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

Italian Unification

Background

In 1848, Italy was divided into seven kingdoms. There was a strong desire to unify the country, but discussions arose about who should lead the process:

• The Pope (Pius IX) was considered, but he refused to fight against the Austrians.
• The King of Piedmont, governed by the House of Savoy, was the other option.

Ultimately, the House of Savoy was chosen to lead the unification process.

1st Stage (1859-1861)

Piedmont, under its Prime Minister Cavour, secured the support of France (Napoleon III) in exchange for Nice and Savoy. The Austrians were defeated in Magenta and Solferino, leading to the annexation of Lombardy and Central Italy by the Italians. In the south, Garibaldi, with his "Thousand Red Shirts" (or "Expedition... Continue reading "Italian and German Unification in the 19th Century" »

PSOE Members Overwhelmingly Approve Coalition with Unidas Podemos

The militants of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) have approved this Saturday by an overwhelming majority the agreement signed between Pedro Sanchez and Pablo Iglesias for a coalition government of the Socialist party with Unidas Podemos.

The agreement of the Socialists with the formation of Iglesias last November 12 has obtained the support of 92% of the militants who have voted, as reported by socialist sources to 98% of the scrutiny.

PSOE Consultation Results

The consultation of the bases, which is binding, according to the federal statutes of the PSOE, has had a participation of 63%, almost 12 points higher than the 2016 consultation when the PSOE asked the militancy... Continue reading "PSOE Members Approve Coalition with Unidas Podemos" »

Theme: Progress

Text analysis: Persuasion

Technique:

• Logical appeal: this technique uses reason and evidence to support a position.
• Emotional appeal: This technique creates strong feelings, such as fear and anger, to influence readers' opinions.
• Ethical appeal: This technique refers to values and principles which the reader is likely to believe in strongly.

Reading skill: Recognize ideas

Victorian writers use complex sentences filled with phrases, clauses, and modifiers.

Strategies:

• Clarify meaning by identifying the main subject and verb of a sentence.
• Watch for patterns in the text, such as repeated sentence structures, that the author uses to organize thoughts.
• Once you identify the idea of a passage, reread it. Consider the details you initially skipped

The Fourteenth Amendment

The Fourteenth Amendment granted citizenship rights to all people born in the United States.

The Fifteenth Amendment

The Fifteenth Amendment prohibited states from depriving citizens the right to vote based on race.

The Impeachment of Andrew Johnson

President Andrew Johnson was impeached by the House of Representatives, but was acquitted by the Senate by one vote.

Plessy v. Ferguson

The Supreme Court ruled in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) that racial segregation laws for public facilities were constitutional as long as the segregated facilities were equal in quality.

Jim Crow Laws

Jim Crow laws were a system of laws that enforced racial segregation in the Southern United States.

The Thirteenth Amendment

The Thirteenth Amendment abolished... Continue reading "A Comprehensive Overview of American History: Key Events and Turning Points" »

1. Why did a revolution break out in France?

A. The impact of the Enlightenment and the American Revolution

• Enlightenment principles and the American Revolution gave the bourgeoisie new ideas to confront absolutism and the stratified systems of society.
• The bourgeoisie proposed new forms of social organization and government.
• All of this led to the revolutionary cycle that began in France in 1789 (French Revolution).

B. The social and economic crisis

• Revolution was caused by discontent among the population and the arrival of two major crises in 1789:
• Economic crisis: A series of poor harvests. The rise in the price of food.
• Financial crisis: It was caused by the monarchy’s lack of money. To resolve it, Louis XVI’s ministers proposed that the privileged

Types of Complements

• Direct Object (DO)
• Indirect Object (IO)
• Demoted Object
• Subject Complement
• Object Complement
• Predicator Complement
• Prepositional Object (cannot be an object complement because it is introduced by a preposition)

Predicator complements do not admit a passive. Verbs taking obligatory directional complements include creep and slip. Relational verbs include have and possess. Verbs of measure include measure and cost. Verbs of equal reciprocity include marry and resemble.

Realization of Complements

• Noun Phrase: Smoke means fire.
• Prepositional Phrase: This job calls for great initiative.
• Finite Clause: To draw on whatever resources it can.
• Non-finite Clause: I can't help thinking he must be crazy.

Realization of the Adjunct

• Prepositional Phrase:

The Transition to Democracy in Spain

The phrase “transition” is used to refer to the period between the death of Franco in November 1975 and the establishment and consolidation of liberal democracy in Spain. The most surprising feature of the Transition was that it was done using the institutions Franco had created to perpetuate the Regime.

The Succession

In 1947, Franco issued the Succession Law. Spain was proclaimed a monarchy in which the King, after swearing the Fundamental Laws, could appoint his successor. In 1969, Juan Carlos was appointed. When Franco died in 1975, Juan Carlos was crowned King, and Arias Navarro became Prime Minister.

By 1975, it was clear that the regime couldn't go on unchanged. Spain was the only country in Europe... Continue reading "Spanish Democratic Transition After Franco" »

Assyrian Occupation and Rebellion

The Assyrian army conquered nations, torturing and exiling those who posed a threat. The Jews in the south prepared for an attack by building a water tunnel to bring water into Jerusalem.

Assyrian Conquest and Jewish Salvation

The Assyrians conquered the northern kingdom of Israel, exiling many of its people. The Jews in the south were saved from an attack by a plague that killed the Assyrian army.

Babylonian Exile

The Babylonians conquered Assyria and expanded their empire. The wealthy and skilled Jews were exiled to Babylonia.

Life in Babylonia

Despite the exile, the Jews maintained their faith and did not assimilate with the Babylonians.

Life in Judea vs. Babylonia

The Jews in Judea were poor, while those in Babylonia... Continue reading "Jewish History: From Assyrian Occupation to the Hasmonean Dynasty" »

Symbolism and Satire in Gulliver's Travels

Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels is a masterpiece of satire, where nearly every element acts as a symbol, criticizing contemporary philosophies and customs of English society. Let's explore the allegories, metaphors, and satire Swift employs through Gulliver's various voyages.

Voyage 1: Lilliput

Gulliver's first voyage to Lilliput is rife with symbolism:

• The Egg Controversy: The debate over which end to break a boiled egg, Big-Endians versus Little-Endians, allegorizes the religious conflict between Catholics and Protestants in England.
• High Heels and Low Heels: The political parties of England, specifically the Tories (conservatives) and Whigs (liberals), are represented by the Lilliputians' footwear

Age of Exploration

• Movement in Spain during the 15-16 centuries inspired by the Italian Renaissance and focused on new ideas, art, literature, and science.
• The 'Reconquista' was a period when Muslims conquered most of Spain, and Christian kingdoms rushed to reconquer their territories. It ended with the conquest of Granada in 1492.
• The Alhambra Decree, issued by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella after the 'Reconquista,' expelled Jews from Spain. Many converted or left the country, while others practiced their faith in secret.
• The Spanish Inquisition was a method used by the Catholic Church and supported by the Spanish monarchy to punish blasphemy and people of different faiths.
• Christopher Columbus, a Spanish explorer, made several voyages across