Catalonia’s independence movement, explained

Carles Puigdemont's final shot at Catalan independence

As president of Catalonia, Carles Puigdemont attempted to declare independence from Spain in 2017. Wanted by Madrid on charges of rebellion, sedition, and embezzlement of public funds, he lived in exile in Belgium for seven years. On the eve of his return to Spain following an amnesty deal in the summer of 2024, POLITICO visited him in France to learn about his latest political ambitions.

Catalonia and the War of the Spanish Succession

The War of Spanish Succession (1702-1715) was an international and civil war that reshaped Europe’s political landscape and brought Catalonia under Spanish rule. Created by the Museum of the History of Catalonia in Barcelona, this virtual exhibit guides readers through the 13-year war with a specific eye for its effects on Catalonia. Galleries of artwork from the period on the right-hand side of the page help immerse visitors in the history.

The impact of FC Barcelona on Catalan pride

FC Barcelona is one of the most decorated soccer clubs in the world and has also become a source of Catalan pride. It all started in 1899 with a Swiss-German accountant and journalist, a newspaper advertisement, and 11 talented soccer players. Read this article to learn about the team’s humble beginnings and how its history overlaps with the Catalan resistance to Spanish rule.

Famous Catalan dishes

Catalan cuisine is defined by its bold and unexpected flavor combinations, which are largely a reflection of Catalonia’s diverse geography. Meat and seafood are often combined into a single dish, an ode to the region’s fertile soil and coastline. Meatballs with cuttlefish and peas is a common meal enjoyed alongside fresh bread. Salivate over 15 more dishes in this listicle that’s frontloaded with a bit of history.

What was the Spanish inquisition?

In 1478, Spain's Catholic monarchy launched a campaign tackling heresy throughout the collection of kingdoms that would ultimately become modern-day Spain. This six-minute animated video overviews the Spanish Inquisition, a wave of religious...

Timeline: the Kurds’ quest for independence

The Kurds have a long history of fighting for rights and regional autonomy across the Middle East. After WWI, when the Middle East was reconfigured, the Kurds were dispersed across the new borders of previous Ottoman territories. The idea of an...

Russia annexed Crimea after a disputed 2014 referendum

On March 16, 2014, a disputed referendum in Crimea reported overwhelming support for joining Russia. Moscow annexed the peninsula two days later, a move widely condemned as a violation of international law.

The 1992 Olympics changed Barcelona

Barcelona wasn’t always a global tourist hotspot. Before hosting the 1992 Olympics, the city’s coastline was blocked by factories, green spaces were scarce, and tourism was minimal. But after securing the Olympic games, everything changed.

Why Orwell fought in the Spanish civil war

Orwell wanted to volunteer for the International Brigades, a loose conglomerate of leftists fighting against Franco's Nationalists, in order to participate in what he saw as a struggle against fascism. The group rejected him, though Orwell still made his way to Barcelona to fight with a smaller sect, an experience that's laid out in this history from William Chislett.

A wave of Latin American independence movements most likely prompted the Monroe Doctrine

Between 1810 and 1822, many Latin American colonies separated from Spanish rule, 10 in the last two years. Concerns that Spain and its European allies might try to regain these republics were a main reason behind Monroe's declaration.

See a timeline of the Cuban Revolution

A small rebel force toppled Batista through a series of unlikely breaks, including a decisive 1958 ambush in which Castro’s fighters seized an arms train bound for Santa Clara. This timeline charts the revolution’s causes, key turning points, and enduring legacy.

Independence was approved on July 2, not July 4

This video highlights lesser-known facts about the Declaration of Independence, including that Congress approved independence on July 2—leading many Founders to believe that would be the day Americans would celebrate their independence.

What was the French Revolution?

This 12-minute video provides an overview of the French Revolution of 1789, a conflict brewed from food shortages and economic hardships. On May 5, 1789, French King Louis XVI called a meeting of the three groups--known as estates--made up of...

Hong Kong: British colony turned Chinese police state

This 15-minute video explores how Hong Kong has changed since China reclaimed the territory from Britain in 1997. Hong Kong became a British colony after the First Opium War, a conflict arising from Britain's attempt to equalize trade with China through smuggled opium. Democratic rights assumed by Hong Kong residents, such as the right to protest, have been in peril since the 1997 shift, according to this video.

Iranians voted overwhelmingly to establish an Islamic Republic in March 1979

Just weeks after Khomeini's return, Iran held a national referendum to replace the monarchy with an Islamic Republic, and over 98% voted in favor (though the vote was criticized). The vote formalized the revolution's outcome, laying the foundation for a theocratic government that remains in place today.

Election 101 podcast

What’s actually at stake when someone casts their vote in a US election? CNN’s “Election 101” podcast series provides ten episodes summarizing some of the basics of democratic elections. The ins and outs of voting are highlighted in 15-minute episodes on voter registration and voting by mail. Additional segments highlight how the electoral system works, how ballots are counted, the Electoral College, why it takes so long to get election results, and more.

Cinco de Mayo holiday celebrations originated with California's Mexican Americans during the Civil War

California Latinos first celebrated Cinco de Mayo in 1862 through patriotic assemblies called Juntas Patrióticas. Ardent Union supporters, these individuals saw the Puebla victory as a win for democracy against both French imperialism and the Confederate cause.

Policies related to the coronavirus pandemic inadvertently increased illegal border crossings

A pandemic-era public health measure called Title 42—intended to seal the border by expelling migrants immediately—backfired. Because expulsions carried no legal consequences, migrants simply tried again, driving illegal crossings to a peak of over 370,000 people in December 2023.

A history of Eurovision controversies

The annual song contest spectacle is no stranger to controversy. This list breaks down some of the most scandalous, including claims that 2021 winners Maneskin were snorting cocaine, Georgia's 2009 rejection for submitting a protest song, and Jordan's refusal to recognize Israel in 1978.

In 1215, the Magna Carta declared that even the king was not above the law

Forced on King John by rebellious barons, the Magna Carta established limits on royal power and the principle that rulers are subject to law. Discover how this foundational text later influenced the development of constitutional government and modern human rights traditions.

How the great city of Cusco came to be, according to the Inca

The chronicler Inka Garcilaso de la Vega recorded the origin story of the Inka (also spelled Inca) and the founding of Cusco, the capital of the society's great empire. Listen to the Inca origin story in this 4-minute video narrated by a child.

A small mistake in a press conference triggered the fall of the Berlin Wall

This video explains how a confused East German spokesman—misreading new travel rules at an otherwise routine 1989 press conference—accidentally announced immediate border openings, prompting crowds to surge to the Berlin Wall and igniting Germany’s rapid reunification.

The 10 main elements of fascism

This 10-minute video explains the 10 main elements of fascism, which it describes as the "cult of the leader" who promises national restoration that stymies the tide of a country's takeover by various groups. The main elements of fascism include...

The theory behind Dalí's 'Un Chien Andalou'

The 16-minute "Un Chien Andalou," or "an Andalusian dog," was shocking for 1929, when it was released and remains unsettling today. This brief video essay explores how the film sought to disrupt standard conceptions of art and meaning, making it an essential example of surrealism.

How the Kingdom of Italy was unified in the 1860s

In 1861, in a process known as the Risorgimento, many of the traditional regions of Italy—like Sardinia, Lombardy, Parma, and Sicily—were unified within the Kingdom of Italy under King Victor Emmanuel II. This movement led to the national Italian identity as we know it today. This unity was opposed by the Pope, and Rome and Venetia remained outside the kingdom for some time.

Gerrymandering works through two techniques: cracking opposing voters across districts to dilute their power, and packing them into a few to waste their votes in lopsided majorities.

See how fireworks are made and learn how metals like magnesium and copper are responsible for different colors.

70 years ago today, city officials in Santa Cruz, California, banned rock 'n' roll to protect its youth from corruption after witnessing a 'provocative' concert the night before.

See 33 images that became central to huge scandals, including a young Charles and Camilla, Michael Jackson's baby on a hotel balcony, and Hugh Grant's mugshot.

US intelligence allegedly pursued more than 600 schemes to assassinate Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro.

The United States is one of only around two dozen countries with a fully federal system of government, in which power is divided between national and state governments.

Watch contemporary footage covering the US-backed Shah of Iran fleeing the country in the face of the 1979 Iranian Revolution

See a 3D reconstruction of Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capital that was home to an estimated population of 200,000 to 400,000.

SpaceX's S-1 or 'prospectus' revealed many previously unknown details about the company, including its unprofitability despite doing $18.7B in revenue in 2025, exactly how many voting shares Elon Musk will have in the company (roughly 85%), and more.

Meet the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence—most of whom didn't put pen to paper until August 2, 1776—and see their original signatures.

In 2009, the nation was gripped by the story of a missing young boy who was believed to be floating over Colorado in a homemade balloon, until it was revealed that he was at home the whole time.

Salvador Dalí believed he was his own dead brother, who had died nine months before he was born

In preparation for this weekend's Eurovision finale, which is something like the World Cup of pop music, here's a young Céline Dion performing (for Switzerland?) at the 1988 competition.

The Russia-Ukraine conflict is the largest ground war in Europe since World War II in casualties, forces mobilized, and displacement of civilians.

An investigation suggests a Scottish island became awash in forever chemicals via seafoam and seaspray—raising questions about what that means for the safety of other coastal areas.

A 2019 Facebook event called on attendees to "Storm Area 51, They Can't Stop All of Us," resulting in countless memes, the creation of a music festival, and eventually the arrests of those who did try to approach the area.

Ebola infects and disables immune cells, triggering a cascade of events that leads to small blood clots throughout the body, weakening blood vessels and interrupting blood flow to key organs.

Art theft is the third-largest source of criminal revenues worldwide, thanks in part to the subjective nature of valuing a work of art.

Long before Major League Baseball began allowing instant replay for balls and strikes, an umpire reluctantly used the technology to determine whether a hit was a home run, a move that inadvertently ushered in a new era for the sport.

Explore an interactive map built from more than 100,000 survey responses on where people find joy in their lives

The first horror movie is believed to be George Méliès' 1986 short 'The Haunted Castle,' which pioneered the use of special effects

'Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone,' a work by American painter Thomas Moran, inspired Congress to establish Yellowstone National Park.

Corals are themselves not coral reefs—the term refers to the tiny marine invertebrates that build the rigid reef.

A vending machine run with Anthropic's AI went out of business after it was convinced to give away items for free and sell a video game console.

The first steps to rebuilding your credit score include getting to know exactly what's on your credit report and figuring out how far you are from the '700 club,' or 'good score' range.