The Russian Revolutions: From Tsarist Rule to Bolshevik Power
Tsarist Russia: An Empire in Decline
Multinational Russia was an empire of more than 20 million square kilometers. Tsarist Russia had imposed a policy of Russification on very different peoples: administration, the Russian language, and the Orthodox religion. The Russian Empire was economically and socially backward in comparison with other European countries. Industrial development, tardy in Russia, was accelerated, driven by the railroad. However, it was a very controlled industrialization. Tsarist
Read MoreFrench Revolution, Napoleon, and 19th Century European Transformations
Causes of the French Revolution
France faced a severe economic and social crisis. Successive crop failures led to rising prices and widespread popular discontent.
The bourgeoisie, despite their economic power, were dissatisfied with their political marginalization, as only the privileged could hope to hold public office. They aimed to end absolutism and dismantle the Ancien Régime.
The monarchy was in a deep financial crisis due to excessive spending by the court and significant financial aid provided
Read MoreSpain’s Revolutionary Sexenio: Provisional Rule and Amadeus I’s Reign (1868-1873)
The Provisional Government (1868-1870) and the Reign of Amadeus I (1871-1873)
The period between 1868 and 1873 in Spain, often referred to as the “Revolutionary Sexenio,” was marked by significant political upheaval and attempts at modernization. It began with the triumph of the Revolution of 1868, which led to the establishment of a provisional government headed by General Serrano.
Challenges and Reforms of the Provisional Government (1868-1870)
The provisional government faced numerous challenges,
Read MoreMajor Historical Transformations: 1770s-1870s
American Revolution & U.S. Constitution
Tensions Between Colonies and Britain
- Economy
- Raw materials to Britain
- Colonies dependent on British goods
- Enslaved Black labor on plantations
- Trade Monopolies
- Britain controlled trade
- Colonies barred from direct international trade
- Taxation Without Representation
- No representation in Parliament
- Key protests against taxes:
- Stamp Act
- Tea Act
- Key Events
- 1773: Boston Tea Party (protest against Tea Act)
- 1774: Delegates met, grievances listed
- 1776: Declaration of Independence
Spain’s 19th Century: Liberalism, Absolutism, and Social Transformation
War and Liberal Revolution (1808-1814)
The Crisis of Charles IV’s Reign
A year after Charles IV (1788-1808) ascended to the throne, the French Revolution began. The King of Spain joined the international coalition against France, hoping to stop the spread of liberal ideas. However, the French armies defeated Spain (1793-1795). This led to a change of strategy by Manuel Godoy, Charles IV’s prime minister. He made an alliance with Napoleon against England, France’s main enemy. The Treaty of Fontainebleau
Franco’s Unification Decree: Power Consolidation in Civil War Spain
The Unification Decree of 1937: Franco’s Power Consolidation
Introduction to the Unification Decree
This document is a primary source, a decree with a political content and legal-political nature. Its character is public, as it appeared in the Gazette. The author was Francisco Franco, ‘Head of the State Government’ and ‘Generalissimo of the Armies’ in the area controlled by the rebels. It was approved in April 1937, following successive failures to take Madrid and the conviction that the war would
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