A History of Spain from the Earliest Times to the Death of Ferdinand the Catholic - Essay Example

It was in 1492 that Muslim rule was finally extinguished to its very last remnant in Granada (Ralph, 2008) at the peak of the Reconquista. It is clearly out of the direct influence of Judaism, Islamic and Christian rule from ancient times, that most of Spain’s present religion and language, and laws are based. Spanish Jews were a prosperous community under Christian and Muslim rule in Spain before most of them were killed or expelled in 1492 in the process of forced conversion. This coincided with Christopher Columbus’ return from his exploration voyage to America.

As Roman Catholicism took ground in the 1400s and 1500s, most Jews and Muslims were expelled from the empire. From this time through to the 16th and 17tth centuries saw Hispania develop into a global empire, and emerging as a world power until wars and other problems rocked it to a point that its status as a powerful empire diminished according to Ralph (2008). In the early 19th century, French invaded Spain which triggered insurmountable chaos that finally resulted in independence movements that tore most of the empire apart leaving it unstable politically.

Yet again, the country suffered during the 20th century, a devastating civil war which led to several years of economic and political stagnation mainly as a result of dictatorial leadership. Spain and the United States have in many instances acted in opposition to each other. Some of these instances include the Spanish-American war of 1898, Spanish American Wars of Independence, World War One, World War Two, and during the indigenous struggles for self-rule of the Philippine Islands, Guam, Puerto Rico, and Cuba.

Spain which was initially ruled by powerful Monarchs enjoyed great wealth as the empire initially grew during the era of discovery exploration and colonization. ConclusionAmerican Hispanics believe their history can be traced to Cuba, Spain, Mexico, Puerto Rico and other Latin American countries where Spanish speaking people exist. In fact, their ancestors have believed toe be among the early settlers and explorers of the new world. It is widely believed that those people of Latino or Hispanic heritage have inhabited the territory that forms the current United States since the 1560s.

The history of this group of people can be traced to prehistoric times and their culture and current traditions have been widely influenced by the interaction between the major religions; Christianity, Judaism and Islam, and past world events.