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Basque PAU History of Spain study materials
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Basque PAU History of Spain practice questions

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Question 1Crisis of the old regime and construction of the liberal state

What was the immediate political outcome of the Mutiny of Aranjuez (Motín de Aranjuez) in March 1808?

  1. The immediate adoption of the liberal Constitution of Cádiz by the Royal Council
  2. The execution of Napoleon Bonaparte's brother Joseph and the retreat of French forces
  3. The formal abolition of the Inquisition and the establishment of a Spanish Republic
  4. The dismissal of Prime Minister Manuel Godoy and the abdication of King Carlos IV in favor of his son Fernando VII Correct answer.

Explanation

The Mutiny of Aranjuez in March 1808 was a popular uprising incited by supporters of Prince Fernando against Chief Minister Manuel Godoy and King Carlos IV. It forced Godoy's removal from power and Carlos IV's abdication in favor of Fernando VII, creating a power vacuum that Napoleon exploited at Bayonne.

Question 2Crisis of the old regime and construction of the liberal state

What occurred during the Abdications of Bayonne (Abdicaciones de Bayona) in May 1808?

  1. Carlos IV and Fernando VII successfully formed a joint military alliance with Great Britain against France
  2. The Cortes of Cádiz elected a council of regents to govern Spain during the Peninsular War
  3. Fernando VII signed the Treaty of Valençay returning all French-occupied territories to Spanish rule
  4. Napoleon pressured both Carlos IV and Fernando VII to renounce their rights to the Spanish crown in favor of Joseph Bonaparte Correct answer.

Explanation

In May 1808, Napoleon summoned both Carlos IV and Fernando VII to the French border city of Bayonne. Under French coercion, both monarchs abdicated their rights to the Spanish crown, allowing Napoleon to grant the throne to his brother Joseph Bonaparte (Joseph I).

Question 3Crisis of the old regime and construction of the liberal state

Which statement best describes the nature of the Statute of Bayonne (Estatuto de Bayona) of 1808?

  1. It was a democratic constitution drafted and ratified by a freely elected Spanish parliament
  2. It was a traditional code of laws restoring medieval feudal privileges and the absolute power of the Catholic Church
  3. It was a military pact signed between Spanish guerrillas and the British army under the Duke of Wellington
  4. It was a royal charter (carta otorgada) imposed by Joseph Bonaparte that introduced moderate liberal reforms while retaining authoritarian royal executive power Correct answer.

Explanation

The Statute of Bayonne was an 'enacted charter' (carta otorgada) drafted under Napoleonic influence and presented to an assembly of Spanish notables in 1808. Although it preserved royal authority and Catholic confessionality, it introduced reformist principles such as individual rights, economic liberalism, and the suppression of torture.

Question 4Crisis of the old regime and construction of the liberal state

What event on May 2, 1808 (Dos de Mayo) triggered the popular uprising across Spain against French occupation?

  1. The execution of General Rafael del Riego in the main square of Madrid
  2. The naval defeat of the combined Franco-Spanish fleet off Cape Trafalgar
  3. The signing of the Treaty of Fontainebleau dividing Portugal between France and Spain
  4. A popular protest in Madrid attempting to stop French troops from removing the last members of the Spanish royal family Correct answer.

Explanation

On May 2, 1808, citizens of Madrid rebelled when French troops tried to deport the young Infante Francisco de Paula, the last royal family member remaining in the Royal Palace. The bloody suppression of this rebellion by Marshal Murat ignited the Peninsular War across Spain.

Question 5Crisis of the old regime and construction of the liberal state

Why was the Battle of Bailén (July 1808) historically significant during the Peninsular War?

  1. It was the final battle that led directly to the signing of the Treaty of Paris and Spanish independence
  2. It resulted in the destruction of the Spanish Navy and established total British naval dominance
  3. It led to the immediate capture and imprisonment of Napoleon Bonaparte in Andalusia
  4. It marked the first major defeat of an Imperial Napoleonic army in open combat, forcing Joseph Bonaparte to temporarily flee Madrid Correct answer.

Explanation

At the Battle of Bailén in July 1808, Spanish regular forces commanded by General Francisco Javier Castaños defeated General Dupont's French corps. It was Napoleon's army's first major open-field defeat in Europe, shattered the myth of French invincibility, and forced Joseph I to evacuate Madrid.

Question 6Crisis of the old regime and construction of the liberal state

Which factor made guerrilla warfare particularly effective against Napoleonic forces during the Peninsular War?

  1. Guerrillas operated in large armored naval squadrons along the Cantabrian coast
  2. Guerrillas were equipped with advanced heavy artillery supplied directly by the Ottoman Empire
  3. French commanders were forbidden by Napoleonic military doctrine from firing upon irregular combatants
  4. Irregular local combatants utilized deep knowledge of local terrain, surprise ambushes, and popular civilian intelligence to harass French supply lines Correct answer.

Explanation

Guerrilla warfare involved small, mobile groups of irregular fighters (led by figures like El Empecinado and Espoz y Mina) who used knowledge of local geography to launch hit-and-run attacks on French couriers, supply columns, and garrisons, tying down hundreds of thousands of French soldiers.

Question 7Crisis of the old regime and construction of the liberal state

Promulgated on March 19, 1812, what was a fundamental principle established by the Constitution of Cádiz ('La Pepa')?

  1. Absolute executive sovereignty vested exclusively in the hereditary monarch
  2. Total separation of Church and State with complete freedom of secular worship
  3. National sovereignty, establishing that supreme power resides in the Spanish nation rather than the King Correct answer.
  4. The permanent abolition of all provincial tariffs and the immediate dissolution of the Basque country

Explanation

The Constitution of Cádiz of 1812 established national sovereignty (Soberanía Nacional), asserting that sovereignty belongs to the nation, which alone has the right to establish its fundamental laws. It created a constitutional monarchy with separation of powers.

Question 8Crisis of the old regime and construction of the liberal state

Besides drafting the 1812 Constitution, what major socioeconomic reform was enacted by the Cortes of Cádiz?

  1. The nationalization of all foreign merchant ships and private banking institutions
  2. The establishment of state-run industrial monopolies across all textile sectors
  3. The re-establishment of medieval craft guilds (gremios) to regulate urban labor
  4. The abolition of jurisdictional lordships (señoríos jurisdiccionales) and the suppression of the Inquisition Correct answer.

Explanation

The Cortes of Cádiz enacted sweeping liberal reforms aimed at dismantling the Ancien Régime structure, including the abolition of jurisdictional lordships (señoríos), the dismantling of medieval guilds, press freedom, and the suppression of the Holy Office of the Inquisition.

Question 9Crisis of the old regime and construction of the liberal state

What tragic event occurred in the Basque city of San Sebastián during August and September 1813?

  1. The city was peacefully handed over to Joseph Bonaparte in exchange for regional tax exemptions
  2. The Spanish Liberal Cortes relocated permanently to San Sebastián to draft the Constitution of 1814
  3. Carlist forces successfully crowned Don Carlos as absolute monarch inside the city cathedral
  4. The city was devastated by a prolonged siege, bombardment, and fire by Anglo-Portuguese forces following the expulsion of the French garrison Correct answer.

Explanation

In 1813, during the final phase of the Peninsular War, Anglo-Portuguese troops under Wellington besieged French-held San Sebastián. After breaching the walls on August 31, the city suffered widespread looting, destruction, and a devastating fire that destroyed almost the entire city except 31 houses on 31st of August Street.

Question 10Crisis of the old regime and construction of the liberal state

What was the purpose of the 'Manifiesto de los Persas' presented to Fernando VII in April 1814?

  1. To demand the immediate abdication of Fernando VII in favor of his brother Carlos
  2. To urge the King to reject the 1812 Constitution of Cádiz and restore absolute monarchy Correct answer.
  3. To petition for the independence of Spain's American colonies under constitutional rule
  4. To request military intervention by the British Empire to annex Portugal

Explanation

The Manifiesto de los Persas was a document signed by 69 absolutist deputies upon Fernando VII's return to Spain in 1814. It criticized the liberal reforms of Cádiz and urged the King to annul the 1812 Constitution and restore Ancien Régime absolutism.

Question 11Crisis of the old regime and construction of the liberal state

What did Fernando VII decree through the Decree of Valencia on May 4, 1814?

  1. The official adoption of the 1812 Constitution as the permanent law of Spain
  2. The creation of a federal republic with extensive regional self-governance
  3. The total annulment of the Constitution of 1812 and all decrees of the Cortes of Cádiz, treating them 'as if they had never existed' Correct answer.
  4. The immediate emancipation of all enslaved individuals across the Spanish Empire

Explanation

In the Decree of Valencia (May 4, 1814), Fernando VII declared the Constitution of 1812 and all legislative acts of the Cortes of Cádiz null and void, initiating the Sexenio Absolutista (1814–1820) and persecuting liberal leaders.

Question 12Crisis of the old regime and construction of the liberal state

Which military pronunciamiento in January 1820 forced Fernando VII to restore the Constitution of 1812, initiating the Trienio Liberal?

  1. The uprising of General Baldomero Espartero in Vergara
  2. The revolt of General Leopoldo O'Donnell in Vicálvaro
  3. The coup of General Arsenio Martínez Campos in Sagunto
  4. The mutiny of Lieutenant Colonel Rafael del Riego in Cabezas de San Juan Correct answer.

Explanation

On January 1, 1820, Lieutenant Colonel Rafael del Riego led a military revolt in Cabezas de San Juan (Seville) among troops destined for the Americas. Riego proclaimed the 1812 Constitution, sparking uprisings across Spain that compelled Fernando VII to swear allegiance to the constitution in March 1820.

Question 13Crisis of the old regime and construction of the liberal state

How was the Trienio Liberal brought to an end in 1823?

  1. By a popular vote of the Spanish Cortes abolishing the monarchy
  2. By a naval blockade imposed by the United States under the Monroe Doctrine
  3. By a general strike led by Spanish industrial labor syndicates
  4. By a French military invasion ('Hundred Thousand Sons of Saint Louis') mandated by the Holy Alliance to restore Fernando VII's absolute rule Correct answer.

Explanation

At the Congress of Verona (1822), the conservative Holy Alliance authorized France to intervene in Spain. In April 1823, a French army known as the 'Hundred Thousand Sons of Saint Louis' (Cien Mil Hijos de San Luis), commanded by the Duke of Angoulême, invaded Spain, defeated liberal forces, and restored Fernando VII as an absolute monarch.

Question 14Crisis of the old regime and construction of the liberal state

What characterized the political period known as the 'Ominous Decade' (Década Ominosa, 1823–1833)?

  1. A decade of rapid industrialization and progressive constitutional reforms across Spain
  2. Severe political repression against liberals, the execution of figures like Riego and Torrijos, and mounting dynastic tension over succession Correct answer.
  3. Spain's successful reconquest of Mexico, Peru, and Colombia
  4. The establishment of a joint parliamentary monarchy between Spain and Portugal

Explanation

The Ominosa Década marked Fernando VII's final decade of absolute rule. It was defined by political persecution of liberals (resulting in executions of leaders such as Rafael del Riego, Torrijos, and Mariana Pineda), economic hardship, and the succession crisis surrounding the Pragmatic Sanction.

Question 15Crisis of the old regime and construction of the liberal state

What was the main purpose of the Pragmatic Sanction promulgated by Fernando VII in 1830?

  1. To cede the Basque provinces to France in exchange for military loans
  2. To establish male-only primogeniture for all future Spanish monarchs
  3. To publish and enact the 1789 parliamentary decision abolishing the Salic Law, allowing female heirs like Isabel II to inherit the throne Correct answer.
  4. To declare the Catholic Church subject to civil taxation

Explanation

The Pragmatic Sanction of 1830 formally enacted a decision made by Carlos IV's Cortes in 1789 that abolished the Salic Law (which barred female succession). This allowed Fernando VII's infant daughter Isabel II to inherit the crown instead of Fernando's absolutist brother, Don Carlos.

Question 16Crisis of the old regime and construction of the liberal state

What were the core ideological principles and motto of the Carlist movement during the First Carlist War (1833–1840)?

  1. Marxism, secularism, anti-clericalism, and urban industrialization
  2. Federal republicanism, universal suffrage, and free trade
  3. Anarcho-syndicalism, abolition of private property, and regional cantons
  4. 'Dios, Patria, Fueros, Rey' (God, Fatherland, Local Charters, and Absolute King) Correct answer.

Explanation

Carlism was a traditionalist, counter-revolutionary movement supporting Don Carlos (Carlos María Isidro). Its core ideological pillars were Catholic confessionalism, absolute monarchy, anti-liberalism, and the defense of traditional regional charters (Fueros), encapsulated in the motto 'Dios, Patria, Fueros, Rey'.

Question 17Crisis of the old regime and construction of the liberal state

Who was the brilliant Carlist military commander who organized the Carlist forces in the Basque Country and Navarra until his death at the Siege of Bilbao in 1835?

  1. Tomás de Zumalacárregui Correct answer.
  2. Ramón Cabrera
  3. Rafael Maroto
  4. Baldomero Espartero

Explanation

General Tomás de Zumalacárregui organized dispersed Carlist guerrilla bands in the Basque Country and Navarra into a disciplined army. His effective tactics won major victories until he was mortally wounded during the siege of Bilbao in June 1835.

Question 18Crisis of the old regime and construction of the liberal state

What agreement signed in August 1839 brought an end to the First Carlist War in the northern theater?

  1. The Treaty of Valençay between Napoleon and Fernando VII
  2. The Convenio de Vergara (Abrazo de Vergara) between Liberal General Espartero and Carlist General Maroto Correct answer.
  3. The Pact of Ostend between Progressives and Liberal Unionists
  4. The Law of Pidal abolishing the Basque tax system

Explanation

The Convenio de Vergara (symbolized by the 'Abrazo de Vergara') was signed on August 31, 1839, between Liberal General Baldomero Espartero and Carlist General Rafael Maroto. It ended main fighting in the north, incorporated Carlist officers into the Spanish army, and promised to recommend the preservation of Basque fueros to the Cortes.

Question 19Crisis of the old regime and construction of the liberal state

What was the significance of the Law of October 25, 1839 regarding the Basque Country and Navarra?

  1. It immediately outlawed all Basque cultural traditions and banned the Basque language
  2. It fully restored medieval absolute monarchy and crowned Don Carlos king in Bilbao
  3. It confirmed the Basque and Navarrese Fueros 'without prejudice to the constitutional unity of the monarchy' Correct answer.
  4. It created the Autonomous Community of Euskadi with an elected Lehendakari

Explanation

Following the Convenio de Vergara, the Spanish Cortes passed the Law of October 25, 1839. It confirmed the Basque and Navarrese regional charters (Fueros) 'without prejudice to the constitutional unity of the monarchy,' creating a legal tension between regional chartered rights and centralized liberal constitutionalism.

Question 20Crisis of the old regime and construction of the liberal state

Following the Carlist War, what major institutional change was imposed on the Basque provinces in 1841?

  1. The total military occupation and conversion of Álava into a French territory
  2. The relocation of inland customs stations (aduanas) to the coast and international borders, integrating the Basque provinces into the national Spanish market Correct answer.
  3. The complete exemption of Basque citizens from all national sales taxes forever
  4. The establishment of the first Basque provincial parliament in Madrid

Explanation

In 1841, under Espartero's regency, the Spanish government transferred customs posts from inland river borders (Ebro) to maritime ports and the French border. This removed interior trade barriers, integrating the Basque economy into the national market while modifying traditional Foral arrangements.

Question 21Crisis of the old regime and construction of the liberal state

What political structure was established by the Estatuto Real of 1834 during the regency of María Cristina?

  1. A Royal Charter (Carta Otorgada) establishing a bicameral assembly (Estamento de Próceres and Estamento de Ilustres) with very limited advisory powers and strict property qualifications Correct answer.
  2. A single-chamber radical democratic assembly elected by universal male suffrage
  3. An absolute monarchy with no parliamentary body or legislative elections
  4. A federal council representing independent regional cantons

Explanation

Promulgated by Prime Minister Martínez de la Rosa under Regent María Cristina, the Estatuto Real of 1834 was not a popular constitution but an enacted charter. It established a bicameral legislature comprising an upper house of nobles/bishops (Próceres) and an elected lower house of wealthy taxpayers (Ilustres or Procuradores).

Question 22Crisis of the old regime and construction of the liberal state

What was the primary goal of Juan Álvarez Mendizábal's Desamortización (Disentailment) decrees of 1836?

  1. To distribute free land directly to landless peasant families across Andalusia
  2. To expropriate and publicly auction regular clergy Church lands to raise funds for the Carlist War, reduce national debt, and create a landowning class loyal to liberalism Correct answer.
  3. To return confiscated royal estates back to the Carlist pretender Don Carlos
  4. To build state-owned agricultural cooperatives managed by municipal councils

Explanation

Mendizábal's 1836 disentailment decree nationalized and auctioned lands belonging to monastic orders. The objectives were to finance the Isabelino war effort against Carlism, service public debt, and tie wealthy land buyers to the success of the Liberal state.

Question 23Crisis of the old regime and construction of the liberal state

How did the Constitution of 1837 seek to bridge the gap between Progressive and Moderado liberals?

  1. By abolishing the monarchy and appointing a President elected every four years
  2. By establishing absolute freedom of religion and banning the Catholic Church
  3. By combining Progressive elements (national sovereignty, bill of rights, Militia) with Moderado elements (bicameral parliament, royal veto, state funding for Catholic clergy) Correct answer.
  4. By granting complete legislative independence to each Spanish province

Explanation

The Progressive-led Constitution of 1837 was designed as a constitutional compromise. It retained national sovereignty and civil liberties while adopting a bicameral parliament (Senate and Congress of Deputies), granting executive veto power to the Crown, and providing state funding for the Catholic clergy.

Question 24Crisis of the old regime and construction of the liberal state

Which security force was created in 1844 by the Duke of Ahumada during the Moderado Decade to maintain public order in rural areas?

  1. The Milicia Nacional
  2. The Mossos d'Esquadra
  3. The Somatén
  4. The Guardia Civil Correct answer.

Explanation

The Guardia Civil was founded in May 1844 by Francisco Javier Girón (Duke of Ahumada) under Narváez's Moderado government. It was designed as a disciplined, militarized gendarmerie to enforce public order, combat banditry, and protect property in rural Spain.

Question 25Crisis of the old regime and construction of the liberal state

What was a defining characteristic of the Constitution of 1845 enacted under General Narváez's Moderado government?

  1. Shared sovereignty between the King and the Cortes, highly restricted property-based census suffrage, and exclusive Catholic confessionality Correct answer.
  2. Popular national sovereignty, universal male suffrage, and religious freedom
  3. A unicameral parliament elected by secret ballot open to all adult citizens
  4. The total decentralization of administrative authority to municipal councils

Explanation

The Constitution of 1845 reflected Moderado doctrine: sovereignty shared between the Crown and Cortes ('Soberanía compartida'), expanded royal prerogatives (appointing senators and dissolving parliament), strict property qualifications for voting (reducing voters to ~1% of population), and Catholic religious exclusivity.

Question 26Crisis of the old regime and construction of the liberal state

What agreement was reached between the Spanish State and the Holy See through the Concordat of 1851?

  1. The Pope agreed to hand over all Vatican archives to the Spanish National Library
  2. The Catholic Church accepted past disentailments of church property in exchange for state financial support of clergy and Church control over education Correct answer.
  3. Spain officially broke diplomatic relations with Rome and established an independent national church
  4. The Papacy recognized Don Carlos as the legitimate King of Spain

Explanation

The Concordat of 1851 normalized relations between Spain and Pope Pius IX. The Church recognized the legitimacy of past sales of church lands under Mendizábal, while the Spanish government agreed to fund clergy salaries, support church maintenance, and grant the Church supervisory power over public education.

Question 27Crisis of the old regime and construction of the liberal state

Drafted by Cánovas del Castillo during the 1854 Vicalvarada uprising, what was the significance of the Manifiesto de Manzanares?

  1. It demanded the immediate dissolution of the army and the surrender of Spain to France
  2. It called for the permanent abolition of all political parties and the crowning of a foreign prince
  3. It articulated popular reformist demands-including compliance with the constitution, electoral reform, press freedom, and reduction of taxes-launching the Bienio Progresista Correct answer.
  4. It declared the independence of the Basque country and Navarra under a joint assembly

Explanation

The Manifiesto de Manzanares (July 1854), written by Cánovas and signed by General Leopoldo O'Donnell, converted a military revolt into a broad popular movement. It promised constitutional reform, lower taxes, electoral improvements, and restoration of the National Militia, ushering in the Bienio Progresista (1854–1856) under Espartero.

Question 28Crisis of the old regime and construction of the liberal state

What was the main target of Pascual Madoz's General Disentailment Law (Ley de Desamortización General) of 1855?

  1. Privately owned industrial factories in Catalonia
  2. Foreign merchant shipping vessels docked in Bilbao
  3. Urban residential housing blocks in downtown Madrid
  4. Municipal common lands (bienes de propios y comunes) and remaining church properties Correct answer.

Explanation

Enacted during the Bienio Progresista, the 1855 Madoz Law expanded disentailment to include municipal properties (bienes de propios y comunes belonging to towns and villages) as well as remaining church and military order lands. Proceeds were used to reduce state debt and finance railway infrastructure.

Question 29Crisis of the old regime and construction of the liberal state

What was the primary impact of the General Railway Law (Ley General de Ferrocarriles) of 1855?

  1. It provided a legal and financial framework that attracted massive foreign investment (especially French capital) to build Spain's radial railway network Correct answer.
  2. It banned foreign companies from constructing or operating transport networks in Spain
  3. It forced all trains to be manufactured exclusively in Basque shipyards using local timber
  4. It limited railway construction to short coastal routes between seaport cities

Explanation

The General Railway Law of 1855 offered foreign investors state guarantees, tax exemptions, and duty-free import of equipment. This led to a boom in track construction (dominated by French capital firms like Pereire and Rothschild), establishing a radial railway system centered on Madrid.

Question 30Crisis of the old regime and construction of the liberal state

What was agreed upon in the Pact of Ostend (Pacto de Ostende) in August 1866?

  1. The unification of Spain and Portugal under King Luis I
  2. An alliance between Progressives and Democrats (later joined by Liberal Unionists) to overthrow Isabel II and convene a Constituent Cortes to decide the nation's future Correct answer.
  3. A military agreement between Spain and Prussia to invade France
  4. The permanent re-establishment of the Inquisition in Spain

Explanation

Signed in Ostend (Belgium) in 1866 by exiled Progressive and Democratic leaders (later joined by Unionists after O'Donnell's death), the Pact of Ostend aimed to end Isabel II's regime. It agreed that a Constituent Assembly elected by universal male suffrage would decide whether Spain became a constitutional monarchy or republic.

Question 31Restoration and its crises

Which military uprising in September 1868 successfully dethroned Queen Isabel II and initiated the Sexenio Democrático?

  1. The Vicalvarada led by General O'Donnell
  2. The coup of General Pavía in the Cortes
  3. La Gloriosa (The Glorious Revolution) led by Admiral Topete, General Prim, and General Serrano Correct answer.
  4. The Carlist assault on Bilbao led by General Zumalacárregui

Explanation

La Gloriosa began in September 1868 with Admiral Juan Bautista Topete's naval revolt in Cádiz, supported by Generals Juan Prim and Francisco Serrano. After defeating loyalist troops at the Battle of Alcolea, Isabel II went into exile in France, launching the Sexenio Democrático (1868–1874).

Question 32Restoration and its crises

What progressive milestone made the Constitution of 1869 unique in 19th-century Spanish history?

  1. It established absolute divine-right monarchy without parliamentary checks
  2. It outlawed all labor strikes and political demonstrations permanently
  3. It abolished the post of Prime Minister and granted full executive power to provincial governors
  4. It was Spain's first democratic constitution, establishing national sovereignty, universal male suffrage, freedom of religion, and extensive press and assembly rights Correct answer.

Explanation

The Constitution of 1869 was the democratic highlight of 19th-century Spain. Drafted by a Constituent Cortes elected by direct universal male suffrage, it enshrined national sovereignty, complete freedom of worship, press freedom, rights of assembly and association, and a constitutional monarchy.

Question 33Restoration and its crises

Why did King Amadeo I of Savoy abdicate the Spanish throne in February 1873 after only two years of reign?

  1. He faced insurmountable political fragmentation, the loss of his main sponsor General Prim (assassinated), military insubordination, and simultaneous Carlist and Cuban wars Correct answer.
  2. He was overthrown by a French army sent by Napoleon III
  3. He decided to accept the crown of the German Empire instead
  4. He was forced out by a military coup led by Cánovas del Castillo

Explanation

Amadeo I faced immense challenges: General Prim was assassinated right before Amadeo arrived in Spain, leaving him without his chief political backer. Facing partisan bickering among coalition parties, army insubordination (Artillery crisis), the Third Carlist War, and the Ten Years' War in Cuba, he abdicated on February 11, 1873, describing Spaniards as 'ungovernable'.

Question 34Restoration and its crises

How was the First Spanish Republic proclaimed on February 11, 1873?

  1. By a nationwide popular referendum organized by socialist labor unions
  2. By a joint session of the Congress and Senate acting as a National Assembly following Amadeo I's abdication Correct answer.
  3. By a military decree issued from the garrison of Barcelona by General Primo de Rivera
  4. By an executive order from the Pope in Rome

Explanation

Following Amadeo I's abdication letter on February 11, 1873, the Senate and Congress of Deputies met together as a National Assembly and voted overwhelmingly (258 to 32) to proclaim the Republic, appointing Estanislao Figueras as its first president.

Question 35Restoration and its crises

What was the Cantonalist Rebellion (Rebelión Cantonal) that destabilized the First Spanish Republic in 1873?

  1. A Royalist uprising aimed at crowning the French Count of Paris as King of Spain
  2. A foreign naval blockade led by the British Royal Navy off the coast of Galicia
  3. An insurrection by intransigent federal republicans and labor militants who declared independent city-states ('cantons') across southern and eastern Spain, most famously in Cartagena Correct answer.
  4. A strike by postal workers that shut down all telegraph communications in Madrid

Explanation

In July 1873, radical 'intransigent' federal republicans frustrated by slow parliamentary progress rebelled and proclaimed autonomous cantons in cities across Valencia, Murcia, and Andalusia (e.g. Cartagena, Alcoy, Málaga). The Cartagena Canton seized the naval fleet and resisted central government forces for months.

Question 36Restoration and its crises

Drafted by Antonio Cánovas del Castillo and issued by Prince Alfonso in December 1874, what was the primary message of the Sandhurst Manifesto?

  1. To declare that Alfonso would rule as an absolute monarch without a parliament
  2. To announce Spain's military withdrawal from Cuba and the Philippines
  3. To promise the establishment of a socialist commonwealth based on land distribution
  4. To present Prince Alfonso as a constitutional, liberal, and Catholic monarch capable of restoring order and national stability Correct answer.

Explanation

Issued on December 1, 1874, while Prince Alfonso was studying at the Sandhurst Military Academy in Britain, the Manifesto laid out Cánovas's plan for the Restoration. It presented Alfonso as a representative of liberal constitutional monarchy, respectful of Catholic tradition, and able to bring stability after the chaos of the Sexenio.

Question 37Restoration and its crises

What action taken by General Arsenio Martínez Campos in Sagunto on December 29, 1874 precipitated the Bourbon Restoration?

  1. He led a military pronunciamiento proclaiming Alfonso XII King of Spain Correct answer.
  2. He arrested Cánovas del Castillo and declared himself dictator
  3. He surrendered the Spanish Army to Carlist forces in Valencia
  4. He signed a peace treaty ceding Cuba to the United States

Explanation

On December 29, 1874, General Martínez Campos proclaimed Prince Alfonso as King Alfonso XII in Sagunto (Valencia). Although Cánovas had preferred a civilian-led political restoration, the army backed Martínez Campos's pronunciamiento, ending the First Republic and initiating the Restoration.

Question 38Restoration and its crises

Following the defeat of the Carlists in the Third Carlist War, what was enacted by the Law of July 21, 1876 regarding the Basque provinces?

  1. The immediate granting of total political independence to Euskadi
  2. The abolition of the traditional Basque chartered institutions (Fueros) and tax/conscription immunities, obligating Basque provinces to pay national taxes and submit to military conscription Correct answer.
  3. The creation of a Basque monarchy ruled by Carlos VII under Spanish protection
  4. The total suppression of all heavy industry in Bizkaia

Explanation

Under Cánovas's government, the Law of July 21, 1876 formally abolished the core political and fiscal immunities of the Basque Fueros (Álava, Bizkaia, and Gipuzkoa). It extended national taxation and military draft obligations to the Basque provinces, prompting intense regional grief and legal renegotiation.

Question 39Restoration and its crises

Established in 1878 as a practical compromise following the abolition of the Fueros, what was the Economic Agreement (Concierto Económico)?

  1. A system allowing French mining companies to operate without paying local taxes
  2. A trade embargo prohibiting Basque factories from exporting iron to Great Britain
  3. A fiscal arrangement where Basque provincial councils (Diputaciones) collected taxes directly within their territory and paid a negotiated annual quota (cupo) to the central state Correct answer.
  4. A national government grant paying free pensions to all Carlist veterans

Explanation

Decreed by Cánovas in 1878, the Concierto Económico allowed Basque provincial councils (Diputaciones) to retain administrative responsibility for collecting direct taxes locally. In return, the provinces paid a set annual sum ('cupo') to the central Spanish treasury, laying the groundwork for modern Basque fiscal autonomy.

Question 40Restoration and its crises

What was a principal legal feature of the Constitution of 1876 designed by Cánovas del Castillo?

  1. It was extremely rigid and prohibited any future legislative amendments
  2. It established a unicameral assembly with mandatory non-religious state education
  3. It outlawed the Catholic Church and banned religious processions
  4. It was a flexible document establishing shared sovereignty (King and Cortes) and Catholic confessionality while permitting private tolerance for other religious cults Correct answer.

Explanation

The Constitution of 1876 was flexible and deliberately vague to enable both Conservatives and Liberals to govern without replacing the document. It established shared sovereignty between the Crown and Cortes, a bicameral legislature, and Catholic confessionality with restricted private freedom of worship (Article 11).

Question 41Restoration and its crises

How did the 'Turno Pacífico' (Peaceful Turn) operate under the Restoration political system?

  1. The Conservative Party (Cánovas) and Liberal Party (Sagasta) systematically alternated in power through pre-arranged electoral fraud, avoiding military coups Correct answer.
  2. The King conducted weekly public radio polls to choose the cabinet
  3. Voters directly elected independent non-party candidates via electronic ballots
  4. Power rotated automatically every year among military generals from the infantry and navy

Explanation

The Turno Pacífico was an orchestrated bipartisan agreement between Cánovas (Conservatives) and Sagasta (Liberals). When a government faced crisis, the King called the opposition leader to form a cabinet, which then called elections and manufactured a parliamentary majority using electoral corruption.

Question 42Restoration and its crises

Which mechanisms ensured the predictable outcome of elections during the Restoration era?

  1. Strict oversight by international democratic observers from the League of Nations
  2. The 'Encasillamiento' (pre-assigning deputy lists in Madrid) enforced locally by rural oligarchs ('Caciques') using ballot-stuffing ('Pucherazo') Correct answer.
  3. Mandatory voting monitored by university professors using fingerprint verification
  4. Proportional representation lists tabulated by independent provincial judges

Explanation

Electoral fraud in the Restoration relied on 'encasillamiento' (the Interior Ministry drafting lists of winning deputies) executed by local bosses ('caciques') in rural districts. They coerced voters through economic pressure or employed fraud techniques ('pucherazo', voting dead persons / 'lázaros').

Question 43Restoration and its crises

What was agreed between Cánovas and Sagasta in the Pact of El Pardo (1885)?

  1. To declare war on France over colonial boundaries in North Africa
  2. To abolish the Concierto Económico in the Basque provinces
  3. To preserve system stability and support the regency of pregnant Queen Maria Christina following King Alfonso XII's premature death Correct answer.
  4. To dissolve the army and establish a permanent police state

Explanation

When Alfonso XII died unexpectedly of tuberculosis in November 1885, Cánovas met with Sagasta at the El Pardo Palace. They agreed to maintain the Restoration system, handing power smoothly to Sagasta's Liberal Party to protect the regency of Maria Christina of Austria during her pregnancy with future King Alfonso XIII.

Question 44Restoration and its crises

Who founded the Basque Nationalist Party (Euzko Alderdi Jeltzalea / Partido Nacionalista Vasco, EAJ-PNV) in 1895 and designed the Ikurriña flag?

  1. Blas de Lezo
  2. Enric Prat de la Riba
  3. Valentí Almirall
  4. Sabino Arana Goiri Correct answer.

Explanation

Sabino Arana Goiri founded EAJ-PNV in Bilbao in 1895. Along with his brother Luis, he formulated Basque nationalist ideology around Catholic faith, Basque language (Euskera), race, and historical Fueros, coined the motto 'Jaungoikoa eta Lagun Zaharrak' (JEL), and created the Ikurriña flag.

Question 45Restoration and its crises

Which social and economic transformation in late 19th-century Bizkaia catalyzed the emergence of Sabino Arana's Basque nationalism?

  1. Rapid industrialization, massive iron mining expansion, and the arrival of thousands of non-Basque immigrant workers ('maketos'), which traditionalists feared threatened Basque identity Correct answer.
  2. The complete collapse of steel manufacturing and total abandonment of Bilbao's ports
  3. A severe agricultural famine caused by grape phylloxera that emptied all Basque cities
  4. The total replacement of Catholic churches with Protestant chapels across Gipuzkoa

Explanation

Late 19th-century Bizkaia underwent intense industrialization, driven by iron ore exports and steel mills. This brought thousands of Spanish immigrant laborers ('maketos') and rapid urban change. Sabino Arana's early nationalist movement emerged as a defensive reaction among traditional Basque Catholic petty bourgeoisie against industrial capitalism, socialism, and demographic change.

Question 46Restoration and its crises

What were the immediate territorial consequences for Spain under the Treaty of Paris ending the Spanish-American War in December 1898?

  1. Spain acquired strategic naval territories in North Africa from Morocco
  2. Spain relinquished Cuba and ceded Puerto Rico, the Philippines, and Guam to the United States Correct answer.
  3. Spain annexed Portugal and Madeira
  4. Spain retained full sovereignty over Cuba while giving up Florida

Explanation

The Treaty of Paris (December 10, 1898) marked the end of the Spanish Empire in the Americas and the Pacific. Spain recognized Cuban independence (under US occupation) and ceded Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines to the United States for $20 million.

Question 47Restoration and its crises

What was the primary argument of the 'Regeneracionismo' intellectual movement led by Joaquín Costa following the Disaster of 1898?

  1. Spain should immediately invade South America to rebuild the Spanish Empire
  2. Spain needed to embrace absolute monarchy and restore the Inquisition
  3. Spain required structural modernization, eradication of caciquismo, agrarian reform, and massive investment in public education ('School and Larder' / 'Escuela y despensa') Correct answer.
  4. Spain should adopt English as its official language and dissolve all municipal governments

Explanation

Regeneracionismo was an intellectual critique of Restoration corruption following 1898. Led by thinkers like Joaquín Costa, it called for real social and economic overhaul, summarized in Costa's famous slogans: 'School and Larder' (Escuela y despensa) and 'double lock on Cid's tomb' (to move past imperial nostalgia).

Question 48Restoration and its crises

What was Conservative Prime Minister Antonio Maura attempting to achieve with his policy of 'Revolution from Above' (Revolución desde arriba, 1907–1909)?

  1. An armed military revolution to establish a fascist dictatorship
  2. The nationalization of all church property and closure of convents
  3. The total suppression of the Navy in favor of air defense
  4. Top-down legislative reforms to dismantle caciquismo, engage the 'neutral mass' of voters, and grant limited administrative decentralization Correct answer.

Explanation

Antonio Maura's 'Revolución desde arriba' sought to reform the Restoration state from the top before a violent revolution broke out from below. He introduced the 1907 Electoral Law (to reduce fraud) and proposed a Local Administration Law to grant regional bodies administrative powers.

Question 49Restoration and its crises

What event sparked the 'Tragic Week' (Semana Trágica) violent uprising in Barcelona in July 1909?

  1. The call-up of working-class army reservists (many supporting families) to fight in the Rif War in Morocco Correct answer.
  2. The assassination of King Alfonso XIII during a royal visit to Montjuïc
  3. A strike by bank managers demanding higher gold interest rates
  4. The closing of all Catholic schools by the central government

Explanation

In July 1909, the Maura government mobilized army reservists (mostly working-class men who could not pay the fee to escape military service) for the colonial campaign in Melilla. Protests at Barcelona's port escalated into a general strike, anti-clerical violence, convent-burning, and street battles known as the Tragic Week.

Question 50Restoration and its crises

Enacted under Liberal Prime Minister José Canalejas in 1910, what did the 'Padlock Law' (Ley del Candado) stipulate?

  1. It mandated that all firearms in private hands be locked in state armories
  2. It prohibited the establishment of new Catholic religious orders in Spain for two years without government authorization Correct answer.
  3. It locked all trade union headquarters and declared strikes illegal
  4. It prohibited foreign ships from locking docking bays in Spanish seaports

Explanation

Passed in December 1910 under Liberal Prime Minister José Canalejas, the Ley del Candado barred the establishment of new religious congregations in Spain for two years while a new Concordat was negotiated, aiming to curb church expansion and satisfy anti-clerical reformists.