Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and exercises for History for Secondary education

Germanic Tribes

Origins and Settlements

Germanic tribes originated in Central Asia and settled near the Roman Empire. They established villages and camps, avoiding urban development.

Governance and Leadership

Tribes were led by tribal chiefs chosen by assemblies of free men. Chiefs served as military leaders and negotiated alliances with warriors.

Expansion and Invasions

Population growth and the need for pastures prompted Germanic tribes to migrate westward into Western Europe. They pushed the boundaries of the Roman Empire and settled within its territories through pacts and treaties.

Fall of the Western Roman Empire

Germanic tribes played a significant role in the decline of the Western Roman Empire. In 476, Odoacer deposed Romulus Augustus, marking...

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

Isabella II reigned between 1843 and 1868. Her reign meant the consolidation of Spain as a liberal State. She always preferred the moderates to rule and she called them to government in 1844.

MODERATE DECADE (1844-1854)

The moderates ruled for a decade. The strong man of this period was General Narváez. In this period a liberal conservative and centralized State consolidated, with the support of the aristocracy, the Church and the conservative bourgeoisie.

A new Constitution was written in 1845: sovereignty was shared between the monarch and the people and the State identified with Catholic religion. All the State, except from the Basque Provinces and Navarre, was submitted to the same laws. Tax collection was improved, a Criminal Code was approved...

Russia of the Tsar: The 20th Century

At the dawn of the 20th century, the Russian Empire was ruled by Tsar Nicholas II. Civil rights were not recognized, and the Tsar maintained his power through a rigid bureaucracy, a powerful army, and the Orthodox Church. The Russian economy was largely agrarian and semi-feudal, worked by a vast peasant majority.

Life Under Tsarist Rule

Peasant living conditions were dire. The agricultural economy, characterized by low production, struggled to feed the entire population. While some capitalist elements had been introduced, industry was largely developed with foreign capital. This industrialization led to the emergence of a new social class: industrial workers.

Growing Opposition

Opposition to Tsarism grew alongside...

The new king is going to be Henry III (1216-1272), Son of John. He is going to succeed his father at the age of 9, so there was a Regent supervising his decisions. We have to wait some years until henry Becomes king and begin to rule the kingdom himself. But he made some wrong Decisions:

For one thing he surrounded himself With a number of favourites, which were not Contemplated with very good eyes by the rest of the nobility. The favourites Occupied places of responsibility.
 The second problem is that during his Reign he broke a number of points contained in the Magna Carta. This is because The degree of control was very high and it was difficult for kings to accept All the points in it. This situation lead to what happened in the year 1258:...

Modern Age: From the Middle Ages to the Contemporary Age

The Modern Age is the historical period from the end of the Middle Ages until the Contemporary Age; from the discovery of America and the fall of Constantinople until the French Revolution. Sub-periods include:

• 16th Century: The Renaissance
• 17th Century: The Baroque
• 18th Century: Absolutism

Main Changes

• End of the Byzantine Empire: Constantinople was invaded by the Turks.
• Geographical Discoveries: In Africa, America, and Asia.
• Rivalry for Power: Significant competition among European powers.

Crisis of the Feudal System

Feudal kingdoms were substituted by the modern state and authoritarian monarchies. The feudal economy, which had been focused on the possession of land, gave way to the rising influence...

German Unification: A Historical Overview

Until the 19th century, Germany was a conglomeration of more than 300 German-speaking political entities. The railway and the Zollverein, a customs union founded in 1834, reduced the barriers among the German states and helped to create a sense of economic unification that set the groundwork for the political unification of Germany.

Bismarck's Role in Unification

The process was led by Otto von Bismarck, chancellor of Prussia. His foreign policy was based on the Realpolitik.

The Prussian Military's Influence

The Prussian military played a key role in the German unification. It was commanded by Field Marshal Helmut von Moltke, who organized a formidable army due to its size, organization (creation of a General...

The Communist World (1945-1982)

General Characteristics

• Political System: Dictatorship of the proletariat. The common interest was prioritized over individual rights and freedom.
• Countries established institutions that merged executive and legislative powers, allowing only the existence of a single party: the communist party.
• Economy: Controlled by the state.
  • Collectivized land
  • Nationalized industry and services
  • Controlled the market and prices
• Economic Performance:
  • 1945-1960: Recovered from the war crisis.
  • Post-1960: Economic slowdown due to:
    • Low productivity
    • Lack of economic incentives
    • Technological backwardness compared to the West
    • Lack of consumer products leading to rationing
• Communist Society:
  • In theory: Egalitarian and classless.
  • In practice: Significant

The Build-Up to the Spanish Civil War: 1934-1936

The Aftermath of the 1934 Uprisings

The IZDAS LIFT-10-34 was a counter-reaction to strikes and armed uprisings, most notably in Asturias and Catalonia. In Catalonia, the unrest had a political nature, with a communist general strike and Luis Companys proclaiming a Catalan Republic within Spain, which was quickly dissolved. In Asturias, the uprising had a social and revolutionary character, aiming to replace the bourgeois republic with a workers' state. This was driven by a pact between the CNT and UGT, symbolized by the initials UHP (Union of Proletarian Brothers), to fight against the bourgeoisie. The army, with civilian elements brought from Africa by Franco, was used to suppress the uprisings....

Moderate Liberalism: The Reign of Elizabeth II

The Moderate Party and the Monarchy

In Spain, a moderate party headed the government with the support of the consolidated monarchy. This was a form of liberalism, but with a centralist and conservative character. Censitary suffrage was imposed, with major intervention of the crown in politics, a limitation of individual and collective freedoms, and the army continued to have a huge influence. All groups resorted to seeking power through pronouncements. The new regime sought the support of specific groups: the aristocracy, the church, and the financial and industrial bourgeoisie. All with the new aim to stop Carlism and maintain the liberal order, but wanted to keep intact its social dominance.

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