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

Spain Under Franco: Repression, Recovery, and Change

The Francoist dictatorship can be broadly divided into two distinct periods.

Initial Isolation and Repression (1939-1950s)

From 1939 until the 1950s, Spain experienced significant isolation from most Western countries due to its dictatorial regime. This era was marked by intense repression, with many political prisoners still incarcerated.

Shifting Alliances and Economic Opening (1950s-1970s)

In the 1950s, the United States sought closer ties with Spain, recognizing its anti-communist stance and strategic position for controlling the Mediterranean Sea.

Economic Growth and Social Transformation

By the 1960s, Spain began to emerge as a tourist attraction, though it wasn't until the 1970s that tourism...

What Was the Arms Race?

The Arms Race was a competition between nations for armament superiority. Countries spent their resources strengthening their armies, preparing for a war that could start at any moment.

Why Was Italy on Both Sides?

Italy was initially part of the Triple Alliance with Germany and Austria-Hungary, but in 1915, it switched sides and joined the Allied Powers (Britain, France, and Russia) in exchange for territorial promises. The Italian government believed that siding with the Allies would result in territorial gains in the Balkans and the Adriatic Sea, which they had long sought. While Italy was with Germany and Austria-Hungary, they signed a secret agreement with France. Italy finally joined the Triple Entente with France...

The 16th and 17th Centuries in Europe

The 16th and 17th centuries in Europe were a violent period. With the Protestant Reformation, societies were divided along religious lines. However, these conflicts were also about power, money, and land. Many Protestants (Calvinists) considered sacred images as idols and, therefore, sinful. This belief in iconoclasm caused the destruction of religious art across Europe.

The Italian Wars

The Italian Wars were a series of conflicts fought in Italy between France, Spain, and other European powers. They began when the French king Charles VIII invaded Naples in 1494 and ended when the Emperor Charles V sacked Rome in 1559.

Civil Strife in France

In France, the fighting between French Catholics and French Protestants...

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,...

The Germania Revolt (1519-1523)

Between 1519 and 1523, significant unrest occurred, notably the Germania Revolt, which also affected Mallorca and Valencia. The reasons were similar to other contemporary uprisings, but these revolts were led by the Germanías (guilds) who confronted both the king and the nobility. The leaders of the revolt were severely repressed.

Organization of Charles V's Empire

The empire of Charles V comprised many diverse territories, each possessing its own laws and institutions. Charles V did not wield absolute power; crucial decisions required the approval of the Parliaments within each kingdom.

The royal court was itinerant, moving between locations. Each territory was managed by a viceroy or governor who ruled in the...

Decolonization and the Cold War (1945-1991)

The Cold War

Overview

The Cold War (1945-1991) was a period of geopolitical tension between the Western Bloc (led by the USA, promoting liberal democracy and capitalism) and the Eastern Bloc (led by the USSR, advocating for a single-party system and a planned economy).

Stages

1. Formation of blocs (1945-1953)
2. Coexistence and confrontation (1953-1968)
3. Détente (1968-1979)
4. Renewed conflict (1979-1985)
5. Crisis and fall of the Soviet bloc (1985-1991)

Key Events and Developments

Formation of Blocs (1945-1953)

• Iron Curtain: The division of Europe into Western (democratic and capitalist) and Eastern (communist) blocs.
• Marshall Plan (1947): Implemented by the USA to reconstruct Western Europe and contain communism.
• NATO (1949)

Coexistence and Conflict

Q: How long did Al-Andalus and the Christian kingdoms coexist?

A: They coexisted for nearly 800 years.

Early Resistance: Pelayo and the Battle of Covadonga

Q: Who was Pelayo, and what did he do?

A: Pelayo was one of the most important kings in the early Christian kingdoms. He organized the Battle of Covadonga in 722.

Q: Why did he go to prison?

A: Pelayo went to prison because he didn't pay taxes to the Muslim rulers.

Expansion and Consolidation

Q: What happened during the reign of Alfonso III?

A: Alfonso III changed the capital of the Kingdom of Asturias from Oviedo to Leon.

Q: Who was Fernán González, and what role did he play in the development of Castile?

A: Fernán González was a count who helped Castile become independent...

The Reign of Fernando VII and Isabel II (1820-1868)

Fernando VII: Absolutism and Liberalism

The Trienio Liberal (1820-1823)

• In 1820, troops under Lieutenant Colonel Riego revolted against Fernando VII and restored the Constitution of 1812.
• This period marked the start of the Trienio Liberal, characterized by conflict between moderate liberals and radical liberals (or Exaltados).
• In 1823, Spanish volunteers, known as the Cien Mil Hijos de San Luis, invaded Spain and restored the absolutist throne.

The Ominous Decade (1823-1833)

The restoration of absolutism marked the start of the Década Ominosa.

The Succession Crisis and the First Carlist War

Fernando VII died in 1833. The succession was determined by the Pragmática Sanción, which replaced the Salic...

Imperialism: Global Expansion and Exploitation

During the 19th and early 20th centuries, a number of industrialized nations took control of other regions and lands across the globe. These lands became colonies and formed part of various colonial empires. The primary objectives of imperialism were political control and economic exploitation of these territories.

Causes of Imperial Expansion

Imperial expansion was primarily a result of the rise of finance capitalism. The increase in industrial production forced countries to seek new markets outside Europe, where they could also find new sources of raw materials and cheap labor. Other significant reasons included:

• For European countries, colonies symbolized national prestige and power. It was also

Key Events: Spring 1940

In Spring 1940, Germany invaded Denmark and Norway to secure supplies of Swedish steel.

Blitzkrieg (Lightning War)

A rapid attack strategy designed to avoid the prolonged trench warfare experienced in WWI.

Early German Successes

• Germany conquered Paris in 1940, leading to France being divided into North and South zones. The South was governed by Vichy, led by Marshal Pétain.
• June 1940: Battle of Britain commenced.
• In 1941, German troops landed in Africa to drive the English out of Egypt and control the Suez Canal.
• April 1941: Germany, alongside Italy, invaded Yugoslavia, Albania, and Greece.
• June 1941: Hitler launched Operation Barbarossa, attacking the USSR.
• December 1941: Japan launched a surprise attack on the USA at Pearl