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

The Province of Extremadura under the Old Regime

The reforms largely affected Extremadura. In 1720, the region was governed by the Quartermaster of Extremadura, whose boundaries roughly coincided with the former province. Since 1651, the province was represented in the Court of Rome, rotating through the cities of Badajoz, Mérida, Llerena, Cáceres, Trujillo, Jerez, and Alcántara. The capital was first Mérida and then Badajoz, coinciding with the current Autonomous Community.

The Role of the Quartermasters

The Quartermasters' mission was to promote development. They also held the Captaincy General (military command of Extremaduran troops), government and province monitoring, and inspection of magistrates and mayors.

Administrative and Judicial

The Spanish-American War and the Disaster of 1898

Since 1868, insurrections in Cuba, often supported by the interests of sugar companies, sought to replace Spanish dominion over the island. Taking advantage of the sinking of the USS Maine in Havana harbor, the U.S. declared war on Spain. In the Treaty of Paris, Spain lost all its overseas possessions: Cuba, Puerto Rico, and others.

These disasters severely shook Spanish public opinion. The resulting loss of confidence fueled criticism of the political system and led to the emergence of the idea of regeneration. The Generation of '98 subsequently debated the necessity of regenerating Spanish society.

Timeline of the Cuban Conflict

• 1878–1895 (Pact of Zanjón): Decentralization promises were not

The War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1713)

Charles II, who died childless, appointed Philip V as his successor. This marked the end of the Habsburg dynasty and the beginning of the Bourbons' reign in Spain. Soon, a faction formed both within and outside Spain that did not accept the new king and supported the pretender, Archduke Charles of Austria. Consequently, a civil war and a wider European conflict erupted.

The Spanish accession to the throne of Philip V represented French hegemony and the dreaded union of Spain and France under one monarch. England and the Netherlands supported the Austrian candidate, backed by the Habsburgs. Philip V represented the French centralist model, supported by the Crown of Castile, while Charles of Habsburg...

The War of Independence (1808-1814)

The Crisis of Charles IV's Monarchy

Great power struggle: Godoy versus the emerging antigodoyista or aristocratic group.

• Spain permits entry of French troops to control Portugal. French troops occupy main Spanish cities.
• Motín de Aranjuez (1808): Ferdinand VII becomes king, fall of Godoy.
• The royal family is forced to move to Bayonne.

The Uprising Against the French

• May 2, 1808: The village of Madrid rises up, beginning the war against France.
• Abdications of Bayonne: Joseph I becomes King of Spain.
• The revolt extends through resistance juntas.
• Bailén (July 1808): French defeat. Napoleon's defeat in Spain.

The Development of the War

• A British army under the command of Wellington lands on the Peninsula.
• Ocaña: French

19th Century European Revolutions (1820–1848)

A comparative analysis of the revolutionary waves across Europe, categorized by location and key characteristics.

The 1820 Revolutions

• Location: Spain, Greece, and Naples.
• Political Aspects: Greece achieved independence.
• Economic Aspects: Mass discontent fueled by economic hardship.
• Social Aspects: Characterized by popular mass movements.
• Cultural Aspects: Was not yet a mass movement in scope.

The 1830 Revolutions

• Location: All Europe, except Russia.
• Political Aspects: Alteration of the international scene; establishment of moderate liberal monarchies.
• Economic Aspects: Driven by agricultural and industrial crises.
• Social Aspects: Peasants were generally not mobilized. Liberals came to power, often supported

19th Century National States: Britain & France

Great Britain and France were pivotal European powers during the 19th century, exemplifying the evolution towards democratic nation-states.

Great Britain During the Victorian Era

The latter half of the 19th century in Great Britain is renowned as the Victorian Era, under the reign of Queen Victoria. During this period, the country remained unaffected by the 1848 revolutions that swept across Europe and experienced significant prosperity.

Economic Prosperity

Great Britain stood as the world's foremost economic and naval power. It dominated global seas and trade, pioneered industrialization, and was the leading exporter of industrial products. The nation became a strong proponent of economic liberalism....

Resistance Against the French Invasion

Although emphasis has been placed on the popular origin of these movements, a notable part of the Old Regime also held positions defending the country against invading armies.

The spontaneous popular uprising surprised the French army, which could not occupy Valencia as a thoroughfare, offering an example of heroic resistance.

The Statute of Bayonne and the French Government

The French attempted to establish a political system in Spain by force, based on the principles of political liberalism with an authoritarian character, while respecting specific traditions of the country. This system was defined by the Statute of Bayonne, a charter granted because its establishment did not respond to a popular decision...

Foundations of Galician Cultural Nationalism

1. The Language: The Real Academia Galega

The foundation of the Real Academia Galega (RAG) in 1906 represents a breakthrough in the characterization, recovery, and defense of the Galician language. Promoted from Havana by Fontela Leal and Curros, its first president and a key figure in Old Regionalism was Manuel Murguía.

2. The Nation: The Brotherhoods of the Fala

The founding of the Brotherhoods of the Fala (Irmandades da Fala) in 1916 marked the culmination of a process begun during the Provincialism century and continued through Regionalism. This process involved the construction of a Galician national identity based on specific imagery. This movement led to nationalism, a political force that focused...

The Inquisition

The Inquisition was an ecclesiastical court charged with the suppression of heresy and other crimes against the Christian faith. It was created by Pope Gregory IX in 1233 and spread throughout Christendom, except in the British Isles. It was introduced in the Crown of Aragon in 1242 by James I, but not in Castile.

The Inquisition was not established in Castile until 1478, due to a concession from Sixtus IV to the Catholic Monarchs of the bull Exigit sincerae devotionis (the service of power). One can distinguish several stages in their duties:

• At its foundation, it was dedicated to repressing Judaizers, witchcraft, and heresy.
• During the reigns of Charles I and Philip II, it focused on safeguarding Christian doctrine.
• At the end

Historical Context: The Parthenon

The Parthenon was constructed between 447 BC and 438 BC as a grand temple dedicated to the goddess Athena following the victory over the Persians. Built during the era of Pericles, it marked the beginning of the reconstruction of the Athenian Acropolis, which had been destroyed during the wars. Following peace with the Persians, the city sought to enhance its beauty. Greek culture is rooted in humanism—the concept of man as a being of reason, harmony, and beauty—which is expressed in architecture through three distinct orders: Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian.

The Parthenon Structure

• Base: Features three steps.
• Shaft: Formed by overlapping drums.
• Capital: Located between the shaft and the collar, consisting of a