrial growth appeared in textiles, engineering and shipping, while trade agreements with Britain, France and Belgium widened markets and supplied capital. Railways expanded from about 8 km in 1848 to over 800 km by 1859, cutting transport costs and linking Genoa to the interior. Government investment in infrastructure included roads, ports and telegraphs, funded by loans and tariffs. Cavour, as minister and then prime minister, negotiated treaties, promoted free trade and secured foreign investment, making Piedmont the most economically advanced Italian state and a credible leader of unification. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Explains specific sectors of commercial and industrial growth, such as cotton and silk textiles, engineering works and the port of Genoa. Assesses the significance of trade agreements, for example the 1851 treaty with Britain and later treaties with France and Belgium, in expanding markets and attracting capital. Evaluates the impact of railway development, using figures such as the expansion from about 8 km in 1848 to over 800 km by 1859, and links this to internal trade and military mobility. Analyses government investment in infrastructure, including roads, ports, telegraphs and subsidies, and its role in stimulating private enterprise. A common slip: Treating economic growth as uniform across Piedmont. Instead, recognise regional contrasts, with industrial growth concentrated in Genoa, Turin and Lombardy after 1859. Exam tip: Use precise dates and figures, such as the 1851 trade treaty with Britain and the railway expansion from about 8 km in 1848 to over 800 km by 1859.
Put the events in order
Put these events in the order they happened, earliest first.
- 1. Railways in Piedmont began from a very small base
- 2. Railway network had expanded greatly, linking Genoa to the interior
- 3. Trade treaty with Britain widened markets and attracted capital
Key words
Say what each word means before you turn the card.
Free trade and foreign investment
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Infrastructure and transport
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Cavour's economic statesmanship
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
See every definition
- Free trade and foreign investment
- Policies promoted by Cavour that widened markets through trade agreements with Britain, France and Belgium and secured foreign investment.
- Infrastructure and transport
- Government investment in roads, ports and telegraphs, alongside railway expansion that cut transport costs and linked Genoa to the interior.
- Cavour's economic statesmanship
- As minister and then prime minister, negotiating treaties, promoting free trade and securing foreign investment, making Piedmont the most economically advanced Italian state.
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