Un Retrato de España by Jane Cronin

Do you know how long the Moors ruled in Spain?  Have you heard of the scourge of Almanzor, the Catholic monarchs or the Black Legend?  When did the Spanish civil war start, and why?  How long has Spain been a democracy and what were the events that led up to it?  Who is in charge of the country now and what challenges do they face?

The answers to all these questions and hundreds more are to be found in Jane Cronin’s new Spanish language and history course entitled “Un Retrato de España – A Portrait of Spain”. 

The course is based on Jane´s highly popular “A Portrait of Spain” talks which were delivered over a number of years at different venues in and around Torrevieja, Orihuela Costa and the Mar Menor.  The talks were attended by hundreds of people who were fascinated to learn more about the country they had chosen to live in. 

This course consists of 40 short texts in Spanish which are accompanied by an audio file of the same text in clear spoken Spanish and an English translation.  This variety of formats gives you the opportunity to approach the course in various ways, depending on your level of Spanish and style of learning. At the end of each text there are 8 simple questions which require one word or short answers based on the information given.  As with several of Jane’s successful internet courses, you have direct contact with her as your tutor as the course is conducted by e-mail.  At the end of each chapter, when you send in your ten answers, you will receive a reply with the correct answers along with the next text, audio and translation.

The cost of the course is 40€ (just 1€ per chapter).  This price is a standard one-off payment.  However, it is perfectly possible to start at a point in the course other than chapter 1 according to your personal interests, as long as you clearly state your preference.

Here is a list of the 40 chapters:

1 

1.     INTRODUCCIÓN  - INTRODUCTION

2.       LOS PRIMEROS IBERICOS - THE FIRST IBERIANS

3.       LA PRESENCIA ROMANA EN IBERIA  - THE ROMAN PRESENCE IN IBERIA

4.       LOS VISIGODOS  - THE VISIGOTHS

5.       LA LLEGADA DE LOS MOROS - THE ARRIVAL OF THE MOORS

6.       LA CREACIÓN DE AL-ÁNDALUS - THE CREATION OF AL-ANDALUS

7.       EL CALIFATO DE CÓRDOBA - THE CALIPHATE OF CORDOBA

8.       LA CAÍDA DEL CALIFATO - THE FALL OF THE CALIPHATE

9.       LAS TAIFAS Y LOS REINOS CRISTIANOS - THE TAIFAS AND THE CHRISTIAN KINGDOMS

10.   LOS ALMORÁVIDES - THE ALMORAVIDS

11.   LA RECONQUISTA - THE RECONQUEST

12.   LA CAÍDA DE GRANADA - THE FALL OF GRANADA

13.    LOS REYES CATÓLICOS Y SUS HEREDEROS - THE CATHOLIC MONARCHS AND THEIR HEIRS

14.    EL AUGE DEL IMPERIO ESPAÑOL - THE DAWN OF THE SPANISH EMPIRE   

15.    LA LEYENDA NEGRA - THE BLACK LEGEND

16.    HIDALGOS Y AVENTUREROS - KNIGHTS AND ADVENTURERS

17.    LA EDAD DE VELÁZQUEZ -   THE AGE OF VELAZQUEZ

18.    EL FINAL DE LOS HABSBURGO - THE END OF THE HAPSBURGS

19.    LA GUERRA DE LA SUCESIÓN ESPAÑOLA - THE WAR OF SPANISH SUCCESSION

20.    ESPAÑA SE MODERNIZA - SPAIN MODERNISES              

21.    EL PERIODO NAPOLEÓNICO - THE NAPOLEONIC PERIOD

22.    LA GUERRA DE LA INDEPENDENCIA - THE WAR OF INDEPENDENCE

23.    EL REGRESO DE “EL DESEADO” - THE RETURN OF “THE DESIRED ONE”

24.    LA CAÍDA Y EL AUGE DE LA MONARQUÍA - THE FALL AND RISE OF THE MONARCHY

25.    PRINCIPIOS DEL SIGLO XX - THE START OF THE 20^th CENTURY

26.    LOS PRIMEROS AÑOS DEL GENERAL FRANCO - GENERAL FRANCO’S EARLY YEARS

27.    LA SEGUNDA REPUBLICA - THE SECOND REPUBLIC

28.    UN GOLPE MILITAR FALLIDO - A FAILED MILITARY COUP

29.    EL INICIO DE LA GUERRA CIVIL ESPAÑOLA - THE START OF THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR

30.    EL FIN DE LA GUERRA CIVIL ESPAÑOLA - THE END OF THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR

31.    LOS AÑOS DE HAMBRE - THE YEARS OF HUNGER

32.    EL PERIODO DE AISLAMIENTO - THE PERIOD OF ISOLATION

33.    LEGITIMIZACIÓN - LEGITIMISATION

34.    LOS AÑOS DE DESARROLLO - THE YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT

35.    EL FIN DEL PERÍODO FRANQUISTA - THE END OF THE FRANCOIST PERIOD

36.    LA TRANSICIÓN - THE TRANSITION

37.    LAS PRIMERAS ELECCIONES - THE FIRST ELECTIONS

38.    LOS AÑOS OCHENTA - THE EIGHTIES

39.    EL PARTIDO POPULAR DE AZNAR - AZNAR’S PEOPLE’S PARTY

40.    CRISIS Y AUSTERIDAD - CRISIS AND AUSTERITY

CONCLUSIÓN:  MIRANDO AL FUTURO  - CONCLUSION:  LOOKING TO THE FUTURE