Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for History

The Popular Front in Spain: A Pre-Civil War Coalition

This document outlines the program of the Popular Front, a significant coalition formed between Republican and Socialist parties in Spain. Constituted just one month before the pivotal 1936 elections, this left-wing alliance united against a common enemy: the rising threat of fascism. Authored by a collective of representatives from both Republican and Socialist parties, this text serves as a primary source document, offering a historical perspective on a critical period.

Historical Context: The Second Spanish Republic (1931-1936)

Proclamation of the Republic and Early Instability (1931-1933)

In 1931, the results of municipal elections led to the proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic in... Continue reading "Spain's Popular Front: 1936 Elections and Civil War Origins" »

5th Slide: Hendrik Verwoerd , who became prime minister in 1958, would refine apartheid policy further into a system he referred to as ``separate development´´. Separating black South Africans from each other enabled the government to claim there was no black majority. 

A system that supposedly gave them full political rights, but effectively removed them from the nation´s political body. 

6th Slide: Resistance to apartheid within South Africa took many forms over the years. Violent demonstrations, protests and strikes to political action and eventually to armed resistance. The South Indian National Congress, the ANC organized a mass meeting in 1952, during which attendees burned their pass books. Congress of the people adopted a Freedom

THE POLICY OF APPEASEMENT

Chamberlain returns from Munich and says he has saved world peace for a long time, waving a paper in which Hitler promised he didn't have more territorial demands in Czechoslovakia. A year later, Germany invades Czechoslovakia.

What is Appeasement?

A diplomatic policy of making political or material concessions to an aggressive power to avoid conflict. It was a total failure. It is applied to the foreign policy of the UK governments in the 1930s, towards the Nazis and Fascists in Italy.

Failure (future perspective):

Why appease Hitler?

• The League of Nations abandoned Czechoslovakia
• Britain is not prepared for war with the Luftwaffe
• Munich was followed by more Nazi demands and attacks
• The Czechs had 36 divisions ready to fight

Napoleon Bonaparte and the French Consulate

The Rise of the Consulate

The French Consulate was established in 1799 following the Coup of 18-19 Brumaire, during the tumultuous French Revolution. This new government, led by Napoleon Bonaparte, marked a significant shift in French politics.

Key Developments During the Consulate

• Concordat of 1801: An agreement between the Vatican and the French government, addressing matters of mutual interest and re-establishing the Catholic Church in France.
• Constitution of 1800: This constitution formally established the Consulate as the governing body of France.
• Napoleonic Code (1804): Also known as the Civil Code, this comprehensive legal system had a profound impact on French society and legal traditions across

Decolonization in Asia and Africa

Asia's Decolonization

Following World War II, Asia experienced a wave of decolonization, leading to the emergence of numerous independent nations. This process varied across different regions:

Islamic Asia

After the Ottoman Empire's defeat in World War I, its Arab territories came under the League of Nations' mandate system. Great Britain administered Iraq, Jordan, and Palestine, while France controlled Syria and Lebanon. This period was marked by:

• Rivalry between France and the United Kingdom
• Artificial territorial divisions
• Antagonism between Jewish and Arab communities
• Conflicts over oil resources and control of the Suez Canal

Iraq gained formal independence in 1932. The establishment of Israel in 1948, following... Continue reading "The Decolonization of Asia and Africa: A Historical Overview" »

The Basque Statute of 1937

Historical and Legal Context

This legal text outlines the articles of the Basque Statute. Authored by representatives of Basque citizens and confirmed by the central government, it came into effect on October 7, 1937, though its publication in the Basque Country took two days. This law applies to all citizens, particularly those in the Basque Country directly affected by its provisions.

Background and Development

The Basque Statute was not a novel concept. Attempts to establish it during Primo de Rivera's dictatorship failed. The possibility of its approval arose with the 1931 Constitution of the Second Republic, which recognized the right of territories with shared characteristics (past, language, history) to gain autonomy.... Continue reading "The Basque Statute of 1937: A Historical Overview" »

Puerto Rico: Island Details and Rich Heritage

Key Facts About Puerto Rico

• Official Status: United States territory
• Location: Northeastern Caribbean archipelago
• Capital: San Juan
• Official Languages: Spanish (predominant) and English
• Population: Approximately 3.6 million people
• Administrative Divisions: 78 municipalities
• Major Cities: Ponce, Caguas, Mayagüez
• Geographic Position: The island is located between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic (about 1,000 miles (1,600 km) southeast of Miami, Florida).

Governance and Political Status

As a U.S. territory, Puerto Ricans have U.S. citizenship, share common currency, and defense with the United States. However, residents generally cannot vote in U.S. presidential... Continue reading "Puerto Rico: Caribbean Island Facts, Culture & History" »

1. The Three-Fifths Compromise

One of the most misunderstood clauses in the United States Constitution is found in Article 1, Section 2: “Representatives… shall be apportioned among the… States… by adding to the whole Number of free Persons... three-fifths of all other Persons.”

The Three-Fifths Compromise was devised by those who opposed slavery, not by those who were for slavery. Or, to put it another way, it wasn’t the racists of the South who wanted to count slave populations less than white populations – it was the abolitionists of the North.

Description

The Three-Fifths Compromise was a compromise reached among state delegates during the 1787 United States Constitutional Convention. Whether, and if so, how, slaves would be counted... Continue reading "The Three-Fifths Compromise and Other Key Events Leading to the Civil War" »

POLITICAL IDEOLOGIES

1. CAPITALISM/LIBERALISM: Created during the industrial revolution. It was the development of a liberal political belief; it is an economic system where the government plays a secondary role.

Free trade and market economy → prices up and down according to the demand of products.

2. COMMUNISM: 

• The means of production are commonly owned in classless society.

• Decisions should be made to benefit the collective rather than one or several individuals.

•  Create classless society by eliminating the power of bourgeoisie, and creating a dictatorship of the proletariat.

3. SOCIALISM: 

• The means of production are owned by society as a whole.

• Profits produced by the proletariat belong to everyone, instead of a small class of private owners.

• Believes