Office hours: MW 3:15-4:30 p.m. (Gorham) and by appointment
Office: 200 Bailey Hall, Gorham; 98 Bedford Street, room 204, Portland

Objectives:

1. Broaden students’ perspectives by revealing the diversity of life, institutions, and thought in their own and other cultures.
2. Introduce students to the methodology and techniques of historical analysis.
3. Show students how institutions and ideas have originated and evolved in different cultures.
4. Assist students to assess their own values by comparison and contrast with the values of earlier times and earlier and/or different cultures.
5. Make students aware that dependence upon historical records, translations from one language to another, and personal observations of other cultures entail an inevitable element of subjectivity.
6. Introduce students to basic sources of information about a particular historical period or culture, thus allowing them to pursue further study independently.

Course Description: 

     The purpose of this course is to introduce the student to the history of Latin America up to its independence in the first two decades of the 19^th century.  The course will first examine the indigenous population prior to Spanish contact in 1492.  We will then examine the Spanish invasion and subsequent colonial system.  The result was an amalgam of social, economic, political, and cultural structures.  We will analyze this process and its results through a number of different sources to gain a better understanding of the reality of colonial Latin America. 

Required Books:

Adams, Richard.  Ancient Civilizations of the New World.  Westview Press, 1997. 

Burkholder, Mark A. and Lyman L. Johnson, Colonial Latin America. Oxford Press, 2001 (4^th edition).

De Las Casa, Bartolomé, A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies. Penquin, 1992

Iparraguirre, Sylvia, Tierra del Fuego: An Historical Novel. Curbstone, 2000

Restall, Matthew, Maya Conquistador, Beacon, 1998. 

Recommended Books:

Hacker, Diana, A Writer’s Reference, Bedford/St. Martin’s, 1999.

Melville, Elinor, A Plague of Sheep: Environmental Consequences of the Conquest of Mexico, Cambridge, 1999.

Stern, Steve, Peru’s Indian Peoples and the Challenge of Spanish Conquest: Huamanga to 1640, University of Wisconsin Press, 1993.

The following general surveys of Colonial Latin America are also helpful:

Benjamin Keen.  A History of Latin America, Volume I

J. Lockhart and S. Schwartz, Early Latin America: A History of Colonial Spanish America and Brazil. 

Lyle N. McAlister, Spain and Portugal in the New World, 1492-1700

Bakewell, Peter.  A History of Latin America.  Blackwell Publishers, 1997.

Leslie Bethell, ed., The Cambridge History of Latin America 

The following Journals may also be helpful for research projects:

American Historical Review

Americas: A Quarterly Review of Inter-American Cultural History

Ethnohistory

Journal of Latin American Studies

Hispanic American Historical Review

Latin American Research Review

Course Requirements:  

ATTENDANCE:  Attendance is mandatory; it will be taken each class meeting, and it will factor into your grade (you are allowed three unexcused absences).  You should arrive to class on time. Tardy arrivals to class meetings will count as a 1/2 absence. 

PARTICIPATION:  All students are required to contribute vocally to the class by asking questions and offering comments throughout the length of the course.   

EXAMS:  There will be two exams (one midterm and one final) which will consist of a mixture of identifications and short essay type questions.  Anything covered in the lectures, assigned readings, or other class projects (such as videos, discussions etc.) is subject to examination.  No make-up exams will be administered.  

Oct. 23 Midterm Exam

Dec. 18: 10:45-12:45  Final Exam 

REFLECTION ESSAYS:

     You must read all the books in the class but you can choose to write about any two of them.  The papers must be handed in on the assigned days.  The reflection essays must be typed, double spaced, and about 1000 words (3-5 pages) in length.  The paper theses should correspond to the assigned readings and the themes of the class lectures as well as the reflection readings.  This assignment is not a research paper and requires no outside sources.  However, in order to write a clear and intelligent essay, you will find it necessary to carefully read the weekly assignments.  You must give special attention to grammar and style.  Clarity and organization of thought, thematic focus, and a concise, grammatically correct structure will be the primary grading measures.  I suggest that students do a number of rewrites correcting for grammar, spelling, and structure.  I also encourage students to make an appointment to see a student tutor at the Learning Center, 253 Luther Bonney (780-4228) in Portland or Costello Sports Complex (228-8224) in Gorham for assistance and feedback regarding writing assignments.  Finally, I strongly recommend that you purchase, if you have not already done so, Diana Hacker’s A Writer’s Reference. It will prove to be an invaluable writing tool and I will refer you to it in my written comments on your papers. This syllabus includes a photocopy of the revision symbols in the back of her book for you to refer to when digesting my critiques of your written work. A half grade will be deducted for each day the paper is late.

Due dates:

Oct. 7:    Restall, Matthew, Maya Conquistador

Nov. 6:   De Las Casa, Bartolomé, A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies

Dec. 2:    Iparraguirre, Sylvia, Tierra del Fuego: An Historical Novel
 

GROUP PRESENTATION AND PAPER:

Groups of four to six people will be formed to research some aspect(s) of the colonial and/or pre-Columbian period of a Latin American nation or region.  A group presentation of 25 minutes will be scheduled during which the group must present their topic in an organized and well-structured manner.  The presentation will be followed by a short question and answer period.  The group will receive one grade for their presentation.  However, members will also be graded individually.  Each individual must also hand in a 750 word (2-4 page) double spaced paper in which they document (including footnotes and bibliography) their contribution and focus of the topic and presentation.  The group must decide how best to divide the work to make a thorough presentation.  However, each group must meet with me to discuss their presentation. If you would like to reserve a room to practice your presentation call 780-5616. If you would like to reserve any instructional technology (video or audio equipment, equipment for power point presentation, slide projector, etc.) call 780-5356 (Gorham) or 780-4280 (Portland). A list of possible topics follows but by no means is comprehensive:

Aspects of indigenous people prior to Spanish arrival (art, music, culture, religion)

African peoples in Colonial Latin America

Other migrant groups to arrive during colonial period

Catholic priests/missionaries

Race mixing/ mestizaje

Entertainment in colonial period (sports, games, music, art, etc)

Indigenous/Latin American influences on Spain

“La Malinche”

role of women

education during the colonial period

environmental issues/changes

social unrest: protests, rebellions, maroon societies

Indigenous or colonial period literature/intellectuals

Public health 

****A NOTE ON AN HONOR CODE****

     I will assume that you are familiar with the Student Academic Integrity Policy and understand precisely what it entails, especially regarding plagiarism and cheating.  I will also assume that you know the potential consequences of violation of the integrity policy.  I take it seriously and I expect you to do so also.

GRADE DISTRIBUTION:

Attendance and Participation - 10%

Mid-term Exam - 20%

Final Exam - 20%

Reflection Paper - 15% (each)

Group Presentation and Paper 20% (10% each)

FINAL NOTE:  If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible.  Furthermore, if at any point in the semester you encounter difficulty with the course or feel you could be performing at a higher level, please consult me. 

LATIN AMERICAN TRAVEL MONEY:  Students should be aware that there is a Latin American Student Travel fund.  This fund has provided grants, which have helped USM students travel to the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Costa Rica, Chile, Cuba.  For information see the International Programs office in Payson-Smith.