Spain, which is part of the Iberian Peninsula, has been conquered by many different civilizations. Spain was first discovered by Phoenicians in 1100 BC, where they established a trading colony in Cadiz. It remained like this until 228 BC, when the Carthaginians gained control of most of the Iberian Peninsula. Eight years later, in 220 BC, the Romans fought the Carthaginians in the Second Punic War. It lasted until 218 BC and Rome won, therefore gaining control of the Iberian Peninsula. The Romans controlled Iberia for six centuries. When the Roman empire fell in the fifth century, the Visigoths came and claimed Spain. The Muslims of North Africa started to invade Iberia in 711, and took over it within a few years. Starting in 800 A.D. many of the European Christian kingdoms began to drive the Muslims out of Spain. In the 1400s the remaining Muslims were driven out. In 1492 King Fernando and Queen Isabel allowed Christopher Colombus to set sail and discover the New World. Starting in the 1500s Spain sent over explorors called conquistadors um who explored most of Florida, Central America, and South America. After they explored those territories they began to colonize them. In 1588 Spain sent a fleet of ships, called the Spanish Armada, to invade England, but was defeated. Because of the defeat Spain never became the great power they once were and continued to decline there afterward. In April 1898 the Spanish-American War began. It was a very short war, but it did had major effects. For the United States it was an effective battle because they gained territories, but for Spain it had a bad outcome, they lost their empire. From 1936 to 1939 the Spanish Civil War went on. It was a bloody battle, and in the end General Francisco Franco established a dictatorship. In 1975, General Franco died and Juan Carlos de Borbon was made king. After Borbon became king, Spain was made a constitutional monarchy.