Culture and Context: Spain Flashcards
1
Q
The Royal Spanish Academy or
La Real Academia Española
A
- Est 1713 to regulate
- Motto: limpia, fija, y da esplendor para cade dialecto
- Formal procedure to admit new words
- Publishes dictionaries and grammars
- Madrid-based and affiliated with 21 Spanish-speaking countries
2
Q
Spain (political and economic facts)
A
- Democracy under a parliamentary constitutional monarchy
- Heredity and bicameral parliament
- Spain’s capital is Madrid with about 50 million people
- Touristic economy
- Renewable solar energy
3
Q
Spain’s Muslim Influence
A
Mosque of Córdoba with architecture and tile decor that is typically Arab
4
Q
The Spanish Armada
A
- More than 130 ships
- 20,000 sailors
- Considered invincible
- Defeated in 1588 when King Felipe II tried to destroy England’s Queen Elizabeth I
- The above marks Spain’s historic decline
5
Q
The Reconquista
A
- 712-1492 to restore Christianity
- In the 720’s, the Spaniards recovered Asturias
- Granada was the last city to be recovered
6
Q
The zarzuela
A
- Speaking and singing alternate
- Popular in the 17th century among the aristocracy
- Declined with the popularity of opera
- Popularity continued in Cuba
- Spanish resurgence in the 19th and 20th centuries with the composers Amadeo Vives, Federico Chueca, and Jacinto Guerrero
7
Q
The Spanish Civil War
A
- Between the Nationalists (under General Franco) and the Republicans composed of anarchists, communists, and socialists
- Began in 1936 when General Franco led a campaign against the Republicans
- Atrocities committed on both sides
- After the rebellion of Morocco, the big cities fell
- Franquistas defeated the Republicans on April 1, 1939
8
Q
Spanish possessions (islands)
A
- Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea: Mallorca, Menorca, and Ibiza; capital Palma de Mallorca
- The Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean: Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas (capitals and islands)
- Melilla and Ceuta north of Morocco
9
Q
The Spanish Inquisition
A
- 1480 court under Fernando II of Aragón and Isabel I of Castile
- Discover and punish heretics, witchcraft, bigamy, blasphemy, forbidden books, crimes against the faith
- Intensified after royal decrees in 1492 and 1501 ordering Jews and Muslims to convert or leave the country
- Took place in Spain and Nueva España and abolished in 1834
10
Q
The Bourbons or The House of Bourbon
A
- French-origin European royal house
- Most famous Carlos II of Spain who designated Felipe V (Duke of Anjou) as his successor
- Carlos V became king in 1700
- Many reforms of the Bourbons impacted Spain and the New World
11
Q
The Alhambra
A
- Built in 12th and 13th century Moor-occupied Granada
- Courts, fountains, gardens, etc
- Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Catholic kings built their own palaces in the Alhambra
12
Q
Spain (geographical facts)
A
- Iberian Peninsula with 50 provinces
- 5 main rivers: Ebro, Duero, Tajo, Guadiana, Guadalquivir
- North, center, south, east, extraterritorial possessions
