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Francisco Franco Facts & Worksheets

Francisco Franco was a Spanish commander who controlled Spain as a dictator from 1939 until he died in 1975. As a monarchist and a conservative, he opposed the monarchy's abolition and the establishment of a Republic in 1931.

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Francisco Franco was a Spanish commander who controlled Spain as a dictator from 1939 until he died in 1975. As a monarchist and a conservative, he opposed the monarchy’s abolition and the establishment of a Republic in 1931.

See the fact file below for more information on Francisco Franco, or you can download our 24-page Francisco Franco worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

EARLY LIFE

  • On December 4, 1892, Franco was born in Ferrol, Spain, a northern port city with a rich shipbuilding history. For decades, the males in his family had served in the navy, and the young Franco expected to follow in their footsteps. However, the economic and territorial fallout from the Spanish-American War resulted in a restriction on the navy. 
  • After finishing his elementary education at a Catholic school, Franco was forced to enlist at the Infantry Academy in Toledo. Three years later, he graduated with below-average grades. 
  • According to Stanley Payne in his book Franco: A Personal and Political Biography, Franco’s father was a naval officer who rose to vice admiral (general in command). When Franco was fourteen, his father was reassigned to Madrid and eventually abandoned his family, marrying another woman.

EL CAUDILLO

  • Franco considered himself a conservative and a monarchist; he disapproved of the abolition of the monarchy and the establishment of a republic in 1931. The traditional Spanish Confederation of Autonomous Right-wing Groups was defeated by a tiny margin in the 1936 elections, and the leftist Popular Front took power. 
  • In an attempt to overthrow the republic, Franco joined other generals in a failed coup that sparked the Spanish Civil War. With the deaths of the other generals, Franco quickly became the sole leader of his faction. He made Spain a monarchy with himself as regent in 1947. 
  • Franco received military backing from various governments and groups, including Nazi Germany and the Kingdom of Italy. In contrast, the Republican side received support from Spanish communists and anarchists, the Soviet Union, Mexico, and the International Brigades. Franco eventually won the war in 1939, killing half a million people.
  • Spain’s involvement in the war on the Axis side was primarily prevented by British Secret Intelligence Service (MI-6) operations, which included up to $200 million in payments for Spanish officials to keep the regime out.
  • Franco also exploited the Axis powers’ resources and avoided being substantially embroiled in the Second World War.

FRANCOIST SPAIN

  • After the Spanish Civil War ended in 1939, General Franco established a military dictatorship in Spain, as reflected in the Fundamental Laws of the Kingdom, where he was the Head of State and Government, the commander of the army, and the leader of the only political party, the Phalange. Franco’s tyranny lasted 36 years, ending with his death in 1975.
  • After the Spanish Civil War ended in 1939, General Franco established a military dictatorship in Spain. His rules as a dictator were reflected in the Fundamental Laws of the Kingdom, where he held many positions: Head of State and Government, the army commander, and the leader of Phalange. Franco’s tyranny lasted 36 years, ending with his death in 1975.
  • Francoism, the label given to General Franco’s dictatorship, was founded on three ideological pillars:
  • These ideological values were enforced in the early years of Francoism by the Spanish Falange, also known as the “National Movement,” the only official political party. José Antonio Primo de Rivera formed the Falange in 1933. 
  • It served as the political arm of the Franco regime in 1939. However, beginning in 1945, it began to lose political clout in the face of other groups, such as the military, traditionalists, and technocrats.
  • Following Franco’s victory in 1939, the Falange was declared Spain’s sole legally sanctioned political party, establishing itself as the core of the National Movement. 
  • Franco reigned with more power than any Spanish leader before or after under a state of emergency-like status. For most legislation, he was not even required to consult his cabinet.
  • According to historian Stanley G. Payne, Franco wielded more significant influence daily than Adolf Hitler or Joseph Stalin did at their respective pinnacles.
  • According to Payne, the lack of even a rubber-stamp parliament rendered Franco’s rule “the most purely arbitrary in the world.”
  • The Organic Law established the executive administration as responsible for passing all legislation. At the same time, the Cortes were defined as a purely advisory body elected through neither direct nor universal suffrage. The Cortes had no control over government spending, nor was the government accountable; Franco nominated and dismissed ministers as “Chief” of state and government.

POLITICAL AND CULTURAL REPRESSION

  • According to David Wilsford in his book Political Leaders of Contemporary Western Europe: A Biographical Dictionary, following the end of Franco’s rule, the first decade saw continued repression and the assassination of an unknown number of political opponents. Spain had 233,000 prisoners in 1941, most of whom were political prisoners.
  • According to Antony Beevor, a British military historian as stated in his book The Battle for Spain: The Spanish Civil War 1936–1939, new research in more than half of Spain’s regions reveals that at least 35,000 official executions occurred throughout the country following the war, implying that the widely accepted figure of 35,000 official executions is low. 
  • Accounting for unofficial and random deaths, as well as those who died in prison throughout the conflict from execution, suicide, starvation, and disease, the total figure is likely to be closer to 200,000.
  • By restricting Spain’s cultural diversity, Franco’s Spanish nationalism fostered a single national identity. Bullfighting and flamenco were promoted as national customs, while other activities not considered “Spanish” were outlawed.
  • For Franco, the Spanish tradition was somewhat arbitrary and artificial. During his time, some regional traditions like flamenco were suppressed. Flamenco is an Andalusian tradition considered part of a more significant national identity. 
  • All cultural activities were censored, and many, such as the Sardana, Catalonia’s national dance, were explicitly forbidden (often in an erratic manner). This cultural strategy gradually loosened in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

ECONOMIC PROBLEMS

  • Spain emerged from the civil war with significant economic issues. Gold and foreign exchange reserves were nearly depleted, and the immense damage of war had decreased industry and agricultural productivity.
  • To make matters worse, even if the funds had been available to purchase imports, the onset of World War II rendered many necessary goods unavailable.
  • During WWII, Spain has labeled an international outcast for its pro-Axis leaning and was not invited to participate in the Marshall Plan. Francisco Franco’s administration pursued an economic self-sufficiency program to ensure Spain’s well-being.
  • Due to war devastation and commercial isolation, Spain was far more economically backward in the 1940s than a decade previously. Inflation skyrocketed, economic rehabilitation stalled, food was scarce, and Spain saw negative growth rates for several years.
  • 1951 to 1956 saw significant economic improvement, but reforms were implemented inconsistently and poorly coordinated. The corrupt, ineffective, and bloated bureaucracy significantly impeded the reform process.
  • During the pre-stabilization years of 1957–1959, economic planners were comfortable with piecemeal measures such as moderate anti-inflationary stopgaps and increased ties between Spain and the global economy. However, external developments and an escalating domestic economic crisis forced them to make more drastic changes.

LEGACY

  • Franco’s legacy is still debated in Spain and around the world. A squadron named after Werner Mölders in Germany was renamed after the pilot who led the escorting units during the bombing of Guernica. In 2006, BBC News reported that Maciej Giertych, a Member of the European Parliament from the right-wing League of Polish Families, admired Franco’s status, believing that he “guaranteed the preservation of traditional values in Europe.”
  • Furthermore, in a unanimously adopted resolution in March 2006, the Permanent Commission of the European Parliament “firmly” condemned the varied and serious disrespect and human rights violations committed in Spain during Francisco Franco’s reign. 
  • The resolution was proposed by MEP Leo Brincat and historian Luis Mara de Puig, representing the first international public denunciation of the brutality of Franco’s regime.
  • In Spain, a commission to restore the dignity of Franco’s regime victims and pay tribute to their memory was established in the summer of 2004. It was led by then-Vice President Mara Teresa Fernández de la Vega.
  • The Basque Provinces and Catalonia were among the territories that provided the most vehement opposition to Franco during the Civil War and his administration.
  • The Association for the Recovery of Historical Memory launched a systematic search for mass graves of those executed during Franco’s reign in 2008, a step endorsed by José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero’s government since the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party’s win in the 2004 elections.

Francisco Franco Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Francisco Franco across 24 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about Francisco Franco. As a monarchist and a conservative, he opposed the monarchy’s abolition and the establishment of a Republic in 1931.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

  1. Francisco Franco Facts
  2. Franco Biography
  3. Poll on Franco
  4. What’s that Skill?
  5. Franco in a Symbol
  6. #PopularMedia
  7. One on One
  8. Motto
  9. Francoism through Time
  10. Dictatorship
  11. Democracy vs. Dictatorship

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was Francisco Franco?

Francisco Franco, full name Francisco Franco Bahamonde, was a Spanish military officer and dictator. He ruled Spain as the head of state from 1939 until his death in 1975.

How did Franco come to power?

Franco came to power through the Spanish Civil War, which started in 1936. He led the Nationalist forces, which were victorious against the Republican government. After winning the war in 1939, he established a dictatorship in Spain.

What were some key characteristics of Franco’s regime?

Franco’s regime was characterized by authoritarianism, censorship, repression, and the suppression of political opposition. He established a one-party system, the Falange Española Tradicionalista y de las Juntas de Ofensiva Nacional Sindicalista, and held absolute power.

What was Franco’s economic policy?

Franco’s economic policy was characterized by autarky and protectionism. He implemented a corporatist economic model that favored large businesses, abolished trade unions, and restricted foreign investment. This policy was aimed at self-sufficiency and promoting domestic industries.

How did Franco’s rule come to an end?

Franco’s rule ended with his death on November 20, 1975. He had designated Juan Carlos I as his successor, who initiated the transition to democracy. Spain held democratic elections in 1977, and the country transitioned to a constitutional monarchy, marking the end of Franco’s regime.

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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