Friday, April 1, 2011

Challenge number 14



This week you will have to research on the constitutional history of Spain. The questions you will have to answer will refer to Constitutions and Statutes of Autonomy. 

QUESTION 1

What was the first Constitution of Spain´s history? What popular name did it receive? Why?

QUESTION 2

How many Constitutions has Spain until present? Name them. 

QUESTION 3

There were two projects of Constitution in the 19th century that didn´t come into force. Which ones?

QUESTION 4

What has been the Constitution in longest force in Spain´s history?

QUESTION 5

Who were the "fathers" of the present Constitution?

QUESTION 6

What was the first Statute of Autonomy approved in Spain? 


Some explanations that can help you to find the correct answers: 

- "To be in force" means "to be in effect, operative, working". In this context it means "to be in use".

- On question 6, don´t think only in the recent history of Spain. 

You can find the answers to all these questions in any good book of history about Spain. If you have elder sibligs, ask them. They may help you : )



1 comment:

Paqui Pérez Fons said...

No one has answered. This shows the limited interest the students have on research and learning more.

Anyway, these are the answers, just in case someone is interested:

QUESTION 1

The first Spain´s Constitution was approved in 1812, during the Independence War against the French. It was popularly called "La Pepa", because it was issued on March, the 19th, the day of Saint Joseph.

QUESTION 2

After the Constituion of 1812 (liberal), there were several Constitutions:
- 1837 (Progressive)
- 1845 (Moderate)
- 1869 (Democratic)
- 1876 (Conservative Liberal)
- 1931 (Republican)
- 1978 (Democratic)

QUESTION 3

The Constitution projects were the ones of 1856 (Unborn Constitution) and 1873 (Federal Republic Constitution project)

QUESTION 4

The Constitution in longest force in Spain´s history was the 1876 Constitution. It was in force until 1931, although there were periods of suspension of the Constitutional rights, especially during the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera (1923-1930)

QUESTION 5

The "fathers" of the present Constitution were the seven deputies in charge of writing the draft that would be discussed in the Parliament later. They were:

Gabriel Cisneros (UCD)
José Pedro Pérez-Llorca (UCD)
Miguel Herrero y Rodríguez de Miñón (UCD)
Miquel Roca i Junyent (Convergència i Unió)
Manuel Fraga Iribarne (Alianza Popular)
Gregorio Peces-Barba (PSOE)
Jordi Solé Tura (PSUC)

QUESTION 6

The first Statute of Autonomy was the one of Catalonia, approved in 1932, during the Second Republic.

For further information about the different Constitutions of Spain, click on this link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitutions_of_Spain