España

Un país de Europa

La Península Ibérica

The Iberian Peninsula: ● Spain and Portugal are the only 2 countries that occupy the Iberian Peninsula. ● Spain is the largest country to occupy the Iberian Peninsula. ● Rock of Gibraltar only part of land in Spain that does not belong to Spain. ● Spain is only 7.3 miles from Morocco in North Africa.

Un poco de historia de España

• The Basques are believed to be the earliest inhabitants pre-Iberian times

• Earliest known inhabitants were 1st the Iberians and then the Celts over several thousand years

• Romans called the Peninsula Hispania

• Romans controlled Hispania from 206B.C. – 476A.D. (approx. 682 yrs.)

• Moors invaded and controlled Hispania from 711 – 1492 (approx. 781 years)

• Moors controlled all of known Spain except the region (Kingdom) of Asturias

• In 1492, Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castille completed the Reconquista (Reconquest) of Spain from the Moors.

• The Moors were incredibly tolerant towards Christians and Jews.

• The Moors ushered in a golden age of learning.

• The Moors left their mark on everything in Spain but especially in the architecture, music, dance and food which is still very alive today.

Moorish Spain

La arquitectura: El Alhambra

LaComida

El Flamenco

Un poco de historia más

1588 Spanish Armada defeated by the English at the Battle of the English Channel.

Marked the end of Spain as both a sea and world power.

1761 Spain declares war on Great Britain in the Seven Years’ War. This resulted in Spain’s loss of Florida but

their gain of the French Louisiana west of the Mississippi and the return of Cuba and the Philippines by

Great Britain.1778 Spain supports the United States in the American Revolutionary War.

1914-1918 Spain remains neutral during World War I.

1936 – 1939 Spanish Civil War resulted in: 1931 — Abdication of King Alfonso XIII 1936 – 1975 — Dictatorship of General Francisco Franco Cost an estimated 500,000 deaths Spain remained neutral during World War II

1975 Death of General Francisco Franco Franco named as his successor before his death, Juan Carlos I de Borbon y Borbon, grandson of the abdicated King Alfonso XIII whom he had helped to overthrow.

1975 – Present Juan Carlos I de Borbon y Borbon is King of Spain Spain has quietly become a constitutional monarchy with a king and a prime minister, or Presidente del Gobierno (President of the Government), José Luís Rodríguez Zapatero.

1605 Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Spain’s greatest literary figure, wrote Part 1 of Don Quixote de la Mancha

1615 Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra wrote Part 2 of Don Quixote de la Mancha

1492 Isabella and Ferdinand’s Reconquest of Spain allowed them to finance Crístobal Colón’s “discovery” and conquest of the New World for Spain

España de hoy

Plaza de Cibeles

Palacio Real

Retiro Parque

Barcelona

The City of Science and Arts, Valencia, España

L’Hemisféric – Laserium, Planetarium, & IMAX CinemaPalua de les Arts Reina Sofia – theatre, dance, opera, musicals

Museo de las Ciencias Principe Felipe – hands-on science experience

L’Oceanografic – 500 different marine species habitat

Alrededor de España

Las Corridas de Toros

Juan Carlos I de Borbon y Borbon

Rey de España

José Luís Rodríguez ZapateroPresidente del Gobierno

España – Los Campeones de La Copa Europea 2008

España – Los Campeones de La Copa Mundial de 2010

España is the only country to win the European and World Cups back to back.