COURSE DESCRIPTION

In=20 this class, we will investigate the history of Latin=20 America from the precolumbian = period=20 through the wars of independence of the early nineteenth century. We will investigate how = Indian, Iberian,=20 and African peoples came into contact, conflict, and cooperation, and = how they=20 thought about what was happening to them. =20 The goal is to understand how Latin = America came=20 to take the shape that it did. = We=20 will emphasize the reading and discussion of a variety of primary and = secondary documents from many points of view, as well as writing an = imaginative historical essay. So, it is of paramount = importance that=20 you come to class prepared to discuss the readings!

ADA COMPLIANCE POLICY

Note:=20 Westminster=20 College seeks to provide = equal access=20 to the college=92s programs, services, and activities to people with = disabilities=20 as defined by the ADA and = Section=20 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. =20 If you have a disability for which you will need accommodations = in this=20 class, please let me know as soon as possible. You will also be required to = provide=20 documentation of your disability to the Services for Students with = Disabilities=20 program in the START=20 Center in Carleson Hall at 832-2280.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

1. To acquire knowledge of the = important=20 facts of Latin American history from the first human settlements through = independence.

2. To understand the extent to = which=20 indigenous traditions and cultures changed, adapted, and persisted in = the face=20 of contact with Iberians. =

3. To develop skills with = reading,=20 analyzing, thinking about, asking questions of, discussing, and writing = about a=20 variety of primary and secondary sources.

GRADING CRITERIA

Grades=20 will be assigned based on the following formula:

Midterm=20 examination: &nbs= p; =20 20%

Final=20 examination: &nbs= p; =20 20%

Discussion: &nbs= p; = ; =20 20%

Journal: &nbs= p; = ;=20 20%

Autobiographical=20 paper: =20 20%

Examinations=20 will be essay format. =

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DISCUSSION

=20 Discussion is encouraged at all times in class. Each day you will bring in at = least one=20 item of (current) Latin American news, from a newspaper or online news = source=20 (see below for possible news sources). =20 In addition, on Thursdays (usually) we will discuss the week's = readings,=20 films, and lectures. Each = of you will prepare a typed list of at = least one=20 question or subject for each reading, and will turn that list in to = me at=20 the end of the discussion period (this can be part of your journal, = discussed=20 below). For each = discussion period,=20 each student must also choose one individual item from Genesis or = Faces and Masks (the two Galeano = volumes) and=20 find at least two primary sources (from online or elsewhere) that are = relevant=20 to that item and help explain the story Galeano=20 tells. For example, on = week two,=20 you would have at least one question based on the text, one from = Genesis,=20 one from Civilization, and at least two primary sources from an=20 individual Genesis story. = Each of you will lead this discussion several times during the = semester;=20 I will assign a discussion leader a week prior, but each of you should be prepared to = lead the=20 discussion on any day. = You will=20 be graded (20% of your overall grade) on your preparation, the quality = of your=20 questions, and your active participation in the discussion.

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JOURNALS

=20 You will keep a journal handed in each Thursday; I will return them = on=20 Tuesday. The journal = counts for 20%=20 of your grade. This is a = separate=20 notebook - not your class lecture notes - and must be typed. Included in this journal = will be=20 comments, analyses, insights, and questions on assigned readings, = lectures, and=20 films, as well as in- and out-of-class activities of the week (for = example,=20 contemporary items of Latin American news). You should record your = course-related=20 thoughts, observations, personal insights, and other relevant = comments. Please remember, I'm looking = for YOUR=20 thoughts, not content notes on the material.

=20 The goal of the journal is to encourage you to think in ways that = facilitate analysis, = synthesis, and=20 evaluation. You will be evaluated on the quality, not just the = quantity of=20 your journal entries, although I expect that you will make entries based = on=20 each of the readings, lectures, films, discussions, and other = class=20 materials. (You will not = be=20 expected to write about each of the separate entries in Genesis, = but you=20 should write about at least three of them and comment upon the = selections as a=20 whole.)

You will, of course, not be punished for = disagreement or=20 comments that indicate opinions that differ from those of the authors, = your=20 classmates, or the instructor.

Suggested format for your journal:

Journal entry date:

Reading = notes:

=20 Reading title:

=20 Analysis/interpretation/comments/questions:

&nbs= p; =20 Did the author present information new to you? Did you agree or &nbs= p; = ; = =20 disagree with it (that is, did the author support his/her points = with=20 &nbs= p; = ; = =20 evidence)? If so, how?

Film notes:

=20 Film title/production information:

=20 Analysis/interpretation/comments/questions:

&nbs= p; =20 How did the film make its points?

=20 =20 Did the filmmakers present information new to you? Did you agree or &nbs= p; = ; =20 disagree with it? = If so, how?

Class lecture/discussion notes:

=20 Did the lecture/discussion raise any questions in your mind?=20

=20 Were there any points of agreement? =20 Disagreement?

=20 Were there any unanswered questions?

Synthesis and evaluation:

=20 How do readings/lectures/films/discussions relate to:

=20 Information you have previously learned? Your other=20 courses? Your=20 experience?

=20 What other information would you like to study to make this topic = more=20 useful?

No=20 late assignments will be accepted unless you speak to me before they are = due and=20 can document a legitimate reason.

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AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL=20 PAPER

=20 This assignment will require you to exercise your imaginative and = creative skills, as well as more traditional historical research = skills. You will put yourself into = someone=20 else's place, and try to create a narrative of that person's life as = honestly=20 and completely as possible.

=20 Imagine yourself a person in Latin = America. Think hard about your person's = characteristics - for example, man, woman, Indian, Spaniard, mestizo, mulatto, slave, cleric, merchant, = artisan,=20 government official, nun - and the years you = lived; the=20 possibilities are almost endless. =20 No matter who you create, you are old - at least 80 - and you = sense that=20 your life is coming to a close. = You=20 decide that you've lived such a colorful, exciting, involved, active, = wonderful=20 and/or terrible life and witnessed such momentous events and changes = that you=20 want to write your life story. = You=20 may invent an audience for your story - a child or grandchild, for = instance.

=20 Be as honest and complete as possible; you're going to die soon, = and you=20 don't care what people think anymore and you're afraid that people won't = remember what your world was like. =20 Be sure to write in specific detail about the important things in = life:

Childhood

Identity (gender, race, = ethnicity,=20 socioeconomic status, etc.)

Love and/or marriage

Religion

Work

Play

Home

Friends

Children

Health

Events around you (public, = governmental,=20 military, etc.)

These items constitute a partial list; some others = should=20 occur to you.

Boring = stuff=20 (requirements):

Length: 7-10 pages (double-spaced, 12-point type, = 1-inch=20 margins)

Sources: at least 10 sources, including:

=20 at least 2 monographs other than = assigned class=20 materials

=20 at least 2 articles from a scholarly = journal

=20 at least 5 primary sources from other = than=20 assigned class materials

Citation/use of sources: The entire paper must be in = your=20 voice, in your words. = (Don't=20 worry too much about adopting the literary tone of the times, although = you=20 should use the primary sources in Civilization as a guide. Do avoid the use of modern = slang or=20 anachronisms.)

All usual requirements about academic honesty = apply, of=20 course. You are not = required to use=20 notation (footnotes or endnotes) in the body of the paper. You will attach an annotated=20 bibliography that lists your sources (in proper Turabian bibliographic format), as well as a short = (one or=20 two paragraph) description of how you used each source.

Schedule = for paper=20 completion:

10=20 September: Create character for autobiography in consultation with=20 instructor

12 November: first draft of autobiographical=20 paper

17 December (final exam period): = Final=20 version of autobiographical paper due

Paper = Grading criteria:

"A" Paper

To deserve an "A," you must demonstrate a genuine = and=20 successful effort to create a believable person. You include plausible and = imaginative=20 details and descriptions of all of the "important things in life" = described=20 above, and at least one other that applies to your character. Your autobiography = demonstrates an=20 excellent understanding of the context in which your character lived; = i.e.,=20 several larger events that your character experienced. You fully comply with all of = the "boring=20 stuff" requirements above. =

"A-" Paper

To deserve an "A-," you must demonstrate a genuine = and=20 successful effort to create a believable person. You include plausible details = and=20 descriptions of most (8 or 9) of the "important things in life" = described=20 above. Your autobiography = demonstrates a good understanding of the context in which your character = lived;=20 i.e., some of the larger historical events that your character = experienced. You fully comply with all of = the "boring=20 stuff" requirements above.

"B+" Paper

To deserve a "B+," you must demonstrate a genuine = and=20 successful effort to create a believable person. You include plausible details = and=20 descriptions of some (7 or 8) of the "important things in life" = described=20 above. Your autobiography = demonstrates an understanding of the context in which your character = lived;=20 i.e., a few of the larger historical events that your character=20 experienced. You fully = comply with=20 all of the "boring stuff" requirements above.

"B" Paper

To deserve a "B," you must demonstrate a genuine = effort to=20 create a believable person. = You=20 include some plausible details and descriptions of some (7 or 8) of the=20 "important things in life" described above. Your autobiography = demonstrates a fairly=20 good understanding of the context in which your character lived; i.e., a = few of=20 the larger historical events that your character experienced. You fully comply with all of = the "boring=20 stuff" requirements above.

"B-" Paper

To deserve a "B-," you must demonstrate a genuine, = if not=20 wholly successful effort to create a believable person. You include some plausible = details and=20 descriptions of some (6 or 7) of the "important things in life" = described=20 above. Your autobiography = demonstrates a fairly good understanding of the context in which your = character=20 lived; i.e., a few of the larger historical events that your character=20 experienced. You comply = with all=20 but one of the "boring stuff" requirements above (e.g., the paper is = half a page=20 too short, OR one of your sources is not appropriate, OR you don't fully = explain=20 how you used one of the sources in the annotated bibliography).

"C+" Paper

To deserve a "C+," you have not fully demonstrated = a genuine=20 effort to create a believable person. =20 You include a few plausible details and descriptions of some (5 = or 6) of=20 the "important things in life" described above. Your autobiography = demonstrates some=20 understanding of the context in which your character lived; i.e., a = couple of=20 the larger historical events that your character experienced. You comply with most of the = "boring=20 stuff" requirements above (e.g., the paper is half a page too short, = AND/OR one=20 of your sources is not appropriate, AND/OR you don't explain how you = used one of=20 the sources in the annotated bibliography).

"C" Paper

To deserve a "C," you have not fully demonstrated a = genuine=20 effort to create a believable person. =20 You include a few plausible details and descriptions of some (5 = or 6) of=20 the "important things in life" described above. Your autobiography = demonstrates only a=20 partial understanding of the context in which your character lived; = i.e., a=20 couple of the larger historical events that your character experienced = are=20 described briefly. You = comply with=20 most of the "boring stuff" requirements above (e.g., the paper is a page = too=20 short, AND/OR one or more of your sources is not appropriate, AND/OR you = don't=20 explain how you used one or more of the sources in the annotated=20 bibliography).

"C-" Paper

To deserve a "C-," you have not demonstrated a = genuine effort=20 to create a believable person. = You=20 include plausible details and descriptions of only a few (4 or 5) of the = "important things in life" described above. Your autobiography = demonstrates only a=20 partial understanding of the context in which your character lived; = i.e., a=20 couple of the larger historical events that your character experienced = are=20 described briefly. You = comply with=20 most of the "boring stuff" requirements above (e.g., the paper is a page = too=20 short, AND/OR one or more of your sources is not appropriate, AND/OR you = don't=20 explain how you used one or more of the sources in the annotated=20 bibliography).

"D" Paper

To deserve a "D," you have not demonstrated a = genuine effort=20 to create a believable person. = You=20 include plausible details and descriptions of only a few (3 or 4) of the = "important things in life" described above. Your autobiography = demonstrates a=20 marginal understanding of the context in which your character lived; = i.e., a=20 couple of the larger historical events that your character experienced = are=20 briefly referred to. You = comply=20 with some of the "boring stuff" requirements above (e.g., the paper is a = page or=20 a page and a half too short, AND one or more of your sources is not = appropriate,=20 AND/OR you don't explain how you used one or more of the sources in the=20 annotated bibliography).

"F" Paper

To deserve an "F," you have not demonstrated a = genuine effort=20 to create a believable person. = You=20 include details and descriptions of only a few (3 or 4) of the = "important things=20 in life" described above. = Your=20 autobiography demonstrates a marginal understanding of the context in = which your=20 character lived; e.g.., a couple of the larger historical events that = your=20 character experienced are briefly referred to. You comply with some of the = "boring=20 stuff" requirements above (e.g., the paper is a page and a half or two = pages too=20 short, AND one or more of your sources is not appropriate, AND you don't = explain=20 how you used one or more of the sources in the annotated=20 bibliography).

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Primary and Secondary Sources = Online, for discussions and autobiographical = paper:

Newspapers:=20 North, Central, and South America newspapers in = English=20 at:

http://www.world-newspapers.com= /

Internet=20 Modern History Sourcebook

http://www.fo= rdham.edu/halsall/mod/modsbook08.html

Latin = American = Network=20 Information=20 Center

http://lanic.utexas.edu/

Sources=20 and General Resources on Latin America

http://www.ober= lin.edu/faculty/svolk/latinam.htm

Gender=20 and Race in Colonial Latin America

http://chnm.gmu.edu/wwh/d= /124/wwh.html

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REQUIRED=20 READING:

John=20 Charles Chasteen, Born in Blood and Fire, = 2nd ed. (in=20 weekly =20 schedule: =93text=94)

Benjamin=20 Keen, Keen=92s Latin American Civilization, 8th ed. = (in weekly schedule: =93Keen=94)

Fernandez=20 de Lizardi, The Mangy Parrot (in = weekly=20 schedule: =93Parrot=94)

Eduardo=20 de Galeano, Memory of Fire: Genesis = (in weekly=20 schedule: =93Genesis=94)

Eduardo=20 de Galeano, Memory of Fire: Faces and = Masks (in=20 weekly schedule: =93Faces=94)

‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑= 209;‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑= ;‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑&#= 8209;‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑̴= 9;‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑&= #8209;‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑R= 09;‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑= ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑= 209;‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑= ;‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑&#= 8209;‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑̴= 9;‑‑‑

TENTATIVE WEEKLY SCHEDULE/READING, DISCUSSION, AND ASSIGNMENTS

This schedule is tentative and subject to change!!

Week=20 one (27 August) =20 Introduction

=20 Genesis, xv-xvii

Week=20 two (1, 3 September) =20 Peoples of the=20 Americas = before=20 the conquest

Text,=20 introduction, pp. 15-29

Civilization,=20 pp. 3-36

Genesis,=20 pp. 3-42

Week=20 three (8, 10 September) Iberians and Africans before the conquest

By 10 September: in consultation = with=20 instructor during office hours, create character for=20 autobiography

Text,=20 pp. 29-44

Civilization,=20 pp. 37-44

Week=20 four (15, 17 September) =20 Columbus and all that

Civilization,=20 pp. 45-54

Genesis,=20 pp. 45-54 (including =93The Fifth Voyage=94)

Week=20 five (22, 24 September) Columbus and the Relay Conquest

=20 Genesis, pp. 54-63 (through =93Pedrarias=94)

Week=20 six (29 September, 1 October) The conquest of=20 Mexico

Text,=20 44-53

Civilization,=20 pp. 54-61

Genesis,=20 pp. 63-72 (up to =93Ponce de Le=F3n=94)

Week=20 seven (6 October) =20 Further conquests; critics

NO=20 JOURNAL DUE THIS WEEK

Civilization,=20 pp. 61-89

Genesis,=20 pp. 72-93 (through =93The Treasure of the Incas=94)

8=20 OCTOBER MIDTERM EXAMINATION

Week eight (13 October) the = colonial=20 economy

Text,=20 pp. 59-65

Civilization,=20 pp. 89-124

Genesis,=20 pp. 94-163

Week=20 nine (20, 22 October) =20 Government and Church

Text,=20 pp. 54-57, 65-70

Civilization,=20 pp. 125-46

Genesis,=20 pp. 164-228

Week=20 ten = (27,=20 29 October) colonial = society

Text,=20 pp. 70-75

Civilization,=20 pp. 149-80

Genesis,=20 pp. 228-282

Week eleven (3, 5 November) colonial society, = cont.

Text,=20 pp. 75-85

Civilization,=20 pp. 181-200

Faces,=20 pp. 3-39

Week=20 twelve (10, 12 November) the 18th century: challenge and response

Text,=20 pp. 86-89

Civilization,=20 pp. 203- 220; 222-234

Faces,=20 pp. 39-91

=20 12 November: = first draft=20 of autobiographical paper

Week=20 thirteen (17, 19 November) An Artist and a = Critic

=20 Parrot, pp. ix-xxi, 1-103

Week=20 fourteen (24 November) =20 An Artist and a Critic

=20 Parrot, remainder

Week=20 fifteen (1, 3 December) =20 Independence

Text,=20 pp. 91-116

Civilization,=20 pp. 237-63

Faces,=20 pp. 91-128

Week=20 sixteen (8 December) Makeup or review

Final=20 exam: Thursday, 17 = December,=20 2:00-3:50

Final version of = autobiographical=20 paper due