Spanish Liberalism, Revolutions, and Cultural Shifts in the 18th and 19th Centuries

Posted on Oct 10, 2024 in Geography

The Spanish Constitution of 1812

In 1812, the Central Board, meeting in Seville, convened the first General Courts. Influenced by liberalism, the elected members adopted a constitution on March 19, 1812. This constitution subordinated the king to parliament, while retaining two traditional elements: the monarchy and the Roman Catholic religion.

Principles of the 1812 Constitution

  • Sovereignty resided in the nation, which held the power to establish fundamental laws.
  • Legislative power resided in a single chamber.
  • Universal male suffrage was established.

Latin American Independence

Causes of Independence

  • Latin American cities, particularly commercial centers, grew increasingly independent from Spain.
  • The middle classes were influenced by liberal ideas, the French Revolution, and the independence of the United States.
  • Creoles felt marginalized by colonial authorities.
  • Great Britain supported independence to promote trade.

Consequences of Independence

  • Creoles gained political and economic power, while indigenous populations continued to face discrimination.
  • Republics became the dominant form of government.
  • Military leadership led to warlordism and coups.
  • Newly independent nations became dependent on England and the United States.

Key Figures

  • Simón Bolívar: A wealthy Venezuelan Creole, Bolívar’s education in Spain and travels in Europe exposed him to liberal ideas. He identified Spanish rule with absolutism.
  • José de San Martín: After serving 22 years in the Spanish army, including during the Peninsular War, San Martín embraced liberal ideology and supported independence. He eventually ceded command to Bolívar.

Culture and Art of the Old Regime: The Spanish Enlightenment

  • Friends of the Country: Associations of nobles and bourgeoisie in provincial capitals promoted education and economic development.
  • Royal Institutions: The king supported cultural institutions such as language academies and fine arts schools.

Francisco Goya

  • First Stage: Goya’s early work, including tapestry designs, depicted lighthearted scenes of everyday life in a Rococo style (e.g., The Fall Harvest).
  • Second Stage: As a royal painter, Goya was influenced by Velázquez, using dark backgrounds and exploring the psychology of his subjects (e.g., The Family of Charles IV).
  • Third Stage: Goya depicted the events of May 2, 1808, capturing the brutality of war (e.g., The Third of May 1808).
  • Fourth Stage: During the absolutist period, Goya’s work became introspective and dark, reflecting his inner turmoil (e.g., Saturn Devouring His Son).

The Agrarian Revolution

occurs in the English countryside or production surplus of near 75% which means that many of the peasantry, are forced to migrate to the cities, by the mechanization and changes that occur in the English countryside in the mid sxii what is known as modern demographic cycle characterized by disappearance of famines, epidemics and disappearance of higher birth rate and mortality sharply reducing job as proboca increased vegetative growth.The abrupt REDUCTION devida mortality is the improvement in the feeding and advances in medical science to eliminate killer diseases like cholera and tuberculosis vaccines through pasteaur and jennur, the increase of population in epercute manpower lowest price.

Industrial Revolution 1: surge in England in the mid sXVIII, there are only a few preconditions * Mine coal (fossil fuels for the development of IR) * Surge-called factory system * There arises a social divisions, the nurgesia that owns factories and the proletariat mass of workers * * Inventors of machines rising in England which takes one takeoff aser 1 enhances the muncial and take a considerable advantage to other countries * In England sis and produce a spectacular advance teconlogico

Industrial 2Revolucion: Siglo XIX a technological breakthrough and a renewal of industrial manufacturing methods, the stage of mauqina d evaporates, this applies in most of Europe and stressed Germany, USA and Japan in 1870 and 1914 the new model saw a dramatic increase, a new stage was characterized .* The oil industry a new source of energy, did not displace coal which remained significant. A new form of energy, * the replaced electricity to mechanical power or steam and benefit to areas without carbon, discovered by T.alba Edison. * The steel industry with a dramatic breakthrough, with the Bessemer converter which now become large amounts of iron into steel in reduced time. * The chemical industry specializing in replacing synthetic products to natural and generate new industries, tire and perfumes. * The automobile sector with benz and ford. * Communications, with the increase of railway network, Aviation d elos WRIGHT brothers, shippers and steamship, telephone and telegraph. * The adopted Capital necesidads of the industrialization and tended to concetracion empresariaal, with the creation of the trust and the holding company. * The reorganization of work developing the Taylor taylor assigning to each worker the same task in the assembly lines.