Gothic Architecture: Key Features and Elements

Key Features of Gothic Architecture

1. Constructive Elements

a) Arches

The defining arch of Gothic architecture is the pointed arch. While the pointed arch is most common, the fifteenth century saw the use of ogee arches, elliptical arches, and segmental arches.

b) Load-Bearing Structures

The primary load-bearing structure is the pillar, to which ribs are attached. These are referred to as pillar ribs.

c) Vaults

Gothic vaults are typically ribbed vaults, consisting of ribs and infill. Ribbed vaults allow

Read More

Spain’s Transition: From Dictatorship to Democracy

End of the Franco Dictatorship

The final years of Franco’s dictatorship were marked by the dictator’s declining health, uncertainty about the regime’s future, and intense repression, even more violent than in previous eras. The economic development of the 1960s had also generated social and cultural changes that contradicted the ultraconservative dictatorship, highlighting the need for political change in Spain.

The Arias Navarro Government

In December 1973, Arias Navarro formed a government that

Read More

Analysis of Father-Son Conflict in ‘My Son the Fanatic’

‘My Son the Fanatic’: A Story of Conflict and Identity

‘My Son the Fanatic’ is a short story by Hanif Kureishi, first published in The New Yorker in 1994. It tells the story of the conflict between Parvez, an Asian (Pakistani) father, and his son, Ali. ‘My Son the Fanatic’ analyzes the father-son relationship. Hanif Kureishi claims that he wrote the story “to understand what it is to be a son, what it is to be a father.”

In the late 20th century, multiculturalism caused problems in various Western

Read More

French Revolution: Key Stages and European Restoration

The French Revolution: A Timeline of Key Events

1. Estates-General to National Constituent Assembly (1789)

France faced a political, social, and economic crisis due to the absolute monarchy, the unequal estate system, and poor harvests leading to increased bread prices. The French state was in dire financial straits. In 1789, Louis XVI convened the Estates-General. The Third Estate, representing 96% of the population, was granted as many delegates as the nobility and clergy combined.

National Constituent

Read More

Spanish History: From Monarchy to Modern Democracy

In the name of the King, sovereignty rested only in the King and the Cortes, and there were limited rights and liberties for the citizens.

  1. The Twentieth Century: The Republic, Constitution of 1931, and Dictatorship

The last years of the nineteenth century and the first of the twentieth century are characterized by an important and profound national crisis in many areas. 1898 is one of the worst years in the history of Spain, as it lost its last overseas colonies: the Philippines and Cuba. The latter

Read More

Key Cold War & EU Terms: Definitions and Timeline

Key Cold War and EU Terms

Derecho de veto: Derecho a impedir que una resolución se cumpla.

Gerontocracia: Régimen político en el que el poder está en manos de personas de edad muy avanzada.

Comunas populares: Cooperativas de producción agrícola en las que no existía la propiedad privada.

CIA: Agencia Central de Inteligencia de EEUU, creada en 1947 por el presidente Truman.

Kremlin: Sede del gobierno soviético en Moscú.

Ulster: Región de Irlanda del Norte que se mantuvo integrada en el Reino

Read More