Humanization, Pre-Roman Iberia, and Roman Conquest
The Process of Humanization
Lower Paleolithic
There is general agreement that hominization begins in Africa with Australopithecus. It evolved into Homo habilis, which is the first human species. The earliest human remains in the Iberian Peninsula were found in the Sima de los Huesos in the Sierra de Atapuerca. Homo heidelbergensis served as a transition between Homo neanderthalensis and Homo antecessor.
Middle Paleolithic
100,000 – 35,000 years ago: Homo Neanderthal used small tools, useful as scrapers.
Read MoreGlobal Culture, Economy, and Societal Shifts
Perspectives on Global Culture
Skeptics: Emphasize the thinness of global culture relative to national cultures, highlighting contestation where integration and the spread of ideas and images provoke reactions and resistance.
Transformationalists: Focus on the intermingling of cultures and peoples, resulting in hybrids, glocalities, and new forms.
Hyperglobalizers: See a trend towards global cultural homogenization, driven by American or Western popular culture and consumerism.
Cultural Imperialism
Age of Exploration: Discoveries and Conquests
European Trade Routes and the Age of Exploration
In the Middle Ages, European trade with the East was conducted through the Silk Road. Merchants traveled the Mediterranean, reached Constantinople, and from there, proceeded to Asia. The African Path involved reaching the Madeira and Azores islands, and later, the Gulf of Guinea. Regarding the Map of India, Vasco da Gama reached the coast of India in 1498, opening a sea route to the Moluccas. This era saw great development in cartography, with portulans
Read MoreDemographics: Understanding Population Dynamics and Indicators
Demographics: The Science of Population
Demographics is the study of population and its related issues, relying heavily on socioeconomic indicators.
Key Demographic Indicators
- Total Population Growth: Net result of migration (immigration and emigration) and natural increase.
- Natural Increase: The difference between birth rates and death rates.
- Migrations: The movement of people from one area to another, involving a change of residence and jurisdiction.
- Fertility Rate: The average number of children born
Discover Spain’s Natural Parks: A Biodiversity Hotspot
Spain’s Natural Parks: A Biodiversity Hotspot
Natural Area: An area of land or water that forms an important ecological unit for automatic or state preservation.
Aigüestortes National Park
Located in the Pyrenees of Lleida, water is the main character due to its streams, waterfalls, meandering to its characteristic high mountain (the Aigüestortes) and especially the presence of more than 300 lakes and glacial lakes. It forms a magnificent representation of the high mountain ecosystems of the Pyrenean
Read MoreSpain: Demographic Shifts, Social Change & Social Security
Society and Culture
Demographic Trends
During continuous declining mortality, life expectancy will increase favorably. The birth rate decreased but more slowly, resulting in a relatively high population growth rate. The regime’s policy was to promote fertility. Moreover, the population growth was not equal in all regions; the areas of economic dynamism attracted many immigrants, as was the case in the Basque Country, Catalonia, and Madrid.
Different was the case in provinces that generated emigration:
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