HIST 348 – Midterm Exam Study Guide 2025
Important Information & Tips
Please remember to bring a blue book to the in-class exam.
You may bring one 8 ½” x 11” sheet of notes to the in-class exam, written on one side only. This
sheet will be turned in with your exam.
Remember that this exam is an opportunity to convey what you have learned, so be as SPECIFIC
and as accurate as you can.
Identifications (50 Points/10 Points @)
Eight terms from the list below will appear on the exam. You will select FIVE to answer. Define and
explain the historical significance of each term you select in a maximum of five sentences.
Altamira Cave Paintings – The cave paintings are Iberos – The Iberos are the indigenous people of
a prehistoric site and show that the Iberian the Iberian peninsula, they were skilled
Peninsula has been inhabitated since the metalworkers and lived in fortified cities similar
Paleolithic Era to the Greek Acra
Dama de Elche – The sculpture is remarkable as it Second Punic War – The Punic Wars were a series
provides an insight to Pre-Roman Iberia, their of wars fought by Rome and Carthage. It’s
Greek influences, and also that they had enough important as Carthage controlled significant
leisure time to pick up sculpting and other territories in the region, and after Scipio
activities. completed his campaign it marked the beginning
of Roman Iberia
Hispania – Hispania is the roman name for the Garum
Iberian Peninsula, its significant as it shows the -Garum was a fish sauce condiment that was
integration of the region into the empire which common in the Roman empire. The Iberian
lead to the spread of the culture, religion, and Peninsula was a mass-producer of this sauce.
architecture of the latter. Cities and areas like
Valencia would be founded during this period
Baetican Olive Oil Visigoths
An olive oil produced in Baetica which was -The Visigoths were a Germanic tribe that would
commonly traded in the Roman Empire and was migrate to the Iberian Peninsula. Their rule is
a major export from the Peninsula significant as they united the region under a
Christian Monarchy as well as developing the
local languages.
Arianism St. James/Santiago el Mayor
-Arianism was a heretical sect of Christianity Saint James the Apostle is one of the apostles of
founded by Arius in the 3rd Century which teaches Jesus, and is considered the patron saint of Spain.
that Jesus. Its important as a significant amount According to traditions in the Reconquista, there
of Visigothic rulers practiced it in the Iberian were visions of him assisting in killing Moors as
Peninsula well as his burial site in the region.
Muhammad – The final prophet of Allah, and the
founder of Islam, an Abrahamic religion. Islam
would spread across the Middle East, and Ka’ba
eventually to North Africa and eventually reach The Kaaba is a holy site for the Islamic
Spain and lead to the birth of Al-Andalus or the community, and all Muslims are required to make
Muslim controlled territories of the Iberian a pilgrimage to the site if possible. It is also the
Peninsula. direction in which Muslims pray
Abd Al-Rahman Caliphate of Córdoba – Islamic territoriy
He was a member of the Ummayyad Dynasty and established in Cordoba, the capital of Spain by
would later go on to found the Caliphate of Abd Al Rahman of the Ummayyad Dynasty, it
Cordoba after his arrival in 929 AD would eventually fall into smaller taifa kingdoms
Reconquista – The reconquista or the reconquest Convivencia – Convivencia or Co-existence in Al
of Spain was a military operation that lasted from Andalus refers to the coexistence and
770 to 1492 in order to reclaim the lost Christian multicultural diversity between the Arabic,
territories of Spain from Islamic Rule as well as Islamic, Jewish, and Iberian Christianity
re-establish the Iberian culture in said regions. It populations in the region. It was made possible
also produced many works such as The Song of El due to the reverence Islam and Christianity have
Cid. for their predecessor religions
Hasdai ibn Shaprut – He was a prominent Jewish James I (Aragon)
scholar as well as the advisor in the Caliphate of
Cordoba and the golden age of Al-Andalus. He
shows that Convivencia
Mezquita de Córdoba/Mosque of Córdoba’ Taifa Kingdoms
- A mosque built by the Umayyads during The Taifa kingdoms were small Islamic kingdoms
the 8th century showcasing a blend of that emerged after the fall of the Caliphate of
Islamic and Christian architecture which Cordoba, and were the targets of the
was later made into a catedral following Reconquista of Spain. The most important one
the reconquista. was the Kingdom of Granada
Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa. In 1212, a coalition Aljama – Refers to the Muslim and Jewish
of Christian forces from Castille, Aragon and quarters and communities in Medieval spain
Navarre defeated the Almohad dynasty leading
to recapture of Cordoba and Seville
Parias – Parias were a system of extortion Almoravids – The Almoravids were a North
payments, and the system was established in African berber dynasty that were rivals with the
1079. The smaller Islamic taifa kingdoms would Ummayyads. Their rule in Al-Andalus brought
pay a tribute to the Christian kingdoms in the stricter Islamic practices, the removal of
North to avoid warfare following the collapse of Covivencia as well as the halt to the Reconquista
the Caliphate of Cordoba.. It was established by
the kingdom of Aragon
Corte/Cort – Cortes were a representative
Al-Andalus assembly and parliamentary instutition
-Al Andalus or Islamic Spain refers to the period established in the 13th century. Comrpised of the
in which the southern regions of Spain were Clergy, Noblemen and townsmen.
under Islamic control from the 8th to 15th century
Alfonso VI (Castile) Isabella I (Castile) was the successor to Henry IV
and married Fernando of Aragon, the couple
were the sponsors of Christopher Columbus. Los
Reyes Catholicos or the Catholic Monarchs would
unite all of Spain under Catholicism, mark the
end of the Reconquista, expel the jews, support
the inquisition, and fund columbus
Santa Hermandad – The Santa Hermandad was a Corregidor – Corregidors were royal officials
military order and brotherhood that became appointed by the crown mainly in Castille to help
more prominent under Isabella and Ferdinand centralize and unite spain under the rule of
Isabelle and Ferdinand
Charles V – The Absentee monarch, member of Philip II
the Hapsburg dynasty, son of Juana, and - Made Madrid the capital of Spain, Lost
grandson of Isabella and Ferdinand. His rule was control of Netherlands, sent the Armada
marked with rebellions as he did not grow up in to Britain and became King of Portugal
Spain, and would frequently appoint foreigners in
positions of power, and would later become king
of Portugal
Comunero Revolt – The communero revolt was a Tercio – Tercios were a military regimen
revolt by commoners against Charles V who was composed of 1000 spearmen, 500 swordsmen
an absentee monarch who would frequently and 500 arquebalests
leave foreigners in control of Spanish territory,
the revolt would be a failure.
Mesta - The Mesta was a shepherds guild in the Inquisition-
13th century to regulate and protect shepherding The Spanish Inquisition was created by Ferdinand
as wool was a major export of Spain 2 and Isabella in order to enforce Catholic
orthodoxy in the region in response the
protestant reformation, and also to deal with
Conversos.
Conversos – Conversos were the Jewish converts Libro Verde de Aragón – The Green book of
to Christianity following the end of Convivencia, Aragon was used to record the lineages of the
and the order of the Alhambra decree prompted nobility in Aragon as well as identify who were
by Queen Isabelle and Fernando which ordered descended from Christians and who were
all Jews to convert to Christianity or face descended from Jews and by extension
expulsion. Many Conversos were Jews in secret Conversos.
which prompted the creation of the Spanish
Inquistion which aimed to remove them through
punishments and the threat of death
Sanbenito – The Sanbenito was a garment worn Edict of Grace – During an Inquistion, the
by those who were convicted of heresy by the Inquisitors would perform the Edict of Grace, a
Inquistion, it fell out of favor in some regions as window of time where those under investigation
the amount of people wearing Sanbenitos could confess to their heresies and face a lighter
reflected a nasty appearance on the surrounding punishment instead of what awaited them.
regions Accusations were anonymous, and this system
was abused to acquire property.
Columbus Antonio de Montesinos – A dominican friar who
would speak out against the mistreatment of the
indigenous in Spanish colonies.
Hernán Cortés - A Spanish conquistador who led Requerimiento – A formal document requiring
the expedition that resulted in the fall of the that the Indigenous people accept Christianity
Aztec Empire in Mexico in 1521. Cortés is and Spanish Rule
infamous for his role in the destruction of the
Aztec civilization, often through deceit, warfare,
and alliances with local enemies of the Aztecs.
Encomienda - A system established by the Francisco Pizarro - nother Spanish conquistador,
Spanish crown in the Americas that granted Pizarro led the expedition that conquered the
Spanish settlers (encomenderos) the right to Inca Empire in modern-day Peru in the 1530s.
extract forced labor from Indigenous peoples in Like Cortés, he used a combination of military
return for supposed protection and religious force, alliances with rival groups, and
instruction. manipulation to overthrow the powerful Incan
civilization.
Samples
Each of the two sample identifications below earned perfect 10/10 scores within the context of their
class.
Latifundia – Latifundia means spacious farm or estate. Latifundia were common in 19th century Latin
America because land ownership was concentrated into the hands of a small number of individuals,
leading to a variety of problems. For example, concentration of land ownership in Mexico during the
Porfiriato led to poverty for Mexico’s peones and proved to be a cause of the Mexican Revolution in the
early 20th century. In Brazil, historian Warren Dean* argued that efforts at land reform in the 19 th
century were unsuccessful largely because the large land owners were the government, and thus were
uninterested in dismantling the system that ensured their source of wealth and power.
* - Note that the student was accurately referencing a course reading by Warren Dean here.
Benito Juárez – Benito Juárez was a Zapotec Indian from Oaxaca, Mexico. A well known 19th century
Mexican liberal, he earned a law degree and went into politics. Due to a snub of conservative Santa
Anna, Juárez found himself exiled to New Orleans where he played a key role in ousting of Santa Anna
during the Revolution of Ayutla. During La Reforma, he was Secretary of Justice, and he eventually went
on to become the President of Mexico. Ley Juárez, named for him, was an important piece of liberal
legislation during La Reforma that abolished military and ecclesiastical fueros, or special privileges.
Essay (50 Points)
Two of the questions below will appear on the exam. You will choose ONE to answer. Be sure to answer
all parts of the question and to include specific examples as supporting evidence.
1. Who were the Visigoths and what are the defining aspects of their history in Iberia? To what extent
did they force the Hispano-Romans they ruled to adapt to Visigothic politics, religion and culture? In
addition, do you believe that the Visigothic approach to kingship was well adapted to the peninsula?
2. Rome’s achievement was the ability to not only conquer people, but to incorporate them into the
Roman system. Using specific examples to support your argument, explain how the people of the
Iberian peninsula were incorporated into the Roman system.
3. Al-Andalus existed on the Iberian peninsula for roughly 700 years. Identify and describe its most
significant historical aspects.
4. The 12th Century on the Iberian peninsula is said to have witnessed the rise of a “crusading spirit.”
What is meant by this description and what evidence exists to support it? What changed compared to
the 11th Century?
5. Controlling uncooperative members of the nobility was a common problem for monarchs in the
Middle Ages. How did Isabella and Ferdinand deal with this problem? How did they go about
centralizing authority?
6. Describe the origins of the Spanish Inquisition, how it functioned, and why many people objected to
its operation. In addition, what does an analysis of the Inquisition tell us about social tensions in 15 th
and 16th Century Spain?
7. Charles V and Philip II ruled Spain for much of the 16th century. Describe some of the significant
historical developments that occurred during their reigns, and the role that each king played in these
developments. To what extent can it be said that they shared similar goals and administrative
philosophies?
8. Describe the process by which Spain established an empire in the Americas, including the role of
Columbus, the conquests of Mexico and Peru, and the struggle to establish royal authority. To what
extent can it be said that Spain’s entry into the Americas was a continuation of the Reconquista?
