It’s 1860, and many Italians are excited about having a country of their own.
You live in southern Italy. Fighters in red shirts have already won big victories for the future Italian nation. You want to help, but how? Your mother has an idea: pick up a needle and thread, and start sewing. You can help her and her friends make red shirts for the troops.
In the 1830s, Italy was not a country. It was many states and kingdoms. The Catholic Church ruled Rome and the nearby areas. Italian nobles and foreign royals (like Austrians) ruled other states. Many Italians wanted to unite these parts into one country. In 1831, Giuseppe Mazzini formed Young Italy, a nationalist group. The goal was to make Italy a democratic republic. The people would rule!
