In the aftermath of Unification, Protestants in Italy portrayed liberalism and national sovereignty as inherently Italian values to justify their belonging and active role in nation-state building. In contrast, Catholicism, due to the temporal sovereignty of the Pope, operated not only as a religious system but also as a political one - cattolicismo politico - that resisted ideas of liberalism and nationalism. This view of Protestantism as authentically Italian allowed Waldensian schoolteachers, serving in Waldensian schools across the peninsula from 1860 to 1915, to develop a gendered Protestant interpretation of the nation that aligned with the wider liberal and evangelical outlook. Despite facing intimidation tactics from local authorities, the Catholic Church, and municipal schools - which encompassed social exclusion, job denials, and even physical prevention of children from attending class - they articulated a distinct political perspective for Italy based on faith and education grounded in biblical principles. They viewed nation-building as a grassroots effort in which religious minorities, including women, played a crucial role. Their familiarity with the Bible and the belief that even a minority group could help transform an entire nation empowered Protestant women to act as political subjects despite covert persecution. It was significant that many of them were converts who actively promoted biblical literacy. Their anti-clericalism and educational activism positioned them at the forefront of Italian nation-building, showing how minority Protestant women influenced political discourse from the schoolroom.