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The Cortes of Cádiz, responsible for ratifying the 1812 Constitution, comprised delegates exclusively from Peninsular Spain.
Answer: False
Explanation: The Cortes of Cádiz was the first Spanish legislature to include delegates from the entire nation, encompassing both Peninsular Spain and its overseas possessions, such as Spanish America and the Philippines.
The Napoleonic invasion of Spain in 1808 served as a direct impetus for the convocation of the Cortes of Cádiz and the subsequent drafting of a new constitution.
Answer: True
Explanation: The Napoleonic invasion and the ensuing crisis of legitimacy prompted the formation of juntas and the eventual convening of the Cortes of Cádiz to establish a legitimate government and draft a new constitution.
The Bayonne Constitution, promulgated by Napoleon, garnered widespread acceptance among Spaniards owing to its formal endeavors to legitimize Joseph Bonaparte's sovereignty.
Answer: False
Explanation: The Bayonne Constitution was rejected by Spaniards from the peninsula and overseas territories, as they opposed Napoleon's imposition of a foreign monarch, despite formal attempts at legitimization.
The Supreme Central Junta was established to coordinate regional juntas and to convoke a Cortes, thereby asserting a definitive claim to legitimacy amidst the Napoleonic invasion.
Answer: True
Explanation: The Supreme Central Junta's purpose was to coordinate local juntas, establish an interim government, and call for a Cortes to assert legitimacy during the crisis of the Napoleonic invasion.
The Cortes of Cádiz assembled in Madrid, consistent with its historical role as the nexus of Spanish political authority.
Answer: False
Explanation: The Cortes of Cádiz convened in Cádiz, a fortified port, chosen for its security from French troops and an outbreak of yellow fever, rather than in Madrid.
The preponderance of deputies in the Cortes of 1810–1812 consisted of representatives from the Church and nobility, whose objective was the restoration of the Old Regime.
Answer: False
Explanation: The majority of deputies in the Cortes of 1810–1812 were liberals, with representatives of the Church and nobility forming a minority, indicating a shift towards progressive political thought.
Specify the date on which the Constitution of Cádiz received formal ratification.
Answer: March 19, 1812
Explanation: The Constitution of Cádiz was formally ratified on March 19, 1812.
Identify the legislative assembly responsible for the ratification of the Constitution of Cádiz.
Answer: The Cortes of Cádiz
Explanation: The Constitution of Cádiz was ratified by the Cortes of Cádiz, which was the first Spanish legislature to include delegates from the entire nation and its overseas possessions.
Explain the reasons for the Spanish populace's rejection of the Bayonne Constitution.
Answer: It was seen as an imposition of a foreign monarch by Napoleon.
Explanation: The Bayonne Constitution was rejected by Spaniards because they opposed Napoleon's imposition of a foreign monarch, Joseph Bonaparte, despite formal attempts to legitimize his rule.
What was the principal objective of the Supreme Central Junta during the period of the Napoleonic invasion?
Answer: To coordinate local juntas and establish an interim Spanish government.
Explanation: The primary purpose of the Supreme Central Junta was to coordinate local juntas and establish an interim Spanish government, calling for a Cortes to assert a firm claim to legitimacy.
Identify the convocation site of the Cortes of Cádiz and articulate the primary rationale for its selection.
Answer: Cádiz, because it was a fortified port and secure from French troops.
Explanation: The Cortes of Cádiz convened in Cádiz, a fortified port, chosen because it was the most secure location for the Cortes to meet while besieged by French troops and facing an outbreak of yellow fever.
Characterize the political orientation of the majority of deputies within the Cortes of 1810–1812.
Answer: Liberals, supported by the British.
Explanation: The majority of deputies in the Cortes of 1810–1812 were liberals, supported implicitly by the British, indicating a shift towards more progressive political thought.
The Spanish Constitution of 1812 acquired the popular appellation 'La Pepa' because its ratification occurred on Saint Joseph's Day.
Answer: True
Explanation: The Constitution of 1812 was affectionately nicknamed 'La Pepa' because it was ratified on March 19, Saint Joseph's Day, with 'Pepe' being a common diminutive for 'José'.
The Constitution of 1812 designated Roman Catholicism as the official state religion, yet simultaneously permitted the free practice of other faiths.
Answer: False
Explanation: The 1812 Constitution proclaimed Roman Catholicism as the official and *sole* legal religion in Spain, indicating a restriction on other religious practices rather than free allowance.
The Constitution of 1812 substantially diminished the authority of both the Crown and the Catholic Church, notwithstanding the retention of Catholicism as the state religion.
Answer: True
Explanation: The new Constitution of 1812 significantly reduced the power of the Crown and the Catholic Church, shifting authority towards a more representative government, even though Catholicism remained the state religion.
The paramount aim of the Constitution of 1812 was to institute an absolute monarchy characterized by robust, centralized royal authority.
Answer: False
Explanation: The primary objective of the Constitution of 1812 was to prevent arbitrary and corrupt royal rule by establishing a limited monarchy with parliamentary control, not an absolute one.
The Constitution of 1812 incorporated a distinct Bill of Rights, analogous to that found in the United States Constitution.
Answer: False
Explanation: The Constitution of 1812 did not include a separate Bill of Rights; instead, the rights and obligations of citizens were integrated within its individual articles.
Male suffrage under the 1812 Constitution was contingent upon property qualifications, thereby restricting voting rights to the affluent.
Answer: False
Explanation: Male suffrage under the 1812 Constitution was notably *not* determined by property qualifications, which allowed for broader access to suffrage for men in popular groups, favoring the commercial class.
The Constitution of 1812 instituted a centralized administrative framework for the entirety of the Spanish Empire, superseding diverse historical local governmental structures.
Answer: True
Explanation: The Constitution of 1812 established a centralized administrative system for the entire Spanish Empire, based on uniform provincial governments and municipalities, replacing previous varied local structures.
The inaugural provincial government established under the Constitution of 1812 was situated in the province of Guadalajara con Molina.
Answer: True
Explanation: The first provincial government created under the Constitution of 1812 was indeed in the province of Guadalajara con Molina, with its deputation meeting in Anguita in April 1813.
What was the popular appellation for the Spanish Constitution of 1812, and what was the etymological basis for this designation?
Answer: La Pepa, because it was passed on Saint Joseph's Day.
Explanation: The Constitution of 1812 was affectionately nicknamed 'La Pepa' because it was ratified on March 19, Saint Joseph's Day, with 'Pepe' being a common diminutive for 'José'.
Identify a significant deviation from the liberal principles advocated by the Constitution of 1812.
Answer: The proclamation of Roman Catholicism as the sole legal religion.
Explanation: A notable exception to the liberal principles of the 1812 Constitution was its proclamation of Roman Catholicism as the official and sole legal religion in Spain.
Which of the subsequent statements does NOT represent one of the three fundamental principles formally endorsed by the Cortes of Cádiz?
Answer: The establishment of a federal republic.
Explanation: The three basic principles ratified by the Cortes were that sovereignty resides in the nation, the legitimacy of Ferdinand VII as King of Spain, and the inviolability of the deputies. The establishment of a federal republic was not among them.
Assess the ramifications of the Constitution of 1812 on the authority of the Crown and the Catholic Church.
Answer: It significantly reduced their power.
Explanation: Although Catholicism remained the state religion, the new Constitution significantly reduced the power of the Crown and the Catholic Church, shifting authority towards a more representative government.
What constituted the paramount objective of the Constitution of 1812 concerning monarchical governance?
Answer: To prevent arbitrary and corrupt royal rule.
Explanation: The principal aim of the Constitution of 1812 was to prevent arbitrary and corrupt royal rule by establishing a limited monarchy that governed through ministers subject to parliamentary control.
Specify the total number of articles and principal chapters comprising the Constitution of 1812.
Answer: 384 articles in 10 major chapters.
Explanation: The Constitution of 1812 contained 384 articles organized into 10 major chapters.
Describe the methodology adopted by the Constitution of 1812 concerning the inclusion of a distinct Bill of Rights.
Answer: It integrated rights and obligations within its individual articles instead of a separate Bill of Rights.
Explanation: The Constitution of 1812 did not include a separate Bill of Rights; instead, the rights and obligations of citizens were integrated and embedded within its individual articles.
Identify a salient feature of male suffrage as stipulated by the Constitution of 1812.
Answer: It was not determined by property qualifications, favoring the commercial class.
Explanation: A key characteristic of male suffrage under the Constitution of 1812 was that it was not determined by property qualifications, which favored the commercial class and allowed broader access for men in popular groups.
Identify which of the following constituted the inaugural provincial government established under the Constitution of 1812.
Answer: The province of Guadalajara con Molina.
Explanation: The first provincial government created under the Constitution of 1812 was in the province of Guadalajara con Molina, with its deputation first meeting in Anguita in April 1813.
Peninsular representatives at the Cortes of Cádiz typically advocated for the extension of suffrage to all indigenous, mixed-race, and free black populations within overseas territories.
Answer: False
Explanation: The majority of peninsular representatives opposed proposals for extended suffrage for overseas populations, aiming to limit the political weight of non-peninsulares and maintain power in favor of Spain.
During the period of the Constitution's drafting, the overseas provinces possessed a greater estimated population than continental Spain.
Answer: True
Explanation: Estimates indicate that the overseas provinces had a combined population of 15 to 16 million, compared to continental Spain's 10 to 11 million, highlighting the significant demographic weight of the colonies.
Article 1 of the Constitution of 1812 delineated the Spanish nation as solely comprising the inhabitants of the Iberian Peninsula.
Answer: False
Explanation: Article 1 of the Constitution of 1812 explicitly stated: 'The Spanish nation is the collectivity of the Spaniards of both hemispheres,' emphasizing an inclusive definition beyond the Iberian Peninsula.
The Constitution of 1812 conferred automatic citizenship upon free blacks and mulatos, and these populations were included in calculations for representation.
Answer: False
Explanation: The Constitution of 1812 explicitly denied automatic citizenship to free blacks and mulatos, and they were not counted for the purpose of determining provincial representation in the Cortes.
The withholding of automatic citizenship from free blacks and mulatos resulted in the exclusion of an estimated six million individuals from electoral registers in overseas territories.
Answer: True
Explanation: The denial of automatic citizenship and representation counting to free blacks and mulatos indeed removed an estimated six million people from the electoral rolls in overseas territories, a strategy to limit their political influence.
Peninsular deputies typically endorsed federalism as a mechanism to bestow greater autonomy upon American and Asian territories.
Answer: False
Explanation: Peninsular deputies were generally disinclined towards federalism, preferring a centralized government, in contrast to many overseas deputies who promoted federalism for greater self-rule.
The Constitution of 1812 reclassified overseas territories as provinces, thereby redirecting tax revenues from these possessions to the state administrative apparatus rather than directly to the royal treasury.
Answer: True
Explanation: By converting overseas territories into provinces, the Constitution of 1812 diverted taxes from the royal treasury to the state administrative apparatus, significantly impacting the king's economic resources.
The Constitution of 1812 stipulated the establishment of local governments, known as 'ayuntamientos,' for all settlements exceeding 500 inhabitants.
Answer: False
Explanation: The 1812 Constitution provided for the creation of 'ayuntamientos' for every settlement of over 1,000 people, not 500.
The newly implemented ayuntamiento system predominantly advantaged the traditional nobility and clergy through the consolidation of their local authority.
Answer: False
Explanation: The new ayuntamiento system, with its indirect elections, primarily benefited the bourgeoisie and Criollos, who came to dominate these local governing bodies, rather than the traditional nobility and clergy.
The Constitution of 1812 was formally promulgated in New Spain and Peru concurrently on the same date.
Answer: False
Explanation: The Constitution was promulgated in New Spain on September 19, 1812, and in Peru on October 1, 1812, indicating different promulgation dates.
Viceroy José Fernando Abascal in Peru effectively managed to control both the electoral process and the press during the promulgation of the Constitution.
Answer: True
Explanation: Viceroy José Fernando Abascal in Peru successfully controlled the electoral process and the press during the Constitution's promulgation, despite its provisions for press freedom.
What constituted a significant contentious issue during the constitutional drafting process regarding populations in overseas territories?
Answer: The status of native and mixed-race populations regarding representation and citizenship rights.
Explanation: A major point of debate during the drafting of the Constitution was the status of native and mixed-race populations in Spain's overseas possessions, particularly regarding their representation and citizenship rights.
Estimate the number of overseas-born representatives present at the Cortes of Cádiz, given a total of 303 deputies.
Answer: Around 37
Explanation: Out of 303 total representatives, 37 were born in overseas territories, including temporary substitute deputies.
Characterize the general perspective of peninsular representatives regarding proposals for expanded suffrage for overseas populations.
Answer: They opposed it to limit the political weight of non-peninsulares.
Explanation: The majority of peninsular representatives opposed proposals for extended suffrage for overseas populations, as they wished to limit the political weight of non-peninsulares and maintain a balance of power in favor of Spain.
Detail the estimated demographic imbalance between continental Spain and its overseas provinces during the period of the Constitution's drafting.
Answer: Overseas provinces had a larger population.
Explanation: Estimates indicated that continental Spain had a population of 10 to 11 million, while the overseas provinces combined had a population of around 15 to 16 million, meaning overseas provinces had a larger population.
Recite the precise phrasing of Article 1 of the Constitution of 1812 concerning the definition of the Spanish nation.
Answer: 'The Spanish nation is the collectivity of the Spaniards of both hemispheres.'
Explanation: Article 1 of the Constitution of 1812 stated: 'The Spanish nation is the collectivity of the Spaniards of both hemispheres,' emphasizing the inclusive nature of the nation.
Describe the citizenship provisions for free blacks and mulatos within the framework of the Constitution of 1812.
Answer: They were recognized civil rights but denied automatic citizenship and not counted for representation.
Explanation: The Constitution recognized the civil rights of free blacks and mulatos but explicitly denied them automatic citizenship and did not count them for representation purposes.
Evaluate a significant consequence stemming from the denial of automatic citizenship and electoral representation to free blacks and mulatos.
Answer: It removed an estimated six million people from electoral rolls in overseas territories.
Explanation: The denial of automatic citizenship and representation counting to free blacks and mulatos resulted in the removal of an estimated six million people from electoral rolls in overseas territories.
Articulate the reasons for the general opposition to federalism among peninsular deputies.
Answer: They favored a centralized government, aligning with absolutist inclinations.
Explanation: Peninsular deputies were largely disinclined towards federalism, preferring a centralized government, a stance that aligned with absolutist inclinations, rather than granting greater self-rule to American and Asian territories.
Analyze the economic impact of the Constitution of 1812 on the monarch's revenue streams from overseas territories.
Answer: It converted overseas territories into provinces, diverting taxes to the state administrative apparatus.
Explanation: By converting overseas territories into provinces, the Constitution of 1812 diverted taxes from these possessions to the state administrative apparatus, thereby depriving the king of a significant direct economic resource.
Examine the influence of the 1812 Constitution on the establishment of local governmental structures in Spanish America.
Answer: It established 'ayuntamientos' for settlements over 1,000 people, transforming them into representative bodies.
Explanation: The 1812 Constitution directly impacted Spanish American states by providing for the creation of 'ayuntamientos' for settlements over 1,000 people, transforming them into representative bodies through elections.
Identify prominent Spanish American delegates who participated in the Cortes of Cádiz.
Answer: Miguel Ramos Arizpe and José Mejía Lequerica.
Explanation: Notable Spanish American participants in the Cortes of Cádiz included Miguel Ramos Arizpe of Mexico and José Mejía Lequerica of Ecuador, among others.
State the date on which the Constitution of 1812 was formally promulgated in New Spain.
Answer: September 19, 1812
Explanation: The Constitution of 1812 was promulgated in New Spain on September 19, 1812, by Viceroy Francisco Javier Venegas.
Upon his restoration to power in 1814, King Ferdinand VII immediately affirmed the Constitution of 1812.
Answer: False
Explanation: King Ferdinand VII initially promised to uphold the Constitution upon his return in 1814 but subsequently abolished it on May 4, 1814, re-establishing absolute monarchy.
The 'Manifiesto de los Persas' constituted a document endorsed by deputies, urging Ferdinand VII to maintain the Constitution.
Answer: False
Explanation: The 'Manifiesto de los Persas' was a document signed by deputies encouraging King Ferdinand VII to restore absolutism upon his return to power in 1814, not to uphold the Constitution.
Ferdinand VII rationalized the abrogation of the Constitution in 1814 by asserting its illegality, contending it was drafted in his absence and without his royal assent.
Answer: True
Explanation: Ferdinand VII justified his abolition of the Constitution by repudiating it as an unlawful document created by a Cortes assembled in his absence and without his consent, thereby reasserting his absolute authority.
The 'Trienio Liberal' designates the historical period spanning 1820 to 1823, during which the Constitution of 1812 was reinstated.
Answer: True
Explanation: The 'Trienio Liberal' (Liberal Triennium) indeed refers to the period from 1820 to 1823 when the Constitution of 1812 was reinstated in Spain following a military mutiny.
The Congress of Verona in 1822 sanctioned the intervention of British forces in Spain to bolster the constitutional movement.
Answer: False
Explanation: The Congress of Verona in 1822 approved the intervention of *royalist French forces* in Spain to support Ferdinand VII and *suppress* the constitutional movement, not British forces to support it.
Describe King Ferdinand VII's initial response to the Constitution of 1812 following his restoration to power in 1814.
Answer: He promised to uphold it but then abolished it.
Explanation: Upon his return to power in 1814, King Ferdinand VII initially promised to uphold the Constitution but subsequently abolished it on May 4, 1814, re-establishing absolute monarchy.
Define the 'Manifiesto de los Persas' and delineate its objective.
Answer: A document signed by deputies encouraging Ferdinand VII to restore absolutism.
Explanation: The 'Manifiesto de los Persas' was a document signed by sixty-nine deputies of the Cortes, encouraging King Ferdinand VII to restore absolutism upon his return to power in 1814.
Define the historical period known as the 'Trienio Liberal'.
Answer: The period from 1820 to 1823 when the Constitution of 1812 was reinstated.
Explanation: The 'Trienio Liberal' (Liberal Triennium) was the period from 1820 to 1823 when the Constitution of 1812 was reinstated in Spain following a military mutiny.
Describe the response of other European monarchies to the reinstatement of the Constitution during the Trienio Liberal.
Answer: They became alarmed and approved French intervention to suppress the movement.
Explanation: Other European monarchies became alarmed by the success of the liberals during the Trienio Liberal and, at the Congress of Verona in 1822, approved French intervention to suppress the constitutional movement.
Identify the city where King Ferdinand VII formally abrogated the Constitution of 1812.
Answer: Valencia
Explanation: King Ferdinand VII repealed the Constitution of 1812 in Valencia, specifically in the palace of Cervellón.
The Constitution of 1812 is recognized as the foundational document of liberalism in Spain and an early global exemplar of classical liberalism.
Answer: True
Explanation: The Cortes of Cádiz produced the first written Spanish constitution, promulgated on March 19, 1812, and is considered the founding document of liberalism in Spain, regarded as one of the earliest examples of classical or conservative liberalism worldwide.
The Constitution of 1812 exerted influence exclusively upon European nations, including Norway and Portugal.
Answer: False
Explanation: The Constitution of 1812 served as an important model for liberal constitutions in several Mediterranean and Latin American nations, including Mexico, in addition to European nations like Norway and Portugal.
The Plan de Iguala in Mexico represented a direct affirmation and execution of the liberal principles enshrined in the Cádiz Constitution.
Answer: False
Explanation: The Plan de Iguala in Mexico in 1821 was a reaction to the Cádiz Constitution, seeking to revert to older ways and increase Church power, rather than endorsing its liberal principles.
Mexico City's Zócalo is formally designated Plaza de la Constitución, commemorating a subsequent Mexican constitution.
Answer: False
Explanation: Mexico City's Zócalo is officially named Plaza de la Constitución in honor of the Cádiz Constitution of 1812, a name given during the late colonial period, not a later Mexican constitution.
An obelisk commemorating the Constitution of 1812 was erected in St. Augustine, Florida, during its tenure as the capital of Spanish Florida.
Answer: True
Explanation: An obelisk commemorating the Constitution of 1812 was indeed erected in St. Augustine, Florida, when the city served as the capital of Spanish Florida.
Discuss the historical import of the Cortes of Cádiz and the Constitution of 1812.
Answer: They produced the first written Spanish constitution and are considered the founding document of liberalism in Spain.
Explanation: The Cortes of Cádiz produced the first written Spanish constitution, promulgated on March 19, 1812, and is considered the founding document of liberalism in Spain, regarded as one of the earliest examples of classical or conservative liberalism worldwide.
Identify which of the subsequent nations was NOT directly impacted by the Constitution of 1812 as a blueprint for its own liberal constitutional framework.
Answer: Great Britain
Explanation: The Constitution of 1812 influenced the Norwegian Constitution of 1814, the Portuguese Constitution of 1822, and the Mexican Constitution of 1824. Great Britain is not listed as being directly influenced.
Define the Plan de Iguala as it emerged in Mexico in 1821.
Answer: A reaction to the Cádiz Constitution, seeking to revert to older ways and increase Church power.
Explanation: The Plan de Iguala in Mexico in 1821 was a reaction to the Cádiz Constitution, seeking to revert to older ways, increase Church power, and call for a Spanish prince to rule Mexico.
Indicate the current repository of the original version of the Constitution of 1812.
Answer: The Senate of Spain.
Explanation: The original version of the Constitution of 1812 is preserved in the Senate of Spain, highlighting its historical importance.
Mexico City's Zócalo bears the official designation Plaza de la Constitución. Identify the specific constitution after which it is named.
Answer: The Cádiz Constitution of 1812.
Explanation: Mexico City's Zócalo is officially named Plaza de la Constitución in honor of the Cádiz Constitution of 1812, a name given during the late colonial period.