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

Philip II: Architect of the Spanish Empire

In 1556, Charles V (Charles I of Spain) abdicated the throne. His son, Philip II, inherited all his territories, except Austria and the title of Emperor. In 1580, Philip II incorporated Portugal into the Crown of Castile.

Despite losing the imperial title, Philip II sought to maintain the hegemony of the Habsburgs in Europe through the economic and military strength of Castile. He also initiated numerous wars to challenge the Protestants and the Ottoman Empire.

Centralizing Power and Administration

To administer such a vast empire, Philip II centralized government and established Madrid as its capital. He utilized various government institutions to aid his rule and enhance his authority. The king never... Continue reading "Philip II: Consolidating Power in the Spanish Empire" »

Axis Powers

Axis powers: It was an alliance led by Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and Japan. They all had dictatorial regimes.

German-Soviet Pact

German-Soviet Pact: The German-Soviet Pact or Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact was a non-aggression agreement signed by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union one week before the WWII. It included a secret clause to invade Poland at the same time and to distribute Eastern Europe.

Blitzkrieg

Blitzkrieg: The blitzkrieg was a new war tactic developed by Germany before the WWII and used since its beginning. It was based on the use of planes, the fast advance of tanks, and the occupation of the land by soldiers later. The troop advance was extremely fast and thanks to it, Germany occupied most of Europe between 1939-1941.

Battle

Antigone: A Tragedy of Pride and Divine Law

Thebes stands unconquered, though Polynices and his allies attacked it. Polynices and his brother Eteocles are both dead, killed by each other, fulfilling the curse of their father, Oedipus.

Outside the city gates, Antigone tells Ismene that Creon has ordered Eteocles, who defended the city, to be buried with full honors. However, Polynices, the invader, is to be left unburied. Creon has decreed that anyone attempting to bury Polynices will be publicly stoned to death. Outraged, Antigone reveals her plan to bury Polynices in secret, defying Creon's order. Ismene timidly refuses to defy the king, and Antigone angrily rejects her, determined to bury her brother alone.

Creon discovers that someone has attempted... Continue reading "Antigone: Tragedy of Pride and Divine Law" »

2. CLASH OF CIVILIZATIONS:

CLASH OF CIVILIZATIONS: Social scientist Samuel L. Huntington published in 1993 one of the most influential articles in the last decade: "The Clash of Civilizations". He tries to define a model that explains international conflict. He predicted what is happening today. The heart of the thesis is: now that the Cold War is over, conflicts will be about civilizations. // Basically what he said was that after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Soviet Union and so the end of the Cold War, what is going to happen now? He was answering Fukuyama's theory that sustained that the West won and it was the end of historical conflict and that now we were going to live in a peaceful world. // But Huntington believes it's not going... Continue reading "The Clash of Civilizations: Exploring International Conflict" »

The Foral Regime in the Basque Country

The foral regime, a distinctive political and juridical feature of the Basque Country, spanned from the Middle Ages to the Contemporary era. It recognized separate laws, taxation, and courts in each province: the Lordship of Biscay, the Province of Gipuzkoa, and the Hermandad of Araba. Despite their distinct legal systems, these provinces shared many similarities.

The foral regime established a system of shared sovereignty between the King and local authorities. The relationship between the foruak (Basque foral laws), other bodies of law, and sovereignty remains a complex issue to this day. The Basque provinces viewed their foruak as akin to a constitution, guaranteeing their traditional rights. Conversely,... Continue reading "Basque Foral Laws: A History of Shared Sovereignty" »

Columbus got the idea of sailing west to get to Asia in 1474 from a letter that Paolo Toscanelli, a Florentine scientist that advised the Portuguese to take this route since it was shorter than the one from Guinea. Columbus first came to John II to offer him to make the journey, but he turned Columbus down. Then he went to the Spanish and after a lot of negotiation they agreed to support the enterprise. On August 3, 1492, Columbus sailed from Palos with three small ships, the Pinta, the Niña and the Santa Maria. The journey was prosperous but toward the end the crew grew anxious as they didn’t know if they would find land. Eventually on October 12, they made landfall in San Salvador. Still thinking that he had arrived in Asia, he sent an... Continue reading "Christopher Columbus: The Journey to the New World" »

3A -Stages of life

1. Infancy

2. Childhood

3. Adolescence

4. Adulthood

5. Middle age

6. Old age

Franco's Post-Civil War Social Order

How did the Franco regime try to restore social order after the Civil War?

The system of repression that began during the civil war was maintained during the Franco regime. The new state developed a network of repressive laws concerning political responsibilities, state security, repression of freemasonry and communism, and public order. Those who opposed the regime were punished with labor purges, detention in concentration camps, forced labor, torture, imprisonment, or execution.

Demographic and Economic Impact of the War

What were the demographic and economic effects of the Civil War?

Demographically, the country lost nearly one million people. Over half a million were direct or indirect victims of the war,... Continue reading "Franco's Spain: Social Order, War Effects, and Resistance" »

The Korean War