The Russian Revolutions of 1917 and the Rise of the Soviet Union
The February Revolution of 1917
The First World War exposed the weaknesses of the Russian Empire. During the war, the Russian Empire was in a situation that caused a considerable increase in prices and a lowering of the purchasing power of employees. This increased poverty among the population, both in rural and urban areas. Troops were poorly equipped and poorly directed. In late February, a strike erupted spontaneously in Petrograd (St. Petersburg), demanding food. The Tsar ordered the army to
Read MoreSpanish Colonization of the Americas: 15th-17th Centuries
**The Discovery of America: Late 15th Century**
The discovery of America cannot be studied without being framed in the cultural atmosphere and European economic framework of the 15th century. There are a number of factors that promoted the Atlantic momentum, including:
- The need for new trade routes with India to break the traditional land routes and the Muslim geopolitical situation. This meant circumnavigating Africa to reach Asia or following the path of the sun.
- A new scientific spirit that moved
Marxism, Women’s Rights, and Cold War Conflicts
Marxism (Scientific Socialism)
Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels published the works: The Communist Manifesto (1848) and Das Kapital (1867). Marxist theory is based on three foundations:
- Analysis of the past: The class struggle (oppressed against oppressors) is the engine of history.
- Review of the present: It analyzes the operation of the capitalist system, exploitation, injustice (surplus), and a tendency toward concentration of capital (stronger companies will absorb smaller ones), leading to an inevitable
The Spanish Monarchy Crisis and the Uprising Against the French (1808-1812)
The Crisis of the Monarchy of Charles IV
In the early nineteenth century, the monarchy of Charles IV was deeply unpopular. The reason was a crisis of governance, with the king, his wife, and the appointed prime minister, Manuel Godoy, as the main figures. This situation generated strong opposition, which resulted in a push for a change in the style of government, either towards a conservative or a liberal approach. Godoy ordered the confiscation of Church property to combat the financial crisis,
Read MoreRoman and Byzantine Empires: A Historical Timeline
The Roman Empire and Its Legacy
The Roman Empire stretched across the Mediterranean, reaching its borders in Europe to the British Isles and the rivers Rhine and Danube, the river Tigris to Asia, and Africa to the Sahara desert. This rule was broken in 395 due to invasions of the Germanic peoples that forced Emperor Theodosius I to divide the empire to defend it better. The Western Roman Empire (Rome) and Eastern Roman Empire (Constantinople) evolved differently.
The Western Roman Empire (395-476)
Read MoreSpain’s Path to Democracy: From Franco to the 1978 Constitution
Spain’s Transition to Democracy: From Franco to the 1978 Constitution
Between the death of Franco on November 20, 1975, and the adoption of the Constitution of 1978, Spain underwent three years of political reforms against the backdrop of an economic crisis.
The King, at first, advanced cautiously. A large part of society and the political class wanted change, but the most immobile sector, known as “the bunker,” opposed any action that would endanger the regime.
The first government was headed by Arias
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