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

The Crisis of the Canovas System (1917-1923)

In 1917, Spain suffered a crisis that deeply affected three areas:

• Military: The army demanded that wages be increased and that army rank be determined by seniority, not by merit in battle.
• Politics: An assembly of Catalan parliamentarians demanded decentralization.
• Society: Left-wing political parties and trade unions carried out a general strike on August 13th to protest the rise in prices and overthrow the government.

When the crisis was finally over, the period from 1919-1923 saw Spain experience political decline and form unity governments made up of members from all the different parties. These governments didn't last long.

Domestic and International Issues

Domestically, social unrest increased in...

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

The History of Al-Andalus

Conquest of the Iberian Peninsula (8th Century)

In the 8th century, Muslim armies, expanding far beyond the Arabian Peninsula, crossed into the Iberian Peninsula in 711 CE. This marked a continuation of Islamic expansion across the Mediterranean region, fueled by a civil war within the Visigothic Kingdom. The Muslims, led by Tariq ibn Ziyad, defeated the Visigoth King Roderic at the Battle of Guadalete. Musa ibn Nusayr, the Muslim governor of North Africa, soon followed with reinforcements.

Independent Emirate of Cordoba (756-929)

Abd al-Rahman I, fleeing the Abbasid Revolution, established the independent Emirate of Cordoba in 756 CE. This marked the beginning of a unique era in Islamic history.

Caliphate of Cordoba

Decolonization

Definition

Process that began in 1945 and led to the dismantlement of the colonial empires and the independence of their colonies. It affected over half of the world's surface.

Causes

1. World War II: Colonies became aware of their own importance as their colonizers' prestige was reduced.
2. Nationalist Movements: After the war, nationalistic ideas fueled by liberalism and Marxism spread through colonies.
3. Emergence of Charismatic Leaders: The elites of many colonized nations had studied in European universities. When they returned, they formed political parties and took the lead in the independence process.
4. International Support: Support grew from groups of intellectuals, Christians, international movements, and the newly created UN.

Stages

1. 1945-

The Catalan Counties: Origins and Society

Who were the Counts?

The Counts were administrative jurisdictions, divisions of territories without links between them.

Who Ruled?

The Counts ruled directly for the king and managed the accounts.

Who Was in Charge Before Any County?

The Counts.

What Was the House of Barcelona?

The House of Barcelona was a county family that began with Wilfred the Hairy. It constituted the core of the Catalan aristocracy that became independent from the Franks.

What Happened After the Death of Wilfred the Hairy?

His children inherited the counties.

Why Was the Politics of the Frankish Kings in Septimania Attractive to the Hispano-Visigothic Population?

It gave prestige to the kingdom, and they were free to provide their intellectuals....

The Decline of the Spanish Empire in Europe

Political and Military Challenges

During the reign of Philip III, the monarch did everything possible to bring peace to his dominions, signing peace with England and the Twelve Years' Truce with the Netherlands. The Netherlands, a territory which had declared itself independent the previous century, had not seen its secession accepted by Spain.

The end of the Twelve Years' Truce and Spain's participation in the Thirty Years' War in support of Austria marked the beginning of a long and arduous conflict. While successes were achieved in the Netherlands (notably the Surrender of Breda) and victories gained in the early stages of the Thirty Years' War, France's entry into this conflict would prove decisive,...

Reformist Biennium (1931-1933)

Republican Reforms

The new government launched a two-year task of reforming the country into a secular and democratic decentralized state. It aimed to address some outstanding problems from the previous century.

Military Reform

The government drafted a law on retirement withdrawals that enabled nearly half of the army officers to retire. The military was subjected to civil power, the number of captain-generals was reduced, the military academy in Zaragoza was disbanded, and army commanders were changed.

Religious and Educational Reform

The government also tried to decrease the weight of the Catholic Church and its influence on education. The new constitution separated church and state, abolished the budget for worship...

Absolutism in Europe: The Rise of Authoritarian Monarchies

Beginning in the late 15th century, European monarchs began consolidating power, gradually wresting it from traditional sources of authority like the nobility, the Church, and city-states. This trend, known as the rise of authoritarian monarchies, continued throughout the 16th century.

The 17th Century: The Zenith of Absolute Rule

The 17th century witnessed the culmination of this power shift, with monarchs reaching the pinnacle of their authority. This period marked the emergence of absolutism, a political system where the king embodied the ultimate source and wielder of all political power.

Philosophical Justifications for Absolute Power

Several prominent thinkers sought to legitimize...

The New Man: Humanist Vision

The new man: humanists proposed a new vision of man as the most perfect of God's creations. They considered him the center of universal interest. Freedom and reason: they believed that God had created man as a free being responsible for his actions and capable of rational thought. Scientific interest: in order to expand their knowledge, they used observation and experimentation. Human progress: humanist thought was optimistic. Intellectuals believed in God and the Christian faith. Rediscovery of antiquity: the teachings of classical authors such as Plato and Aristotle were a model for intellectual, social, and political behavior and education.

Demographic and Economic Recovery

In the second half of the 15th century,...

Bizkaiko langileei: 12th text commentary

This document is a first level text, in which the target reader can be any citizen. Although it is not known who the author is exactly, we know it was written by the workers of the mining district. We can also deduce it was written by a socialist because it was published in La Lucha de Clases. It was written in 1st May 1896. The content is political and socioeconomic. The text is about the demands of workers.

This text was written during the Restoration level. The system was conservative and two dynastic parties took the power in turns using rigging elections. On the one hand it was a specially delicate moment, because not only was the situation of the country bad, but they were also starting to have problems...