The first humans were nomadic, and they hunted, fished
and gathered plants to survive.
Over the years they discovered agriculture and animal husbandry
became sedentary and built houses and villages to live in.
They began to make tools from stones and animal bones.
They also created pottery and learned to work metals.
The Ancient Age began about 5000 years ago, when writing was invented.The first civilizations emerged: Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans.The Romans conquered the Iberian Peninsula between the 3rd and 1st centuries BC, and called it Hispania.The Romans organized Hispania into provinces. They imposed their customs, Roman laws, and the use of Latin, founded cities, and introduced Christianity.
The Middle Ages began with the end of the Roman Empire, in AD 476. C.The Visigoths, one of the Germanic peoples from northern Europe, invaded Hispania and founded a kingdom on the Peninsula.In the year 711 the Muslims conquered the Visigothic kingdom and created al-Andalus. The Christian kingdoms organized to expel them and expand their borders. This period was called La Reconquista. This period of the Middle Ages ended when the Catholic Monarchs conquered the kingdom of Granada.During this stage the cities grew and castles and monasteries were built. Two artistic styles stood out: Romanesque and Gothic.
The Modern Age began in 1492 with the discovery of
America. This period saw important discoveries and inventions,
such as the printing press.
In the 16th and 17th centuries, Spain was ruled by the
Habsburg dynasty. The first kings, Charles I and Philip II,
created a great empire, which weakened in the 17th century.
In the 18th century a new dynasty, THE BORBONS, began
to reign.
During this period two artistic styles developed:
RENAISSANCE and BAROQUE.
In Spain it was called the GOLDEN CENTURY because of
its cultural and artistic splendor.
In the 18th century, the ideas of the Enlightenment
arrived in Spain.
