Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and exercises for History for Baccalaureate

The Outbreak of War and Social Revolution

The Government's Response to the Coup

After the army's uprising in Morocco, Prime Minister Casares Quiroga resigned. He was replaced by Martínez Barrio, who unsuccessfully tried to negotiate with the rebels. Barrio was, in turn, replaced by José Giral, who made the crucial decision to arm the people to defend the Republic. The failed military coup triggered a widespread social revolution.

Economic Control and Collectivization

Committees formed by political parties and labor unions took control of essential economic elements, such as transportation and military supplies, while the government could only ratify what had been done. In the countryside, this revolution manifested in several ways:

• A massive occupation

The Conservative Biennium (1933-1935)

Causes of Political Deadlock

The period was marked by a significant deadlock due to several factors:

• Governments lacked parliamentary or political stability.
• An increase in social and political polarization.
• A strong willingness to revise earlier reforms.

Furthermore, a perceived lack of compromise from both the Left and Right within the regime meant there could be no political alternation.

Electoral Changes and Outcomes

The new electoral law allowed women to vote, which significantly impacted the smaller parties, leading to their losses. Among the winning parties, the PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party) saw its representation halved, while the Radical Republican Party gained strength, aligning with the right-...

Russian Revolutions and the USSR's Genesis

Tsarist Autocracy

• Absolutism of the Tsar.
• Political repression, economic hardship, and peasant poverty.
• Increasing political opposition to the regime due to widespread poverty.

Revolution of 1905

Causes:

• Military defeats in the war with Japan.
• Widespread strikes and protests by workers and peasants.

Consequences:

• Civil liberties were granted.
• Creation of a parliament (Duma) and a project of democratization began.

Parliamentary Status (1906-1917)

• Failure to implement reforms.
• Authoritarian influence and camarillas (cliques).
• Disastrous policy and heavy losses in the First World War.

Revolution of 1917

Causes:

• Strikes and protests by workers and unrest among peasants and soldiers.
• Dissolution of the parliament (Duma).
• Growing

December 1937 to November 1938: The Battle of Teruel

The Republicans initiated a campaign to recover Teruel. It was a long battle; the city was occupied and then reconquered by the Franco regime. The wear suffered by the Republicans allowed the Nationalist forces to reach into Aragon and Valencia, arriving at Vinaroz on the Mediterranean coast. The Republican area was divided in two, and the Republicans were against the ropes. They hoped that the meeting in Munich between France, England, Hitler, and Mussolini would result in intervention against Germany and Italy, stopping aid to the Nationalist side.

The last major Republican offensive resulted in the Battle of the Ebro in July 1938. With more than 100,000 dead, it was the bloodiest battle...

Caciquismo: Political Corruption in Spain

Caciquismo was a feature introduced by the Restoration Regenerationists and became widespread, particularly in rural areas. Caciques bought and manipulated the votes of peasants in exchange for money. This political corruption distorted elections and granted caciques significant administrative power. This system operated until 1923.

Dualism in Spanish Society

This was a characteristic of the economic and social structures in Spain, marked by large masses of laborers and small farmers.

CNT: National Confederation of Labor

The National Confederation of Labor (CNT) was created in 1910. It saw significant growth, particularly due to its anarchist ideology and leaders like Salvador Seguí and Ángel Pestaña....

Spain's Triple Crisis of 1917

The political system of the Restoration definitively entered a period of profound crisis, marked by a triple challenge:

• Social Crisis and Growing Inflation

  The growth of inflation led to strong social conflict. The UGT (General Union of Workers) and CNT (National Confederation of Labour) launched a manifesto calling for a general strike.

• Revolutionary Military Crisis

  Discontent was generated among lower and middle-ranking officers. Defense juntas were formed, demanding wage increases and opposing promotions based on war merits, advocating seniority as the sole criterion.

• Political Crisis

  In response to these challenges, the Constitutionalist government suspended freedoms and closed the Cortes (parliament). Catalan nationalists

Economic Policies and State Monopolies

With regard to monopolies, the CAMPSA company (Compañía Arrendataria del Monopolio de Petróleos S.A.) was established in 1927 through the Petroleum Monopoly Act of 1927. Its role was to administer the state oil monopoly, promoted by Finance Minister Calvo Sotelo. Originally, it was a joint venture with minority state participation. This period also saw increased taxes for the wealthy and the provision of subsidies to private companies.

Consolidation of Power and Civilian Rule

Having achieved his initial objectives, Primo de Rivera, instead of stepping down, consolidated his power. He initiated a civilian board stage, appointing civilians to public office, effectively replacing military personnel with a...

The War of Spanish Succession and the System of Utrecht

Causes and Candidates

This war (1701–1713) was initiated by the problem of succession following the death of **Charles II of Spain**. The king died without an heir, and his will (1700) bequeathed his entire kingdom to **Philip of Anjou**, grandson of Louis XIV, on the condition that the Spanish dominions remain unified. The other primary candidate, **Charles of Austria** (Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor), did not accept the will and initiated the war against Philip V.

The Dual Nature of the Conflict

The War of Succession was twofold:

• As a **European War**, it was fought for European hegemony. Louis XIV and Philip V had to face a coalition consisting of Austria, Savoy, Holland, and England.

1. Reading Comprehension

• a) Steamships, the telegraph, new weapons (repeating rifle, machine gun), and quinine as a malaria treatment made rapid, sustained, and militarily dominant overseas expansion possible.
• b) Any two of: steamships (fast, reliable transport), the telegraph (rapid communication), repeating rifles/machine guns (military advantage), or quinine (survival in tropical climates).
• c) Social Darwinism falsely applied 'survival of the fittest' to human societies, claiming Europeans were naturally superior and therefore entitled or obligated to rule others; this idea was used to present conquest as a benevolent 'civilizing mission' even though it caused great suffering.

2. Choose the Correct Answer

b) The desire to gain territory and prestige...

The Economic Impact of the Treaty of Versailles

The economic burdens imposed by the Treaty of Versailles impoverished Germany and pushed the country into misery.

The Rise of the Nazi Party

The violent political and social climate gave rise to the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (NSDAP), known as the Nazi Party, led by Adolf Hitler.

The 1923 Crisis and the Munich Putsch

The year 1923 was critical for Germany. Enormous inflation led the country to a dead-end. Members of the Nazi Party took advantage of the crisis to carry out the Munich Putsch.

Economic Recovery and the League of Nations

The victors of the war conceived an aid plan that succeeded in reactivating the economy, and Germany was admitted to the League of Nations in 1926.

The 1929