Masterpieces of Art and Architecture (1872-1912)
Masterpieces of Art and Architecture
The Thinker, Auguste Rodin (Paris, 1840 – Meudon, 1917), 1880-1900, Impressionistic, free-standing sculpture, bronze, symbolic, Musée Rodin (Paris).
Rising Sun, Claude Monet (Paris, 1840 – Giverny, 1926), 1872, Impressionistic, oil on canvas, landscape, Musée Marmottan (Paris).
Eiffel Tower, Alexandre Gustave Eiffel, 1887 to 1889, architectural iron monument, iron, Champs de Mars.
Hôtel Tassel, Victor Horta, 1892 to 1893, Modernist, detached, stone, iron, concrete,
Read MoreSpain’s Economic Miracle and Transition to Democracy
The Desarrollismo (1959-1973)
Context: The Spanish Economic Miracle of the 1960s
The “Spanish Miracle” occurred because of several factors:
- Abundance of workforce.
- Cheap and docile workforce.
- A growing market.
- Protectionism.
- Foreign capital investment.
- Plentiful and cheap oil.
- An expansive international economic context.
Stabilization Plan (Desarrollismo)
A set of measures to liberalize the Spanish economy, opening it to the exterior (more imports and exports) and its modernization.
Effects of Desarrollismo
Economic
Read MoreThe Enlightenment: Ideas and Impact on Society
The Enlightenment: A Change of Mind
The Enlightenment was an intellectual movement that developed in Europe during the eighteenth century. Enlightenment thinkers based their ideas on three principles:
- Reason: They believed it was possible to analyze society by applying reason, which would lead to the continuous progress of mankind.
- Natural Rights: The human being was the center of their theory. They defended that people have inherent natural rights.
- Tolerance: They argued that tolerance should be the
Axis Powers’ Expansion and WWII Consequences
Axis Powers’ Expansionism
Italy’s Actions:
- Italy invaded Abyssinia (Ethiopia) to expand its territory.
- Western powers (Occ) opposed the League of Nations (SN) and Great Britain (GB).
- Italy broke the Stresa Front pact.
- Hitler, seeing an opportunity, occupied the Rhineland, while France (F) saw the danger.
- European democracies, believing Hitler’s claims, did not act decisively.
- Italy and Germany formed a closer relationship, and the USSR joined, creating a cohesive block.
- In 1936, the Rome-Berlin Axis was
European Alliances and the Outbreak of WWI
European Alliances and the Outbreak of World War I
From the end of the Franco-Prussian War, a system of secret alliances developed in Europe. This split the continent into two hostile sides. Many different powers were involved in mutual defense agreements. So, when the war happened, it involved many European countries. Because of the alliances, some powers were forced to support policies followed by their partners, which they didn’t really like. Moreover, the secret alliances led to suspicion and
Read MoreThe USSR: From Revolution to WWII
The New Economic Policy
Russia suffered human and material losses during the Russian Civil War. The New Economic Policy (NEP) was an attempt to rebuild the economy.
The USSR: A New State
The USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) was created in 1922 as a federation of republics. It was a multi-national and multi-ethnic state.
The first constitution of the USSR, formulated in 1924, established the new political system:
- Republics had autonomy in domestic policy, law, education, and health. They could