Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and exercises for Social sciences for Baccalaureate

Unification of Italy

Before 1870, Italy was divided into many states and regions:

• The Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia, an independent kingdom ruled by King Victor Emmanuel II of Savoy.
• Milan (west-central) and Venetia (Venice, northeast) were states under the sovereignty of the Austrian Empire.
• Duchies (small states like Parma, Modena, and Tuscany) were on the Italian mainland.
• The Papal States (including Rome and the Vatican).

Key Figures:

• Victor Emmanuel II: Initiated the unification of Italy from Piedmont, favoring a monarchy.
• Giuseppe Mazzini: Also sought the unification of Italy, advocating for a republic.

Ultimately, a monarchy was established in Italy, led by King Victor Emmanuel II with Camillo Cavour as Prime Minister. Key dates include 1815 and...

The Spanish Constitution: Legal Foundations

The Constitution serves as the supreme legal text defining the political, social, and economic framework of the state. It is fully regulated by the rule of law. The final text was approved by Spanish citizens in a referendum on October 31, 1978, and subsequently published in the Boletín Oficial del Estado (BOE).

Structure of the Constitution

The Constitution consists of two major parts:

• Dogmatic Part: Establishes the basic principles and the fundamental rights and duties of citizens.
• Organic Part: Defines the operation of state institutions, economic principles, and the role of the Constitutional Court.

The Transition to Democracy

Following the death of General Franco in 1975, Juan Carlos I was proclaimed...

European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)

The ERDF is the primary structural instrument of the European Union, designed to foster regional development. It accounts for approximately half of all structural economic funding. Established in 1975, its core mission is to reduce regional economic imbalances between member states.

European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF)

Created in January 1962, the EAGGF is divided into two sections: one manages price security and farm incomes, while the other focuses on improving agricultural structures. The primary purpose of the EAGGF is the financing of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

European Social Fund (ESF)

The ESF is dedicated to improving worker employability and raising living standards...

Key Marxist Concepts

• Consciousness: The realm of ideas, symbols, values, and norms of interpretation through which individuals understand themselves. According to Marx, consciousness is shaped by the social reality of each historical moment.
• Material Conditions of Existence: The conditions necessary to ensure the continuity of human life on the planet, according to Marx.
• Bourgeois Economics: The capitalist mode of production.
• Political Economy: The study of the laws governing the free market and the distribution of national product among labor, capital, and land.
• Engels: A self-taught German philosopher, politician, and revolutionary. A close collaborator with Marx, assisting in the development of some of his key works.
• Economic Structure: The foundation

Context of 19th Century Europe

The 19th century was a century of social and political revolutions. Europe was being transformed; the old regime was finished, making way for a new system of governing nations. This century began with two events that shook the continent: the French Revolution and Napoleon's conquests.

Other highlights of this century include:

• The political triumph of the bourgeoisie
• The consolidation of industrial capitalism
• The consolidation of major European nations (Germany, Italy, Greece, etc.)
• European colonial arrogance in Asia and Africa
• The restoration of the monarchy
• German idealism, positivism, and neo-Kantianism
• Romanticism
• Scientific and technical progress
• The birth of sociology, psychology, and cultural anthropology

In the cultural...

The Spanish Restoration: From Republic to Monarchy

The End of the First Republic (January 1874)

The Spanish First Republic collapsed with the dissolution of the Cortes, orchestrated by General Manuel Pavía, accompanied by a group of Civil Guards, in January 1874. However, the republic remained alive in name, transforming into a presidential republic whose head of government was Serrano.

The main activities of this government included suppressing the independence of the Canton of Cartagena, confronting Carlist organizations that had revolted again and played a significant role in the Third Carlist War, and outlawing trade unions.

Cánovas's Vision: The Bourbon Return

While Serrano was in power, Antonio Cánovas del Castillo, who had formed the Alfonsine...

The Peace of the Victors

The peace process involved the victors (Britain, France, USA, and Italy) and excluded the defeated nations and Russia. The U.S. position advocated for peace based on universal principles, including law, justice, respect for nationalities, freedom of commerce, disarmament, and democracy. Conversely, the European powers prioritized their own national interests and demanded significant compensation from the losers.

Treaties of Peace

• Treaty of Versailles (Germany): Established sole responsibility for the war.
  • Territorial Terms: Return of Alsace and Lorraine to France, eastern Poland to Russia, and distribution of African colonies among the victors.
  • Economic Regulations: Payment of reparations, 15-year control of coal mines,

E1 P1: Stephen Lynch

• 1. C - To ask him for
• 2. B - Not the commercial
• 3. C - The audience
• 4. B - They write the music
• 5. C - The United Nations
• 6. A - He feels it

P2: Natural Phenomenon

• 1. E - I thought
• 2. H - I haven't
• 3. B - I was disappointed
• 4. G - I'm always excited
• 5. A - I was surprised

P3: Mass Tourism in Barcelona

• 1. A - Cheaper travel
• 2. B - The increase
• 3. A - It makes
• 4. C - Tourists find
• 5. B - Now realise
• 6. A - The violence
• 7. C - Cities will lose most

E2 P1: Privacy and the Viewing Platform

• 1. A - After looking
• 2. C - Is a part
• 3. D - Not being
• 4. B - Wasn't shown
• 5. A - Making it illegal
• 6. B - Representatives of
• 7. D - Make residents feel
• 8. A - Reducing the opening

P2: Dangers of Distracted Walking

• 1. D - A cost
• 2. D - Pedestrians sometimes
• 3. C - Fines people

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Fundamentals

A Geographic Information System (GIS) is a computer system designed to analyze and display geographically referenced information. It utilizes data that is intrinsically linked to a unique location.

Most of the information we have about our world contains a location reference. For instance, where are USGS streamgages located? Where was a rock sample collected? Exactly where are all of a city's fire hydrants?

Consider an example: if a rare plant is observed in three different places, GIS analysis might reveal that these plants are all on north-facing slopes, above an elevation of 1,000 feet, and receive more than ten inches of rain per year. GIS maps can then display all locations in the area that...

Modelos de Examen

Convocatoria Ordinaria

• 2017-2018: Opción A: Selfie Accidents | Opción B: The Legend of the Bermuda Triangle
• 2018-2019: Opción A: Parents Join Facebook to Spy | Opción B: The Dangers of Perfume
• 2019-2020: Opción A: Anne Morrow Lindbergh | Opción B: Horse Against Owner
• 2020-2021: Opción A: Flashes on the Moon | Opción B: Is Reading Affected by Gender?
• 2021-2022: Opción A: The Future of Jobs and Skills | Opción B: Social Media and Mental Health
• 2022-2023: Opción A: Why is Bangkok the Most Visited City in the World?
• 2023-2024: Nobel Prize for Studying Neanderthal | Texto B: TikTok’s Rise

Convocatoria Extraordinaria

• 2017-2018: Opción A: Saving the British Pub | Opción B: Fancy a Lab-Grown Burger?
• 2018-2019: Opción A: Vampire