UNIT 13

INDEX

 

1. - CONTEMPORARY TIMES

 

1.1.    The beginning of Contemporary Times.

1.2.            Great changes of the 19^th century.

1.3.            The 20^th century and the beginning of the 21^st century.

 

1.1.    THE BEGINNING OF CONTEMPORARY TIMES

Contemporary Times began in the late 18^th century, with the beginning of these important events:

 

                  The French Revolution:  It was a rebellion against the absolute monarchy. It began in 1789, when the common people demanded the same rights as the privileged groups. It proclaimed the equality of all citizens.

 

                  The Industrial Revolution: It was a time when lots of important changes happened. It changed agricultural societies into industrial societies. It began in Britain in the 18^th century with the invention of the steam engine and the introduction of the railway.

 

1.2.            GREAT CHANGES OF THE 19^TH CENTURY

 The main changes in this century were:

       Political parliaments arose.  The power of the monarchs was reduced. All the political decisions were made by the elected representatives of the people in parliament. In some countries the monarchies were replaced by republics.
 

 

       The progress of industrialization. Large factories with lots of workers instead of small artisan workshops arose.

       There were changes in the organization of society. There were upper classes and lower classes. The upper classes were made up of factory owners and large                                           landowners. The lower classes were made of farmers and factory workers.

 

1.3.            THE 20^TH CENTURY AND THE BEGINNING OF THE 21^ST CENTURY.

There have been many advances since 1900.

                         Advances in communication and transport: The Internet, the telephone, planes, trains, cars, etc.

The inventions of machines and the use of new energy sources like electricity helped industrial development.

         Today many countries have political democracies. Many States guarantee to meet the basic needs of their people, like education or health, although many people in Asia and Africa die of hunger or do not have access to these basic services.

 

VOCABULARY

THE BEGINNING	EL PRINCIPIO
AGAINST	LEVANTARSE EN CONTRA DE
THE COMMON PEOPLE	EL PUEBLO LLANO
THE PRIVILEGED GROUPS	LOS GRUPOS PRIVILEGIADOS
SAME RIGHTS	MISMOS DERECHOS
CITIZENS	CIUDADANOS
THE STEAM ENGINE	LA MÁQUINA DE VAPOR
AROSE	APARECIERON
TO REPLECE	REEMPLAZAR
FACTORIES	FÁBRICAS
ARTISAN WORKSHOPS	TIENDAS DE ARTESANOS
WORKERS	TRABAJADORES
UPPER CLASSES	CLASE ALTA
LOWER CLASSES	CLASE BAJA
OWNERS	PROPIETARIOS
GUARANTEE	GARANTÍA
HEALTH	SALUD
ALTHOUGH	AUNQUE
HUNGER	HAMBRE
LANDOWNERS	TERRATENIENTES
FARMERS	GRANJEROS/AGRICULTORES
ADVANCES	AVENCES
SOURCES	FUENTES
DEVELOPMENT	DESARROLLO

ACTIVITIES

 

1.     Who began the French Revolution and when did it begin?

 

2.    What did people demand in the French Revolution? What was proclaimed?

  

3.    What was the Industrial Revolution and when did it occur?

 

4.    Give an example of a new invention of this time.

 

5.      What new mean of transport was introduced in the 18^th century?

 

6.    Where did The Industrial Revolution start?

 

7.    Fill in the gaps about the19th century.

 

The ___________ of the monarchs was reduced. All the political decisions were made by the elected representatives of the people in _______________ . In some countries the monarchies were replaced by _________________.

Small artisan workshops were replaced by ____________________.

Two new social classes arose: ____________________ and ____________________.

 

8.    If we talk about factory owners and landowners, we are talking about

_________________________ .

 

9.    If we talk about factory workers and farmers, we are talking about

______________________________ .

 

10. What are the main changes that happened since 1900?

 

11.  Do you think everybody in the world receive the same services like education or health?

 

 

UNIT 12: SPAIN IN THE MIDDLE AGES.

1.  THE GERMANIC INVASIONS AND THE VISIGOTH KINGDOM

 

The Middle Ages is the period of History that began with the fall of the Roman Empire in 476.During this time, the Iberian Peninsula (Hispania) was invaded by Germanic cultures like the Suevi, The Vandals and the Alans.

The Visigoths came soon afterwards dominating most of the Peninsula.

The Visigoths founded a Kingdom with its capital in Toledo. They learnt Latin, laws and Christianity from Roman culture.

The Visigoth Kingdom in Toledo lasted until the eighth century.

2.  AL-ANDALUS

A Muslim army from Arabia arrived at the Iberian Peninsula in 711.

They conquered the Peninsula except the northern mountains where the Christians took refuge.

They called their conquered territory Al-Andalus.

In the 10^th century Al-Andalus became a Caliphate, independent of Arabia. It´s capital was Cordoba.

Abderraman III was the first caliph. During this time, there were some important cities like Cordoba, Seville and Granada.

The Muslims introduced inventions like irrigation and some crops like rice, cotton.

There were also great philosophers who lived in Al-Andalus.

In the 11^th century the taifa Kingdoms were founded after the caliphate was divided into different territories.

VOCABULARY

FALL	CAÍDA
THE ROMAN EMPIRE	EL IMPERIO ROMANO
BC/AC BEFORE OR AFTER CHRIST	ANTES O DESPUÉS DE CRISTO
TO INVADE	INVADIR
GERMANIC CULTURES	CULTURAS GERMÁNICAS
THE SUEVI	LOS SUEVOS
THE VANDALS	LOS VÁNDALOS
THE ALANS	LOS ALANOS
THE VISIGOTHS	LOS VISIGODOS
TO FOUND	FUNDAR
LAWS	LEYES
TO LAST	DURAR
CENTURY	SIGLO
SOON AFTERWARDS	POCO DESPUÉS
THE MUSLIMS	LOS MUSULMANES
TO CONQUER	CONQUISTAR
TO TAKE REFUGE	REFUGIARSE
TO BECAME	CONVERTIRSE
A CALIPHATE	UN CALIFATO
A CALIPH	UN CALIFA
IRRIGATION	RIEGO
RICE AND COTTON	ARROZ Y ALGODÓN

 

ACTIVITIES

1. - Write the main characteristics of the Visigoth kingdom: The beginning, capital, culture and religion.

The beginning:

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

Capital:

________________________________________________________.

Culture:

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ .

Religion:

________________________________________________________.

2. - Write the names of the Germanic cultures who invaded the Iberian Peninsula.

The Iberian Peninsula was invaded by:

3. - Fill in the gaps.

- The Middle Ages began in ____________ after the fall of the _______ ________________.

- The Iberian Peninsula was invaded by _______________________________________________________.

- The Visigoths founded a kingdom in _____________________.

- They learnt latin, laws and Christianity from ___________________ _______________.

- The Visigoth kingdom lasted until the ________________________.

4. - Write TRUE or FALSE.

- In 711 the Muslims arrived at the Iberian Peninsula.     _______

- They called their conquered territory Arabia.             _______

- Its capital was established in Seville.                      _______

- Its first caliph was Abderraman III.                       _______       

5. - When were the Taifa kingdoms created?

_______________________________________________________.

6. - Write the names of the Catholic Monarchs.

________________________________________________.

7. - When did the Muslims leave the Iberian Peninsula?

_______________________________________________________.

8. - Match the two columns.

The Nobility   *             *     was the maximum authority.

The Church    *             *     promised loyalty to the king.   

The King       *             *     founded monasteries.

 

9. - What was Feudalism?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.