🇮🇹ap italian review
2.1 The Influence of Language and Culture on Identity
Verified for the 2025 AP Italian exam•Last Updated on June 18, 2024
History
The history of Italy is TOO extensive to discuss in a few short sentences, but the following are some of the most prominent points:
- Italy's location on the Mediterranean allowed it to rise as one of the ancient civilizations
- 1200 B.C: The first societies emerged
- 509 B.C: The Romans defeated the Etruscans and expanded the empire to Portugal, Syria, Britain, and North Africa
- 27 B.C: First Roman Emperor: Augustus Caesar
- L'importanza: Cesare è stato uno dei leader di maggior successo. Ha trasferito Roma da una repubblica a un impero, ha ripristinato la pace e la proprietà dello stato e ha cambiato ogni aspetto della vita romana
- 9th Century A.C: Italian city-states rose again, and flourished in trade, but were extremely divided
- 1861: Kingdom of Italy established
- WWI: Italy took the side of the allied powers but was left in poverty at the war's end
- WWII: Benito Mussolini and his fascist party rose to power and joined the war on the side of Germany and Japan
- Curiosità: Nel 1946, Mussolini e la sua padrona furono fucilati e uccisi, e i loro corpi furono appesi nella piazza della città di Milano per imbarazzo pubblico
- 1946: general elections were held and the Italian Republic was established
For more information on Italian history, check out a few more resources from the Encyclopedia Britannica and History World.
Language 🗣 👥
The window into a culture, la finestra su una cultura...
Italian is one of the romance languages rooted in Latin. In school, the children learn how to speak Italian and English, but most people also communicate in a regional dialect that demonstrates their unique identity and specific culture.
Dialetto - una versione di una lingua
- 28 indigenous dialects
- Dialects carry significant meaning because a particular language points to the culture of that group—interactions with language = interactions with culture
Geography 🏙🏝🌋🏔
Italy is a Mediterranean country in southern Europe. Not only is it one of the largest countries on the continent, but is also the most diverse in terms of geography. The nation can be divided into the following three regions:
- Northern Italy
- Dominated by the Po River, one of the most productive agricultural regions
- A large percentage of the Italian population
- Ex. Milan, Genoa, Turin
###### Image Courtesy of Benjamin Voros, from Unsplash
- Central Italy
- Dominated by hills and mountains (colline e Montagne)
- Famously fertile plains—highly productive agriculturally
- Ex. Florence, Pisa, Siena, Rome (popular tourist destinations)
###### Image Courtesy of Jonathan Korner
- Southern Italy
- Great natural beauty, but lacks industrial output
- Sandy beaches and famous archaeological sites
- Home to VOLCANO Vesuvius- La Historia: Il monte Vesuvio è responsabile dell'incendio della città di Pompei, che ora è diventata una grande attrazione turistica. È scoppiato l'ultima volta nel marzo 1944
- Ex. Naples, Foggia, Salerno
There are beautiful sites and places to explore all across Italy, but generally, there are the cities of the North and the beaches of the South...
Strive for Five Vocab: Data Edition 🔑 🔑
- Spaziare da... fino a... - range from
- Passare da...a... - switch from
- Aumentare del x % - increase by
- Essere in aumento - to be on the rise
- Scendere del x % - Go down by
- Essere in calo - to be falling
- Essere pari a - to be equal to
- Rispetto a - Compared to
- Il tasso di - rate of
- La media - average
Key Terms to Review (8)
Benito Mussolini: Benito Mussolini was an Italian politician and journalist who founded the National Fascist Party and ruled Italy as Prime Minister from 1922 until 1943. His leadership marked a significant shift in Italian culture and identity, promoting aggressive nationalism and authoritarian governance that influenced the broader European landscape during the interwar period.
Cesare Augusto: Cesare Augusto, also known as Caesar Augustus, was the first emperor of Rome who ruled from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. He played a crucial role in transforming the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire, marking a significant shift in political structure and cultural identity within Rome and its territories. Augustus' reign brought about a period of relative peace known as the Pax Romana, which had lasting impacts on language, culture, and identity in the Roman world.
Fascismo: Fascismo is a political ideology that emerged in early 20th-century Italy, characterized by authoritarian nationalism, a strong centralized government, and the suppression of political opposition. This movement was marked by its emphasis on the collective identity of the nation, often at the expense of individual rights, shaping Italian identity through language, culture, and a sense of national pride. The regime sought to unify the country under a single vision, utilizing propaganda to foster a specific cultural narrative that resonated with its citizens.
Impero Romano: The Impero Romano, or Roman Empire, was a vast and powerful political and social structure that existed from 27 BC to AD 476 in the West, significantly shaping the course of Western civilization. It is known for its remarkable contributions to law, governance, architecture, and culture, which still influence modern societies today. The Empire's ability to integrate diverse cultures and languages under its rule played a crucial role in developing a shared identity among its inhabitants.
Monte Vesuvio: Monte Vesuvio is an active stratovolcano located on the western coast of Italy, near the city of Naples. It is best known for its catastrophic eruption in 79 AD that led to the destruction of the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, shaping the cultural and historical landscape of the region. The volcano not only serves as a natural landmark but also represents the complex relationship between humans and nature, influencing local identity and culture through its presence.
Repubblica: A Repubblica, or republic, is a form of government in which the country is considered a 'public matter' and is not the private concern or property of the rulers. In a republic, officials are accountable to the public and must govern according to existing constitutional law that limits the government's power over citizens. This concept is crucial in shaping modern political systems and plays a significant role in the development of cultural identities and societal norms.
Risorgimento: Risorgimento refers to the 19th-century movement for Italian unification, which aimed to consolidate various independent states and territories into a single nation. This period marked a significant shift in Italy's political landscape, influencing ideals of nationhood, cultural identity, and social progress, while also being shaped by major technological advances that fostered communication and transportation across the fragmented regions of Italy.
Stati Città: Stati Città, or City-States, refer to sovereign entities that consist of a city and its surrounding territory, functioning independently. These entities played a crucial role in the historical development of culture and language, particularly during the Renaissance in Italy, where they contributed significantly to local identities and cultural expressions.