The Tanzimat: Reform in the Ottoman EmpireAt its peak, the Ottoman Empire was one of the largest and most powerful empires in the entire world. Unfortunately for the Ottomans, various problems arose and the empire eventually began to decline. This resulted in a period of reform, known as Tanzimat. Between 1839 and 1876, many changes were made to the empire, but their effectiveness is still debated to this day. Sultan Mahmud II and various other Europeanized Ottoman bureaucrats launched what is known today as the greatest reform movement in the history of the Empire. Ottoman Empire. The Tanzimat radically changed life in the Ottoman Empire and completely revolutionized the way the Ottomans lived. Previously, the empire was home to diverse nationalities, races, religions and cultures. During the Tanzimat, a major effort was made to unite these peoples, what is often referred to as the policy of Otmanism. This resulted in the creation of a national anthem and the establishment of a national flag. In the past, Islamic law was predominant, but it was replaced by secular law, so no individual group was left out. The main goal of Tanzimat was to replace its old and outdated methods with a more Westernized approach. The reforms varied greatly, but for the most part they were all aimed at modernizing the empire. During the Tanzimat, two royal decrees were issued that showed exactly what the reform movement was about. He promised certain administrative reforms, the abolition of tax farming, the normalization of military conscription and the elimination of corruption. 2 These decrees created equality among all religions, decentralized government, and helped make millet more of a middle of paper......and military restrictions were implemented. Armenia and various other independent states were created as a result of the treaty. The empire lost approximately 80 percent of its original area and eventually declined and collapsed completely. At one time, the reforms implemented by the Young Turks worked well, but only for a short time. Overthrowing Hamid's tyranny should have been enough to establish a new government, but the triumvirate also became quite oppressive during his reign. Turkism established a new form of nationalism that left out various nationalities, races and cultures, leading to the decline of the empire. After World War I, the empire faced so much conflict that it was unable to stay strong. Even if the reformers aimed to strengthen the empire, it is quite possible that they were responsible for the fall of the Ottoman Empire..