Middle East and North Africa: Decolonization and Conflict
Middle East: Decolonization and Conflict
Post-World War I and the Mandate System
Following World War I, the Ottoman Empire dissolved. The Sykes-Picot Agreement (1916) between France and Britain secretly divided the region’s influence. The Balfour Declaration signaled British support for a Jewish homeland in Palestine. After the Ottoman defeat, France and the UK established mandates, recognized by the League of Nations.
The Birth of Israel and the Arab-Israeli Conflict
The mandate system ended after
Read MoreThe Evolution of the Liberal State in Spain (833-874)
T11 Construction and Consolidation of the Liberal State (833-874): Reign of Elizabeth II, Construction and Evolution of the Liberal State. Fernand’s daughter, Maria Cristina, and the Salic law prevented women from ascending to the throne, as the heir was to be the king’s brother, Carlos María Isidro. Fernand changed the law before he died, allowing his daughter to be the heiress. Maria Cristina became regent in 1833. The most intransigent absolutists did not accept Fernand’s will and took up arms
Read MoreFranco’s Spain: A Deep Dive into the Dictatorship (1939-1975)
Franco’s Spain (1939-1975)
Key Aspects of the Franco Regime
1. Franco’s Ideology
Franco’s regime was military, nationalist, conservative, and deeply Catholic, staunchly opposing communism.
2. Core Features of Francoism
Franco’s dictatorship can be summarized by these main points:
- Dictatorship: The 1931 Constitution was repealed, eliminating human rights, free elections, regional autonomy, minority languages (Catalan, Basque, Galician), and the separation of powers. Franco controlled all three branches
Spanish Agrarian Reform Law of 1932: Historical and Statistical Analysis
Spanish Agrarian Reform Law (1932)
Classification
This document analyzes the Spanish Agrarian Reform Law of 1932 from historical, legislative, economic, and social perspectives. It comprises two parts:
- An excerpt from the Basic Law of Agrarian Reform, a public document addressing the entire population, particularly those affected by the law. Published in 1932 during the Second Republic’s Reformist Biennium (under Azaña’s leadership), following the failed Sanjurjo coup. This law was considered a major
Spain’s Liberal Triennium (1820-1823): A Period of Constitutional Rule
Spain’s Liberal Triennium (1820-1823)
Ferdinand VII’s Reign: Three Distinct Periods
The reign of Ferdinand VII is marked by three distinct periods:
- Six years of absolutism (1814-1820), from his return from France until the revolution of 1820.
- The Liberal Triennium (1820-1823), a period of constitutional rule ending with the intervention of the Hundred Thousand Sons of St. Louis.
- The Ominous Decade (1823-1833), a return to absolutism lasting until Ferdinand VII’s death.
Absolutism and the Return of Ferdinand
Read MoreCadiz Courts & The Constitution of 1812: Key Reforms
Cadiz Courts and the Constitution of 1812
1. Las Cortes de Cadiz
The elections during the war led to the assembly of the Cortes on October 24, 1810, with a majority of bourgeois elements from the commercial cities along the coast (only nine nobles and three bishops were present). Two opposing groups soon emerged:
- Liberals: Supporters of revolutionary reforms, inspired by the principles of the French Revolution.
- Absolutists (or “serviles”): In favor of maintaining the Old Regime.
The Liberal majority
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