The Ancien Régime, Enlightenment, and Succession War
The Ancien Régime
The Ancien Régime refers to the institutions that the revolutionary tradition sought to overthrow. This tradition included:
- Politically, identification with the absolute monarchy.
- Socially, a society based on estates.
- Economically, a command economy controlled by the State.
- Intellectually, attitudes and beliefs dominated by the principle of authority.
The Enlightenment
The Enlightenment developed in Europe during the 17th century, mainly in France. Enlightenment thought was based on
Read MoreSpanish Civil War: Politics, International Impact, and Consequences
Spanish Civil War: Politics and International Dimensions
The Spanish Civil War (SCW) was an internal political conflict resulting from tensions that transformed into foreign intervention and an international conflict.
The International Context
The conflict developed at a critical moment in relations between European democracies and totalitarian regimes, following Nazi and Fascist expansionism, which led to fears of another world war. In this context, the SCW had a great international impact, manifested
Read MoreSpain’s Second Republic: Reforms and Challenges (1931-1933)
The Second Republic and the Revolutionary Committee
Following the Pact of San Sebastian, the Revolutionary Committee, chaired by Niceto Alcalá-Zamora, became a provisional government. To gauge its support, the committee convened elections between April 13th and 14th. The elections of June 1931 were won by the parties composing the provisional government (Revolutionary Committee). This period is closely related to the Reformist Biennium (1931-1933) due to the continuity of measures aimed at implementing
Read MoreNationalism, Imperialism, and 19th-Century Political Shifts
T4. L1. Nationalism
Nationalism: There were two conceptions:
- The conception defended by German Romantic culture. For them, the nation is like a living being.
- French theorists posed a political conception of the nation. The nation is formed by the people and sharing laws, rights, and duties.
This led to “Nationalizing policies of the states.” Many people initiated nationalist movements.
The Nationalization Policy of the States
Each country developed a national language, flags, and anthems. Competitive
Read MoreWWII Origins and the Cold War (1948-1953)
Origins and Causes of World War II
The economic crisis of the 1930s coincided with Hitler’s rise to power. The 1933 Conference on Disarmament failed, and in 1935, Germany abandoned it, annexed the Saar, and instituted mandatory military service. A series of conflicts demonstrated the weakness of Western democracies:
- The Italian invasion of Ethiopia (1935-1936)
- The Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)
- The remilitarization of the Rhineland (1936)
Fascist regimes grew closer: the Rome-Berlin Axis (1936) and the
Read MoreAnglo-Saxon England: Conquest, Conversion, and Unification
Anglo-Saxon England: 449-1066
The Conquest (449-597)
Context: England between 449 and 1066.
According to the Venerable Bede, the invasion of Britain began in 449, when the British king Vortigern invited Germanic mercenaries under Hengest and Horsa to help protect Britain from the Picts and Irish. The Roman army had withdrawn from Britannia in 410.
The invaders came in small bands and spread inland, overcoming British resistance (they were not unified). The newcomers first settled in the south and east
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