Isabel II Reign and Latin American Independence
The Period of Bullangues
The Bullangues riots were a social and political movement in Barcelona and other cities. They began with the burning of different monasteries. General Bassa was in charge of establishing order in the city but was murdered. The same day, the Bonaplata factory was burnt.
The unrest was suddenly cut short by Gen. Ramon de Meer. With the end of the war, confrontations between moderates and progressives were revived, and Barcelona was bombed 2 times.
The Seizure of Mendizabal
Progressive
Read MoreLabor and Political Movements in 19th-Century Europe and Spain
Labor Movement in 19th-Century Europe
The labor movement emerged as a response to the struggles of the working class seeking to improve their working conditions. It began in England around 1780.
Luddisme
The first labor movement was characterized by the destruction of machinery. Initially, participants were prosecuted and punished with the death penalty.
Unions
Unions are organizations that demand improved labor rights and better living conditions. Initially, they were illegal and organized clandestinely.
Read MoreSpain in the Early 20th Century: Politics and Social Change
Dynastic Reform and Opposition in Early 20th Century Spain
The new century coincided with a leadership crisis within the dynastic parties, with Antonio Maura (Conservative) and José Canalejas (Liberal) at the forefront. Maura led the government between 1903 and 1905, and again between 1907 and 1909. In 1910, the liberal José Canalejas formed a new government. Canalejas began negotiating the Law of Commonwealths, but his assassination at the end of 1912 ended his reformist project.
The Rise of Republicanism
Read MoreThe Russian Revolution: From February to the USSR
The February Revolution of 1917
The February Revolution occurred when the people of Petrograd protested against the Tsarist regime and the scarcity of food in the city. There was also widespread dissatisfaction with the involvement in the First World War. As the protests grew, many politicians became reformist. In early February, the protests became violent as citizens rioted and clashed with police and soldiers. When the bulk of the troops stationed in the capital joined the uprising, it became
Read MoreSpain’s Colonial Crisis: The Spanish-American War of 1898
Around 1898, a series of changes modified the colonial status quo. British Prime Minister Lord Salisbury launched the theory of redistribution, suggesting that colonial nations should be imposed on the “dying” nations, appropriating lands populated by beings of an “inferior condition” requiring the help of major cities. Thus, England and France imposed their dominance in Africa and Asia, while Spain definitively lost its role as a colonial force in the international context.
The Crisis of 1898 and
Read MoreThe Spanish Restoration: Political System 1874-1895
The Political System of the Spanish Restoration (1874-1895)
The Foundations of the Restoration
The pronouncement of General Martinez Campos in December 1874 meant the restoration of the Bourbon monarchy in the person of Isabel II’s son, Alfonso XII. The new political system, configured by Antonio Canovas del Castillo, had a distinctly conservative character and was based on a liberal parliamentary system, but with a barely functioning democracy. Its objectives were focused on the recovery of power
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