Good thoughts

Here you have a video I´ve found on the History for Music Lovers channel on Youtube. The video is based on a former programme on the USA National Public Radio (NPR), where people talked about their values and the philosophy that guided their lives. It contains some interesting thoughts that maybe some of you will appreciate. 

More information about This I believe, the radio programme on the NPR:

http://www.npr.org/series/4538138/this-i-believe

14th of December

Hello
Sorry, but I couldn't write the journal before because I had a problem, my grandmother has died and I coludn't write it before.
Today in Social Science everybody has asked Paqui about the exams. Then she has told as that she hadn't corrected the exams. She has explained the reason why she hadn't checked the exams, and she prefers to not talk about the topic.
Then Laura Meco and Yolanda Rubio has checked the squeme about the Decisions of the Congress of Vienna.
Later Paqui has explained to us the Holy Alliance that conteins 3 big empires in Continental Europe that are the following ones: Russia ( East ), Prussia and Austria ( Central Europe ) Un.Kingdom ( Seas and Oceans ).

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

After we have started with the point about The case of Spain:Fernando VII' Reign ( 1814-1833 )
           His reign can be divided into three stages:
                   *Reaction: Sexenio Absolutista ( 1814-1820 )
                   *Liberal Trennium ( 1820-1823 )
                   *Ominous Decade ( 1823-1833 )
Then she has told what is Mnifesto of the Perssion: It started explaining an old Persian tradition: 5 days of choos, without any role, before the arrival of a new king and the restocration of order.
     Here we have some words that we have learned today:
           Buffer State-Estado Tapón
           Balance of powers- Equilibrio de poderes
           To seed-Sembrar
           The seed of revolution-Semilla de la revolución
           Etching-Grabado
           Outbroak- Estallado, brote
           Hostages-Rehenes
           To keep a promise- Mantener una promesa
           Coward-Cobarde
           To weigh up-Tantear, valorar, sopesar
                                                                                                          Bye, see you tomorrow

12th December 2011

http://www.enriquedans.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/examen.jpg

Today in Social Sciences we have done the exam about the French Revolution and the Enlightened Reformism oof Charles III

The exam has 5 exercises; the first one was match some names with the correct definition or what this person did.

The second exercise was about Charles III’s reign and what happened during his rulling period.

The third exercise was about described the beginning of the French Revolution and what happened in the summer of 1789. (Great Fear)

In the fourth exercise you have to describe two of three options. The options were:

-         Tell all you know about Napoleon Bonaparte, how he arrived the power and how his empire finished.

-         Tell all you know about the Jacobins Convention, how they arrived to power and what changes they made.

-         What happened in Spain during the Peninsular War.

I have chosen the first and the second options.

The fifth exercise was about concepts. You have to choose five of I think there were 8 concepts and you have to define them.

I think the exam was not too difficult but it was very long! 
We have to give the notebooks to Paqui next Thursday

2011-2012 Challenges. Number 12

The kings´s cake being cut at the Congress of Vienna

Source: http://mrjimenezsuhiclasspages.yolasite.com/resources/the-kings-cake-being-cut-at-the-congress-of-vienna.jpg?timestamp=1315406112643

This week´s questions will be related to the Congress of Vienna and its consequences. The questions are the following: 

QUESTION 1

There is an old German film, whose plot was related to the Congress of Vienna. It was one of the first movies with sound filmed in Europe. What was its name?

QUESTION 2

One of the main decisions of the Congress of Vienna was the creation of the Holy Alliance. But there was another international organization created as a result of the Congress of Vienna. What was its name? What countries were its members?

QUESTION 3

What was the Concert of Europe?

QUESTION 4

One of  the last interventions of the Holy Alliance was decided during the Congress of Verona and it was closely related to Spain´s history. What was this intervention and what was its result?

QUESTION 5

One of the participants in the Congress of Vienna had a mysterious death. His tomb was opened some years after and found empty. Who was this person? According to the legend, what happened to him?

THE CONGRESS OF VIENNA AND THE RESTORATION

Today we've started the class checking the last exercises. One of them was based in many concepts like "guerrilla". And the other was based in the events that happened in Spain during the Peninsular War. After Paqui has explained us what points are going to take part in the exam: the last two pages of the last unit and points one and two of this unit:

• B) THE ABSOLUTE MONCARCHY OF PHILIP V AND FERDINAND VI
• 1. THE FRENCH REVOLUTION AND THE NAPOLEONIC ERA
• 2. SPAIN DURING THE FRENCH REVOLUTION

After we've started talking about the third point of this unit THE CONGRESS OF VIENNA AND THE RESTORATION.
Paqui has said us Joseph I was supported by the Francophiles (Frenchified).
We've could see Cortes of Cadiz had the same proposes than Madrid: Passing a lot of laws to end the Ancien Régime.
Today we've learnt a little bit of vocabulary. For example:
-Fright means "susto".
We've done a scheme that summarizes everything:
Participants of the Congress of Vienna were delegates for all the countries taht had defeat Napoleon. For example: TALLEIRAND (France) WELLINGTON (Great Britain), METTERNICH (Austria)
The Congress of Vienna's objectives were:
- Go back to the Ancien Régime and erase the remains of the French Revolution
- Remodel the map of Europe after the Napoleonic Wars
And their decisions were:
- Give the thrones back to all the monarchs deposed by Napoleon. Example: Louis XVIII became king of France and Ferdinand VII came back to Spain.
-Creation of the Holly Alliance to preserve absolutism and religion in Europe. Formed by Austria, Russia and Prussia.
-Changes in the map of Europe:

• France came back to its frontiers in 1791.
• Two buffer States (estados tapón) were created in France's borders: the United Kingdom of Netherlands and the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia.
• Poland, Finland and Bessarabia were annexed to Russia.
• A German Confederation united all the Germanic States
• The United Kingdom got the control of some strategic points in different seas and oceans

After this scheme the time of the class was finished.

GOOD LUCK IN THE EXAM FOR EVERYONE :)
Bye

Joseph I´s satirical drawings

Joseph I was the centre of many jokes during his rule in Spain. Here you have a selection of caricatures against him: 

 All the images above have been uploaded from the following site: http://bib.cervantesvirtual.com/portal/reyes_y_reinas/pcuartonivel.jsp?conten=imagenes&pagina=imagenes3.jsp

Source: http://numismatico.wordpress.com/2010/06/23/las-piezas-grandes-de-jose-i/

If you want to learn something more about Joseph I as king of Spain, here you have some links in Spanish: 

http://www.elmundo.es/suplementos/magazine/2008/437/1202649365.html

http://www.publico.es/culturas/75557/jose-i-el-rey-de-las-buenas-intenciones

2011-2012 Challenges. Number 11

This challenge is related to some people and facts related to the Peninsular War: 

QUESTION 1 

As the powerful man he was during Charles IV´s reign, Manuel Godoy became very rich and had an important collection of works of art, which included some of the most famous Spanish paintings. What happened to Godoy´s possessions and properties after the Mutiny of Aranjuez?

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manuel_de_Godoy,_Prince_of_the_Peace

QUESTION 2

After the awful episode of the Abdications of Bayonne,  Joseph Bonaparte was appointed king of Spain by his brother Napoleon. Joseph I tried to modernize the country, but he was not loved by his subjects. The Spaniards invented several nicknames to mock him and spread rumours about his supposed vices. What were these nicknames? Where do they come from?

Source: http://bib.cervantesvirtual.com/portal/reyes_y_reinas/pcuartonivel.jsp?conten=imagenes&pagina=imagenes4.jsp&fqstr=1&qPagina=0&qImagen=11

QUESTION 3

At the end of 1813 the French troops left Spain. King Joseph I had left the country in June, after the French defeat in the Battle of Vitoria. King Joseph lost his baggage as a consequence of this battle. What was the content of this baggage? 

QUESTION 4

Some of the most important guerrilla fighters during the Peninsular War were Juan Martín Díaz, called  El Empecinado (the Stubborn) and Francisco Abad Moreno, Chaleco. What happened to them after the war? How did their lives end?

QUESTION 5

What is Apsley House? What is its relation to the Peninsular War?

QUESTION 6

Why did Goya paint some patriotic paintings, such as The 2nd of May 1808, The 3rd of May 1808 or the Portrait of General Palafox on horseback, after Ferdinand VII´s restoration? 

General Palafox on horseback (1814), Francisco de Goya

You will have time to answer until next Tuesday. 

1st December 2011

Today in Social Sciences Javi have checked the exercise 15 that consist in defind some concepts that were, Treaty of Fontainebleau that was an agreement signed by Godoy in 1807 that allowed the French army to cross Spain with the purpose of invading Portugal.

Other concept was Aranjuez Mutiny that was a riot prepared by Charler IV's son who conspired against his father and fired Godoy.In March 1808 Godoy was discussed and Ferdinand got the crown.

And the last concept was Abdications of Bayonne, events happened in Bayonne on the 5th May 1808, when Ferdinand VII had to give the crown of Spain back to his father, Charles IV gave it to Napoleon and Napoleon to his brother Joseph I.

Then Paqui has given as an advice to define concepts that have been: "you can't include the word you are defining in the definition".

After that we have been talking about a new form of fighting invented by the Spanish army during the Peninsular War and has been used in wars many times that consist on attacking in surprise place that was called "guerrilla" and also we have been talking about the main groups of the guerrillas war.

http://perso.numericable.com/rconnat/1808-anglais.html

Then we have been talking about the results of the end of the war for this, Paqui has shown us some pictures about tortures and deads.

http://www.artespain.com/tag/grabados-goya

The government during war was Joseph I that was supported by the Francophiles some of the most importants were Leandro Fernández de Moratín and Juan Meléndez Valdés and also there were vey little popular supporting.

The Francophiles considered the war as the opportunity of modernizing Spain.

During this time there was a rebeld government that decided to call the Cortes. There were a power vacuum and in the first day of the Cortes, they decided to write a Constitution.

This constitution have the following characteristics:

It was passed on the 19th March 1812, it was called "the pepa", and has ideas of political liberalism:

-like a nation sovereignity

-division of powers

-wide declaration of rights

-indirect universal male suffrage

But there were some remains of the Ancien Régime. The Cortes of Cádiz also passed a lot of laws to abolish the Ancien Régime, but these reforms couldn't exent due to war.

And finally we have been talking a little bit about the Treaty of Valençay that was an agreement in which the French troops would retire from Spain and Ferdinand VII would recover the crown.

Some new words that we have learned have been:

-retreat means retirada

-retirement means jubilacion

-to discourage means desanimar

-to harass means hostigar

-etching means grabado

-impaled means empalado

-provincial board means junta provincial

-francophiles means afrancesados

-supreme central board means junta central suprema

-power vacuum means vacío de poder

-to come in force that means entrar en vigencia

-to be in force that means estar vigente

-to be fed up that means estar harto

For homework we have to finish exercise 15 and add the concept guerrilla and exercise 17 from page 22.

Bye see you tomorrow

The Valley of the Fallen

Source: http://www.elpais.com/fotografia/english/The/Valley/of/the/Fallen/elpdiaeng/20110608elpeng_3/Ien/

In today´s lesson we have dedicated  some minutes to comment on yesterday´s news about the Valley of the Fallen and the conclusions of the report of the commission in charge of studying what to do with this controversial monument. Here you have some links, just in case you want to have more information about the monument, the people buried there and what the commission proposes to do with it.

- A short report about the Valley of the Fallen, with basic information about this place: 

http://www.globetrips.com/travelblog/2011/04/the-valley-of-the-fallen-a-controversial-monument/

- Two articles in English about the report presented by the commission yesterday: 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15941687

http://www.elpais.com/articulo/english/Government/says/Franco/s/body/should/be/exhumed/elpepueng/20111129elpeng_7/Ten

- And this is the news in Spanish: 

http://www.elpais.com/articulo/espana/Gobierno/funciones/propone/exhumar/Franco/quiere/Iglesia/elpepiesp/20111130elpepinac_15/Tes

30th November

Source: http://www.ttanttak.com/2011/10/marquesa-de-montehermoso.html

Today we have started the class corrected exercise 14. It was about why was Spanish foreign policy subordinated to the French interest during Charles IV’ reign.

We have been spoke that all Europe was against France except Spain because they have a common enemy.

We have also spoke about Godoy, Maria Luisa, Charles IV and Ferdinand.

Ferdinand proposed a Munity against Godoy when the king went to Aranjuez and the citizens were with Ferdinand and Godoy tried to hide under a bed. At the end Charles abdicated and his son started to reigning as Ferdinand. Charles IV regretted his decisions and sent a letter to Napoleon asking for his help to get the crown back. In May Napoleon called Charles and Ferdinand to Bayonne (France)

On the 2nd of May 1808 some people of Madrid observed that the members of the royal family were going out of the Royal Palace escorted by French soldiers. They thought that the royal family was being abducted by the French and a revolt against they started. The French troops strongly repressed the revolt by protests spread through and out all the country.

Francisco de Goya, the painter, witnessed the events in Madrid and reflected them on his painting the 2nd and the 3rd of May 1808.

The 2nd was the Spanish against the French people.

The 3rd was the revolutionary people was killed.

After that we have started to talk about the abdications of Bayonne ( 5th of May 1808): Meanwhile in Bayonne Napoleon obliged Ferdinand VII to give the crown of Spain back to his father Charles IV. He gave it to Napoleon and Napoleon gave the crown to his elder brother, Joseph, who became Joshep I.

We have copied a scheme about the Peninsular War (1808-1813)

1)1808:First Months: Initial disorganization, sieges and unexpected victory in Bailén.

2)END OF THE 1808 TO 1812: Almost total French control of the country and only resitants: Gurrilla

3)APRIL 1812 END OF 1813: Retirement of French Troops for the Compaign of Russia and Hispano-British offensive from Portugal.

At the end of the class we have spoken about el Valle de los Caidos. Because now some political people want to put away Franco’s cadaver.

Also we have spoken about the Peninsular War (1808-1814). Initial disorganization of the Spanish army, commanded by nobles and poorly prepared to fight against French. Unexpected victory in Bainlén. (19th of July 1808). The Spanish troops commanded by General Castaños defeated the French troops commanded by Dupout. The Spanish troops took advantages of their knowledge of the ground.

1.000.000 soldier occupied all Spain except Cádiz. Only Guerrilla fighters resisted the French. We have learnt new words like the different between kipnap and abduct kipnap is ask for a ranson and abduct is because you want without a ranson also to siege a city: sitiar una cuidad and ambush: emboscada.

For homework we have to do exercise 15 except the last concept