Humanization & Romanization of the Iberian Peninsula
The Hominization Process in the Iberian Peninsula
Hominization is the long evolutionary process through which the human species acquired its present features. The first representatives of the genus Homo (ergaster) arrived in the Iberian Peninsula from Africa at the beginning of the Pleistocene epoch, 1.5 million years ago. Thanks to discoveries at Atapuerca, we know the evolutionary process of the European population followed these steps:
- Homo antecessor: the oldest remains from the Sima del Elefante
Urban Networks and Systems: Evolution and Challenges
Urban Networks
Early urban centers like Gerund (Gerona), Lerga, and Tarraco (modern Tarragona) predate Rome. Rome itself, a hub of urban civilization, spread its influence throughout its empire. Notable examples include the Alcántara Bridge, which stood for 2000 years, and the city of Ampurias. After the Roman decline, urban life diminished, with cities like Tarraco becoming depopulated and Empuries falling into ruin. Later, cities like Madrid, with Arabic origins, emerged.
Urban Systems
These
Read MoreChile’s Nitrate Boom: Wealth, Oligarchy, and Modernization
Summary History
Wealth from Nitrate: The oligarchy held economic power in Chile. This class formed from the merger of the colonial landed gentry and emerging mining, industrial, and financial sectors.
Between 1880 and 1920, Chile experienced a period of wealth from nitrate production in the Tarapacá and Antofagasta provinces.
The state profited greatly by taxing nitrate exports. Successive governments used these resources to modernize the country’s poor infrastructure.
The gap between the ruling oligarchy
Read MoreAl-Andalus and the Christian Kingdoms: The Reconquista
Al-Andalus and the Christian Kingdoms
The Rise of Christian Resistance
Christian kingdoms emerged as pockets of resistance against Muslim dominance in the Cantabrian Mountains and the Pyrenees. These kingdoms were initially weak. The Kingdom of Asturias consolidated under King Alfonso I (739-757), establishing a depopulated defensive strip in the Douro basin. Under Alfonso III (866-910), this border moved to the Douro River. Castile, born as a border county subject to Muslim raids, became independent
Read More17th Century Spanish Economic and Social Stagnation
Economic and Social Life in 17th Century Spain
Demographic Trends
The 17th century began with a period of stagnation, first noticeable in Castile in the 1550s and continuing into the first half of the century. A slow recovery began around 1650, but the demographic depression wasn’t uniform. Population decline was significant in the Meseta region, as well as in Andalusia, Extremadura, and Aragon. Several factors contributed to this crisis: serious epidemics like the plague, economic crises and famines
Read MoreThe Repopulation and Society of Christian Kingdoms
The Repopulation of the Territory
The Christian kingdoms promoted the repopulation of the reconquered territory using different systems:
The Repopulation Councils
This system was used in the area between the Duero and Tajo rivers and the Ebro valley. These urban areas, with significant populations, were reconquered and the territory was divided into townships. Each municipality received a house and land. Knights received payments monthly.
The Repopulation by Military Orders
This system was used in border
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