The Revolutions of 1848 were widespread and affected approximately 50 countries in Europe, considering the previously separate lands of Germany and Italy. These revolutions were extremely violent and costly. In terms of human lives, tens of thousands were lost during battles and several thousand more were lost in executions. Over 100,000 people were also imprisoned or exiled. While these individual countries had significant nationalistic grievances, such as anti-Austrian attitudes in Italy, anti-Russian and anti-Turkish views in Romania, anti-Habsburg in Prague and Budapest, German patriotism divided Germany as did Polish patriotism in Poland ; it was the political and economic struggle that constituted the prevalent catalyst of the revolutionary revolts. In the mid-19th century, a widespread economic crisis occurred on the European continent. The agricultural failures of 1845-1847, which resulted in rising food prices, prevented people from purchasing food. The people of Berlin were so angry about the cost of food that they rioted for four days. By 1847 one-third of the German population was receiving government aid, with the result that the number of Germans leaving for the United States in search of farmland increased dramatically. In Prussian Silesia and Austrian Galicia over a quarter of a million people died of starvation. Anger against the old ruling regime and its political tyranny was considered the most important cause of the numerous revolutions. Increased political awareness due to the invention and extensive use of the printing press was instrumental in promoting political awareness of new ideas such as liberalism, nationalism, and socialism. Furthermore, many countries were aware of the success...... middle of paper... positive results of the uprisings were the spread of parliamentary governments, the allowance for male suffrage in France and, briefly, in Austria, the elimination of lands owned by lords and cultivated by tenant farmers in Central Europe, the beginnings of the German and Italian unification movements, and the establishment of Hungary as an equal partner with Austria under Habsburg rule. Works Cited Western Civilization: A Brief History, Complete [Paperback ] By Marvin Perry, Publisher: Wadsworth-Cengage Publishing; 7th edition 2010 pp 333-347“Sparknotes” http://www.sparknotes.com/Linked from “Sparknotes”The Revolutions of 1848 (1848) http://www.sparknotes.com/history/european/1871/section1. html“Fordham University” http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/modsbook.aspLinked from the Encyclopedia of Revolutions of 1848 “Fordham University” http://www.ohio.edu/chastain/index.htm