Political organization of Spain

 

Here you have the Powerpoint presentation we have used for to learn about the political organization of Spain. Remember that you have some exercises for homework. You can use the presentation to complete some of the exercises. 

Challenge number 14

Source: http://valdeperrillos.com/lacebolla/palabras-constituciones

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 : )

Source: http://www.juntadeandalucia.es/averroes/centros-tic/21700368/helvia/bitacora/index.cgi?wIdPub=7

Friday 1-April-2011

Today in social science we have arrived a little bit late because we have been talking with Ana Margarita about the trip to Ireland and we have also spent much time until we have started the class, because many people were talking, others were standing up...Today we have been watching the power point Paqui use to explain this unit and we have also changed the word competences for powers, because there were some mistakes in the book about that.

In this powerpoint we have also learned about all the presidents of the Spanish autonomous communities, we didn't know many of them, but I think is normal that we only know the presidents of the principal autonomous communities as Arthur Mass of Catalonia, Patxi López of the Basque Country, Alberto Núñez Feijoo of Galicia... I think is also important to know about the different presidents of other

autonomous communities, they also take part in the government of Spain.

Today we have had a new debate, this time about Gibraltar, Ceuta and Melilla.

In my opinion Ceuta and Melilla can be use as centres to control immigration but at the moment this is almost impossible, however Morocco demands its authority.
On the other hand is very difficult that Gibraltar becomes a part of Spain, because as Paqui has said this is a tax haven and surely it is also used by Spanish corrupted employers, which are hurting the Spanish economy.

We have also known about the decentralization of Spain, in which there are different level of organization:

Government or central administration; autonomous communities or regional administration; provinces or provincial administration and municipalities or local administration.

We have also talk about a law in which, if the government of a town can't give a service, because it's very expensive... but it is necessary, the autonomous government has to give this service to that town. But if the town can get it by itself the government is not obliged to take part in that service.

At the end of the class Paqui has given us the exercises from 15 to 22 and she has used some minutes more to write the correction of the schemes about POLITICAL ORGANIZATION OF SPAIN.

Bye!!

See you on Monday

Images:

http://www.clipartguide.com/_pages/0511-0702-1411-4808.html

http://alexanderhamiltoninstitute.org/lp/Columbus/Ancient%20World/Spain%20-%20Wikipedia,%20the%20free%20encyclopedia.htm

http://d-bnews.blogspot.com/2011/03/gibraltar-britanico.html

30th of March

Yesterday in Social Sciences, at the begining of the class Paqui was a little angry with us because we were not paying attention. After that we have continued with a Power Point presentation about the political organization of Spain and we have continued to complete the scheme about the point three of the unit with this Power Point presentation. We also have spoken about coalition government that is a government formed by several political parties. And about referendum that is an election in which the citizens are asked question and they have to answer "yes" or "no" and finally we have spoken about the three referendums that there have been in the recen history of Spain that there were in 1976, 1978 and in 1986.

And at the end of the class Paqui has given to some classmates the marks of the make up exam and finally Paqui has told me that yesterday I have to write the journal.

Sorry for the delay but, yesterday I forgot to write it.

bye

Source: http://www.diarioya.es/content/%C2%BFcambio-o-desaparici%C3%B3n

Monday, 28th March (delayed)

Last Monday Kelly came with us, and Paqui check the scheme of point three. Them Paqui give us the make-up exam to the people which failed the exam. Afterwards, Kelly showed us a power point about point two. After Paqui wrote in the blackboard a scheme about levels of political organization of Spain, and also we talked about the languages of Spain. When the people finished the exam give this to Paqui, I pass the exam with a 10.

Today I'm very happy.

I sorry by the delay, kisses.






Source: http://www20.gencat.cat/portal/site/Llengcat/menuitem.21576464db9e81e7a129d410b0c0e1a0/?vgnextoid=087748a344371110VgnVCM1000000b0c1e0aRCRD&vgnextchannel=087748a344371110VgnVCM1000000b0c1e0aRCRD&vgnextfmt=detall&contentid=76313f476fd22110VgnVCM1000008d0c1e0aRCRD

Where does the Vice President of the U.S.A. live?

We all know that the President of the United States of America lives in the White House but few people know where the Vice President lives. You might think that the Vice President lives in the White House too, but as of July 1974 Congress designated the Admiral's House as the official residence of the Vice President.

The house is located on the southeast corner of 34th Street and Massachusettes Avenue in Washington D.C. You may be thinking why is the house called "The Admiral's House"? The reason it has this name is because it is located on the grounds of the United States Naval Observatory. The house was originally built for the superintendent of the Observatory. Before 1974, the Vice Presidents "bought temporary residences or stayed in hotels."

In this entry you can see some photos of the Admiral's House from when Vice President Al Gore and his family lived there.

"The house is a white brick walled Victorian-style home with 9,150 square feet of floor space."

Here you can see a map I made of Washington DC and the location of the White House in relation to the location of the Admiral's House.

Sources:

1. http://clinton3.nara.gov/WH/EOP/VP_Wife/home.html


2. http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Where_does_the_vice_president_live_while_serving_in_office


3. Google Maps

Some more articles of the Constitution

Source: http://angelodemonio.wordpress.com/2010/12/06/dia-de-la-constitucion-espanola/

There are some other articles of the Constitution that you may find interesting. It would be interesting that you analyze if what is written in the Constitution has a real translation in reality: 

ARTICLE 35 

1. All Spaniards have the duty to work and the right to work, to the free election of profession or office career, to advancement through work, and to a sufficient remuneration to satisfy their needs and those of their family, while in no case can there be discrimination for reasons of sex.

2. The law shall regulate a statute for workers.

ARTICLE 47

All Spaniards have the right to enjoy decent and adequate housing.  The public authorities shall promote the conditions necessary and establish the pertinent norms to make this right effective, regulating the use of land in accordance with the general interest to prevent speculation.

The community shall share in the increased values generated by urban activities of public bodies.

 If you want to read other articles of the Constitution, here you have the complete text both in English and Spanish: 

http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/sp00000_.html

http://www.tuabogadodefensor.com/01ecd193df1195501/01ecd193df1296d13.html

Languages in the Spanish Constitution

Spanish official; spoken all over the country   Catalan/Valencian, co-official   Basque, co-official   Galician, co-official

Aranese, co-official (dialect of Occitan)   Asturian andLeonese, recognised   Aragonese, recognised   Extremaduran, unofficial   Fala, unofficial

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Spain

Today we have talked about some features of the Spanish State and the present Constitution. We have had an interesting debate about the different languages spoken in the country. Here you have the article of the Constitution about languages, which reflects the reality of the country and establishes that all the languages spoken in the country are official:

ARTICLE 3

1. Castilian is the official language of the State. All the Spanish people have the duty to know it and the right to use it.

2. The other languages of Spain will also be official in the Autonomous Communities according to their Statutes.

3. The richness of the different languages of Spain is a cultural heritage that will have to be respected and protected. 

The different Statutes of the Autonomous Communities have been written taking the Constitution into account and they have been approved by the citizens. Galician, Catalan and Basque are official languages in the respective Autonomous Communities and this variety of languages reflects a rich cultural background inherited from the different peoples who lived in the Iberian Peninsula. 

Here you have some data about the number of speakers of the different languages of Spain: 

Catalan

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

Galician

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

Basque 

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

Asturian /Bable

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

Aranese

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

And here you have some links to learn the different languages of Spain on line: 

Catalan

http://www.parla.cat/pres_catalaenlinia/AppPHP/login/index.php

http://www.parlacatala.org/

Galician

http://e-galego.cesga.es/inicio.htm

Basque

http://www.euskalkultura.com/euskera?language_sync=1

http://www.gazteaukera.euskadi.net/r58-2243/es/contenidos/informacion/xtra_euskara_aprende/es_1844/xtra_euskara_aprende_c.html#internet

Make- up exam next Monday

Source: http://www.how-to-study.com/study-skills/en/other-helpful-articles/52/tutoring-and-its-benefits/

Remember that the students who failed the second term will have the make-up exam next Monday, the 28th March. So, please, study!

Challenge number 13

With this challenge we will learn how some people came into power and about women who hold important posts in politics. These are the questions: 

QUESTION 1

Here you have some pictures of heads of State or politicians from different countries. You will have to explain the posts they hold (or held) and how they seized power in their countries. 

BENITO MUSSOLINI

ADOLF HITLER

MUHAMMAD VI

HUGO CHÁVEZ

BASHAR AL- ASSAD

QUESTION 2

The following women hold important posts in their countries Who are they? What are their posts? As a clue, you will have their first name. 

MARY...

JULIA ...

TARJA ...

HILLARY ...