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Spain and Portugal

Chapter 12, Section 2

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Spain

  • For over 300 years, Spain had an empire in what today is known as Mexico and Southwestern United States.
  • For centuries, Spain was a part of the Roman Empire.
  • When the Empire fell, Germanic Christians conquered the land.
  • In the early 700s, the Moors took control.
    • Moors are North African Muslims.

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Spain

  • They remained for almost 800 years until the Christians in Northern Spain drove them out.
  • In the 1000s, the Christians in northern Spain began the Reconquista.
    • The effort to drive the Moors out.
  • It lasted until 1400.

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Spain

  • King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella began looking beyond their borders.
    • They hired Christopher Columbus.
  • By the 1500s, they established many colonies in America and made Spain rich.
  • By the 1800s, Spain’s power faded and its colonies declared independence.

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Spain

  • Spain remained neutral during World War I.
  • In the 1930s Spain fought a civil war to determine the kind of government they would have.
  • Francisco Franco’s fascist party won the election and he ruled as a dictator for almost 40 years.

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Spain

  • Spain has many regional languages.
  • Almost all Spaniard are Catholic.
  • In the 1950s and 1960s, many people moved from farms to take manufacturing jobs in the cities.
  • They live in apartments rather than houses.

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Spain

  • Bullfighting remains a popular traditional sport.
  • They also have the Running of the Bulls.

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  • After Franco’s death, Spain became a parliamentary monarchy.
  • Spain has the challenge of the Basque ethnic group seeking independence.

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Spain

  • Spain’s economy was reliant on fishing and farming.
  • After World War II, they moved to manufacturing.
  • In the 1980s, Spain joined the EU.

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Portugal

  • Portugal is on the Iberian Peninsula with Spain.
  • Like Spain, it spent many centuries under Muslim rule.
  • In 1143, Portugal became an independent nation.
  • During the 1400s and 1500s, Portugal was also active in the exploration of new worlds.

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Portugal

  • Portugal profited from its spice trade with Asia and gold, diamonds, and other resources taken from Africa and South America.
  • By the 1800s, Portugal lost its place as a world leader.
  • In 1822, Brazil declared independence.

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Portugal

  • In 1908, the king was overthrown and made the country a republic.
  • In 1926, military leaders seized control and ruled until 1976 when it became a parliamentary democracy.

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Portugal

  • Portuguese is the official language.
    • It is a Romance language.
  • Most Portuguese are Roman Catholics.
    • Catholic priests have an important role.
  • Portugal is still a rural country.
  • One third of the population lives near its two largest cities.
    • Lisbon, the capital
    • Porto

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Portugal

  • Portugal has been a parliamentary democracy since 1976.
  • Portugal is now one of the poorest nations in Europe.
  • Portugal joined the EU in 1986.

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Homework

  • Read p. 370-375

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  • Answer # 2-8