Modern Spain: the 20th Century
Content adapted from Social Sciences 6, Time and Change (Oxford University Press)
1874-01-01 00:00:00
Alfonso XII becomes king
Alfonso XII became king in 1874. Spain was still going through the restoration at this time. Image: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Alfons_XII_(cropped).JPG
1885-01-01 00:00:00
Alfonso XII Dies
His wife María Cristina ruled until Alfonso XII turned 16 in 1902 Image: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uZOyLDljpFE/UXNBeVm8rrI/AAAAAAAAIig/AgmKraCXcdA/s1600/CristayAlfonsoXIII.jpg
1923-01-01 00:00:00
Military Coup and Dictatorship established by Primo de Rivera
Due to problems in this period, there was a military coup in 1923, and General Miguel Primo de Rivera established a dictatorship with Alfonso XII's support. Image: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/87/Miguel_Primo_de_Rivera,_Kaulak_(cropped).jpg/220px-Miguel_Primo_de_Rivera,_Kaulak_(cropped).jpg
1930-01-01 00:00:00
Primo de Rivera Resigns
1931-12-19 00:00:00
The Second Republic is established
The second republic began when the Reublicans and Socialists won the municipal elections. It was a time of change and conflict. Images: https://image.slidesharecdn.com/spanishflaghistory-141115063718-conversion-gate01/95/spanish-flag-history-8-638.jpg?cb=1416033493 http://estaticos.elperiodico.com/resources/jpg/7/3/republica-espanola-1460630070037.jpg
1936-07-17 00:00:00
Military Rebellion and beginning of the Civil War
General Francisco Franco began a military rebellion in Spanish Morocco. The rebels took control of parts of Spain and the country became divided. Image: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kBeY9MBIbmE/UAO0LsszuwI/AAAAAAAABXc/c4iUdv-fF4U/s1600/Alcazaba+de+Zeluan.jpg
1939-04-01 00:00:00
Civil War ends
The war ended in a Nationalist victory. Consequences of the Civil War: ... Image: http://foto-cache.abc.es/jpg/3/4/1369233457743.jpg
1939-04-01 01:00:00
Franco establishes a dictatorship
Franco made himself the head of state and government, and Cuadillo (leader) of Spain. His dictatorship was based on 3 pillars: the military, the Catholic Church, and the Falange. https://image.slidesharecdn.com/spanishflaghistory-141115063718-conversion-gate01/95/spanish-flag-history-10-638.jpg?cb=1416033493
1939-09-01 00:00:00
Second World War (WW2) begins
Although Franco supported Germany, Spain did not participate in WW2. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUqy-OQvVtI
1945-10-24 00:00:00
United Nations founded
Spain wasn't allowed to join until later on because it was a dictatorship. Image: http://www.un.org/sites/www.un.org/files/styles/carousel-image-about-un/public/2014/11/25/1324850x477.jpg
1969-07-22 00:00:00
Juan Carlos de Borbón named as Franco's successor
The monarchy would be restored when Franco died. Image: http://www.lecturas.com/medio/2014/06/09/1969_-_002_sucesion_y_coronacion_1000x767.jpg
1973-12-20 00:00:00
Admiral Luis Carrero Blanco, Franco's Prime Minister, is assassinated
Carrero Blanco wanted to continue the dictatorship after Franco's death. He was assassinated by the Basque terrorist group ETA. Image: http://s2.eestatic.com/2017/01/12/cultura/Cultura_185494594_25533709_1024x576.jpg
1975-11-20 00:00:00
Franco dies, and Juan Carlos becomes King of Spain
Franco had been old and ill during the 70s, and finally died on the 20th of November. Image: http://www.cvce.eu/content/publication/1999/8/23/f3a4986f-961a-41fa-9907-1c21fe38cfbd/publishable.jpg
1976-07-03 00:00:00
King Juan Carlos names Adolfo Suárez as Prime Minister
Adolfo Suárez was a Spanish lawyer and politician. Suárez was later Spain's first democratically elected Prime Minister since the Second Spanish Republic (in the 1977 election) and a key figure in the country's transition to democracy after the dictatorship of Francisco Franco Image: http://www.lavanguardia.com/r/GODO/LV/p3/WebSite/2016/07/01/Recortada/img_fmartinez_20160701-202114_imagenes_lv_otras_agencias_1467397243196-kwqF-U402900939301UjG-992x558@LaVanguardia-Web.jpg
1977-06-15 00:00:00
Democratic election
This was the first election since the death of Franco, and the first free election that had taken place since 1936, due to Franco's dictatorship. Image: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dhv-Scal6qc/UaY4uCR00UI/AAAAAAAAAOY/vY3UR_ioXM4/s1600/Elecciones+espa%C3%B1olas+de+1977.png
1978-12-06 00:00:00
Referendum on the new constitution
The Spanish people voted in favor of the new constitution. Image: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/Constituci%C3%B3n_Espa%C3%B1ola_de_1978.JPG
1978-12-27 00:00:00
New constitution signed by King Juan Carlos and adopted
The 1978 constitution introduced important reforms: Image: http://www.elcorreo.com/apoyos/galerias/constitucion/fotos/01.jpg
1981-02-23 00:00:00
Attempted military coup by Tejero
Tejero's rebellion failed, and Spain continued to be a democracy. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pcc0_8i0CYs
1986-01-01 00:00:00
Spain enters the EEC (now called the EU)
Image: https://www.kronbergsflagsandflagpoles.com/images/large/products/p7417_EEC_LRG.gif
2002-01-01 00:00:00
The euro replaces the peseta as Spain's currency
After 134 years, the peseta was replaced as the currency of Spain by the euro. Image: http://www.finanzzas.com/wp-content/uploads/euros_pesetas.jpg