History of Islamic Spain and Early Christian States
The Muslim Conquest of the Iberian Peninsula
In 711, a small group of Arabs and Berbers crossed the Strait of Gibraltar under the command of Tariq. Their intention was to loot and plunder. Having easily defeated the Visigothic King Rodrigo at the Guadalete in 711, they continued their advance.
The Peninsula offered little resistance and was quickly occupied. The causes were Muslim military superiority, internal conflicts of the Visigoths, and support offered to the invaders by Jews and Visigothic
Read MoreRussian Revolution and Soviet Union Formation
The Russian Revolution and the Creation of the USSR
At the beginning of the 20th century, Russia was an absolutist monarchy that lacked individual freedoms. In November 1917 (October according to the Russian calendar), a popular revolution led by workers, peasants, and soldiers took place. The Russian Revolution began in Petrograd with the storming of the Winter Palace, overthrowing the absolute monarchy of the Tsar. The revolutionaries, led by Vladimir Lenin, established communism and aimed to transform
Read MoreGorbachev Era and Soviet Collapse: Key Events & Reforms
Key Events and Timeline of the Gorbachev Era (1985-1991)
1985
- March: Gorbachev becomes General Secretary of the Communist Party.
1986
- February: Twenty-Seventh Party Congress.
Gorbachev attacks the Brezhnev era as years of stagnation.
- April: Chernobyl Nuclear Incident.
- 1986: Twelfth Five-Year Plan launched.
1987
- 1987: Laws on State Enterprises enacted.
- October: Plenum of the Central Committee.
Yeltsin attacks Gorbachev’s reforms.
- November: Yeltsin dismissed as First Secretary in Moscow.
1988
- January: Legislation
Spain’s Agrarian Problem: Second Republic Political History
The Agrarian Problem in Spain: Historical Context
This document, likely a political-economic-social analysis, illustrates the economic and social situation of society and the emergence of new policies. Dating from 1939, it is a secondary source, published six years after the events it describes.
The core subject is The Agrarian Problem. A law on agrarian reform was created for three main reasons:
- Spain remained a country of low agricultural yields.
- Fifty percent of the active population was rural.
- Southern
Bolshevik Legacy: Global Revolutions and Soviet Economic Policy
The Global Impact of the Russian Revolution
Failed Revolutions Outside Russia
The Bolsheviks anticipated a Europe-wide revolution, supported by workers weary of the protracted World War. Its impact was universal among all types of workers. Rumors that Russia was forming a state of workers and peasants influenced a series of military revolts and strike waves.
- Waves of strikes swept through Spain, France, and Italy. Unions in Italy even occupied factories.
- After obtaining some legal reforms, such as the
Spain 1936: Popular Front and the Road to Civil War
The Popular Front Government: February-July 1936
Government Formation and Initial Policies
Between February and July 1936, the Spanish political landscape saw significant shifts. Governments were formed exclusively by Republicans, led first by Manuel Azaña, and from May, by Santiago Casares Quiroga. During this period, Azaña also replaced Niceto Alcalá-Zamora as President of the Republic. The marginalization of more moderate political figures alarmed the public.
Key Political Decisions
- Granting of