History of Spain (in English)

Course Description
This survey course traces the political, socio-economic, cultural, and religious history of the
Iberian Peninsula from Prehistory to contemporary times. While your main focus in this course
is upon the lands and peoples of what has today become Spain, you will also examine the
creation of Portugal, the interaction of Spain with European and North African neighbors, as
well as her complex relations with her overseas empire and later former colonies. You will
come to appreciate that the Iberian Peninsula was, and in many ways still is, a historical
crossroads of western Mediterranean societies, cultures and peoples. Bearing this in mind, you
will investigate the rich culture and civilization of the many peoples who put down roots in these
surprising lands: native Iberian peoples, Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, German tribes, Arabs,
Berbers, and modern immigrants– all of whom together set the course for making of Spain a
World Empire and later member of the new European Union.

The Romanization of the Iberian Peninsula began in pre-Christian times with Rome’s defeat of
the Carthaginians at Ilipia just outside Seville, one of the most important events of the Classical
World, marking as it did the birth of the Roman Empire. For the next 500 years, Rome would
give Spain its language, its law and political institutions but also its culture and architecture.
The Fall of Rome marked the birth of Europe and the later 8th century invasion of Spain by the
Semitic-speaking Arabs and Berber allies who so richly contributed to the history of Spain. AlAndalus, as the Iberian Peninsula was called by the new Muslim rulers, became the center of
intellectual, cultural and scientific creativity in Western Europe in the 11th century. It is here
that the greatest works of the Classical World would be preserved and translated for the later
“discovery” by Christian Europe.

While the Catholic conquest of Iberia visited misery upon Muslim and Jewish populations, it
also produced fortune-seeking soldiers who, after 1492, turned their ambitions for wealth and
adventure overseas, this time as New World conquistadors, transforming Spain from war-torn
country to world Empire. You then trace the complicated history of 18 th and 19th century
Spanish society that gave rise to the Kingdom of Spain in the mid-19th century. This is the
kingdom that underwent the many political convulsions that later made the Franco Regime
possible. You conclude your survey with an appreciation of post-Franco Spain, the return of
democracy and the vibrant cultural renaissance of Spain over the last 30 years.

Course Goals and Methodology
By the end of the semester, the student should be able to organize and interrelate different
historical events and periods as they relate to the creation of modern Spain, to trace
chronologically and account for the arrival of different cultures and peoples that called
“Spain” home during their respective historical periods. For example, the student should be
able to identify and describe the historical significance of the different religions that developed
in Spain (e.g. Arians, Trinitarians, Judaism, Islam, Catholicism, Protestants, etc.)

Course Schedule & Content Areas
Unit 1 - Introduction & pre-Roman Iberia:
Session 1 – Introduction & the Iberian Peninsula: its geography and its people.
Session 2 & 3 – Prehistory I: from the Palaeolithic to the Metal Ages & Natives Cultures.
Reading: Phillips, Preface/Chapter 1.
Session 4 & 5 – Ancient History I: Celts, Phoenicians, Greeks, and Carthaginians & Romans.
Reading: Phillips, chapter 2; Carr, chapter 1.
Unit 2 - Rome & Early Middle Ages:
Session 6 & 7 – Late Antiquity & Early Middle Ages: fall of Rome to the Germanic invasions.
Reading: Carr, chapters 2.
Unit 3 - Late Middle Ages & Early Modern:
Session 8-11 – The Middle Ages: from the Visigoths to the peninsular unification.
Reading: Phillips, chapter 3; Carr, chapters 3.
Session 12 & 13 – The creation of the “modern state”: from the Catholic Monarchs to Philip I.
Reading: Phillips, chapter 4.
Session 14 – Paper commentary DUE: this a practice commentary, no grade will be given.
Midterm Exam. (Mar. 13th)
Unit 4 - Modern History:
Session 15 & 16 – 16th Century: from Charles I to Philip II (birth of an Empire).
Reading: Carr, chapter 5 & 6.
Session 17 & 18 – 17th Century: from Philip III to the Spanish War of Succession.
Reading: Phillips, chapter 5; Carr, chapter 7.
Session 19 & 20 – 18th Century: from the Bourbons to Bonaparts (1700-1808).
Reading: Phillips, chapter 6.
Unit 5 - The 19th century:
Session 21 & 22 – 19th Century: 1808-1898.
Reading: Carr, chapter 8.
Unit 6 - Contemporary History:
Session 23 to 24 – 20th Century: 1898-1931 & 1931-1939 (2nd Republic)/Civil War
documentary.
Reading: Phillips, chapter 7; Carr, chapter 9.
Session 25 & 26 – 20th Century: 1939-1977 (Franco Regime) & 1977-Today.
Reading: Phillips, chapter 8.
Session 27 – Final Exam. (Date/time TBA). Paper commentary due – NO EXCEPTIONS

*This syllabus is subject to change.