Fall of the Empire
In many ways, the circumstances surrounding the Ottoman Empire's fall closely paralleled those surrounding the decline of the Roman Empire, particularly in the ongoing tensions between the Empire's different ethnic groups, and the various governments' inability to deal with these tensions. In the case of the Ottomans, the introduction of increased cultural rights, civil liberties and a parliamentary system during theTanzimat proved too late to reverse the nationalistic and secessionist trends that had already been set in motion since the early 19th century.[citation needed]