Colonial War, Cuban Independence, and the 1898 Crisis
Colonial War (1895-1898) and the Crisis of 1898
Background
In October 1868, an insurrection broke out in Cuba – The Long War – initiated by Carlos Manuel de Céspedes with the Grito de Yara. The United States supported this movement.
In 1878, Martínez Campos signed the Zanjón Peace, which included the improvement of administrative and political conditions and a broad amnesty.
A year later, a new revolt broke out, the Little War, which was easily suppressed but served as a prelude to the Cuban Independence
Read MoreSpain’s 19th Century: Key Events & Figures
19th Century Spain: Key Events and Figures
1820: Military troops in Latin America were ordered to swear allegiance to the 1812 Constitution during the Constitutional Triennium.
1823: The French army entered Spain, restoring absolute monarch Fernando VII and ending the liberal Triennium. The 1812 Constitution was suppressed.
1833: The Salic Law was revealed. Upon Fernando VII’s death, his three-year-old daughter Isabel became heir. His widow, acting as regent, leaned on the Liberals against his brother
Read MoreSpain’s Transition to Democracy: Analysis of Key Historical Documents
The Message of the Crown
We find ourselves with “The Message of the Crown”, the first speech of Don Juan Carlos de Borbón as Head of State. It is, therefore, a contemporary primary source document of its time. Occurring two days after Franco’s death, it left behind 36 years of a totalitarian, perpetual, and personal dictatorship. Don Juan Carlos wrote this speech and sent it to the Francoist courts; it is addressed to the Spanish people. The nature of the topic is political, and that same year (
Read MoreKey Events in Mexican History: From Reform Laws to Revolution
Key Events in Mexican History
1. The Reform Laws played an important role in the consolidation of Independence because:
- Led to the emergence of new social groups to transform the country’s economic structure.
2. The Reform Laws had some negative consequences. One of them, according to the textbook, was:
- The development of large estates.
3. By 1856, the main difference between liberals and conservatives was that the latter intended to:
- Avoid political, economic, and social revolution and defend the interests
Primo de Rivera’s Dictatorship: Causes, Policies, and Aftermath
The Causes of Primo de Rivera’s Coup
Since 1917, Spain was in a deep economic and social crisis. This, combined with the loss of prestige and the blocking of the constitutional system, exposed the country to the danger of social revolution. The decomposition of the Restoration regime was evident with chronic parliamentary instability, growing opposition from nationalists and republicans, and a division within the dynastic parties. The crisis of parliamentary systems in Europe led to authoritarian
Read MoreSpanish-American War: Causes, Battles, and Aftermath of 1898
Colonial War and Crisis of 1898
Spain becomes a second-rate power. In the late nineteenth century, Spain was internationally isolated. In this context, it lost Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines.
Cuba: A Coveted Colony
The island of Cuba had qualities that made it an object of desire:
Its strategic value. Spain used it as a platform to conquer Mexico and as a base for the defense of the West Indies and a commercial port.
The existence of fertile land and abundant water and forests, so it was economically