LATIN
AMERICAN
HISTORY
I
Prof.
James Baer
Office: Bisdorf 252
Office
Hours for Spring 2012: Mon-Wed: 10:30AM-12:00NOON
and Tues-Thu. 10:00AM-11:00AM
or by appointment
Office Telephone: (703) 933-3978
Email:
jbaer@nvcc.edu
Web
Page:
www.nvcc.edu/home/jbaer
Course
Description:
This course will review Latin American history from prehistory to the
end of
the wars of independence in the nineteenth century. Topics will include
daily
life of the Aztecs; colonial economy and society and the independence
movements. The purpose of this course is to understand the origins of
the
multiracial societies of Latin America and how the colonial legacy has
influenced the development of
There will be two class tests, one three-page book review, one
five-page
writing assignment, a colloquium assignment and three internet or
activity
assignments. There will also be information and assignments on
Blackboard, a
web-based program for instruction. Each student will have a Blackboard
account
and should log on to see the assignments. If you need help, please let
me know.
Attendance is required, and will be counted as ten percent of the
grade.
Students are expected to do their own work, and participate in class
activities
and discussions appropriately.
Student
presentation 5% (Information on Pre-Colombian Civilizations)
Two
Internet Assignments/Activities 10% (5%
each)
Two
Blackboard Assignments 10% (5% each) Original
Spin and Virgin of Guadalupe
Book
Review 10% (book review)
Two class
tests: 20% (10% each)
Colloquium
assignment 15% (colloquium
assignment)
Writing
assignment 20% (assignment)
Attendance
10%
Study
Guides
Available:
(Study guide 1)
(Study guide 2)
(Study guide 3 )
(Study guide 4.)
Special
Needs
and
Accommodations: Please speak to the instructor at the beginning of
the semester about any special problems or needs. If you are asking for
special
accommodations based on a disability you should provide a disability
data
sheet, which you can get from a counselor for special needs, who is
located in
The Student Services Center, Room 196.
In
case the
campus closes for bad weather or an emergency students should
communicate with
the instructor via email to make sure that class activities and
assignments are
completed despite interruptions.
Topics
and
Assignments
Jan.
26:
Topic:
Overview of pre-Colombian civilizations. Students will be
assigned to
groups to prepare presentations on native civilizations and will meet
to
discuss presentations. Assignment for next class: Continue
reading Ch.
1, pages 23-51, in textbook about early American civilizations.
Feb. 2: Student
presentations
on native civilizations (10% of
grade). Assignment
for
next class: Begin reading "Broken
Spears," and finish reading Ch 2 in the text, pages 69-92.
Feb.
9:
Topic: Columbus and
his encounter with America. The Columbian Exchange. Assignment for next
class: (Click here to access
Blackboard) Complete
first Blackboard assignment by reading "Original
Spin"
on the Blackboard Assignments page and posting your comments in
a paragraph of 100-200 words in the Blackboard Discussion Board. Look
at your
classmates comments and respond to at least two.
Feb.16
Paper on
"Broken Spears" due (10% of grade) by 2:00PM Topic: The Conquest
of Mexico and Peru. How important were questions of luck, leadership,
disease
and technology in the conquest?
Feb. 23: Test on the Pre-Colombian period and the Conquest. (10% of grade) Assignment for next class: Begin reading text, Ch. 3 and complete activity.
Feb. 28: Topic:
Colonial
Empire:
Organization. How did the Spanish control its new empire?
What institutions were transplanted and how did they function in the
Mar.
1:
Activity instead of class:
Complete ONE of the following activities: View the video
“Mission” (on
Reserve at College or rent it for home viewing) OR visit Indian Museum
collection of pre-Columbian artifacts OR go to the Library of Congress,
get a
library card and go to the Hispanic Reading Room in the Jefferson
Building to
see what resources they have there (bring in the library card to show
you
went). Then write 500 words (about 2 pages double spaced)
describing
what you learned about
March
6
and March 8: No
Class. Spring Break
Mar.
13:
Paper on activity due (5% of grade) by 2:00 PM
.
Topic: The role of the Church in
Colonial Latin America; regular and secular clergy and the
effectiveness of
missionaries. Assignment for next class: Complete Blackboard
assignment on
the "Virgin de Guadalupe." and read text, Ch. 4.
(No late
assignments
from the first half will be accepted for any reason after March 13)
Mar.
15:
Topic: Population and
Labor. How did the Spanish control native and slave populations? What
was the
nature of their role in production? Assignment for next class: Text: Ch
5 and
begin reading "The Lieutenant Nun."
Mar.
22:
ACTIVITY
INSTEAD OF CLASS.
LOOK ON INTERNET SITE FOR PAINTINGS
OF
RACE AND RACE MIXTURE AND WRITE 3-5 PAGE (700-1,000
words) PAPER ABOUT THESE PAINTINGS, DESCRIBING SEVERAL IN DETAIL, WITH
EMPHASIS
ON COLOR, BACKGROUND, CLOTHING, ETC. SHOWING HOW THEY REFLECT COLONIAL
CONCEPTS
OF RACE. Turn in next class. Read Ch. 6 in text.
Mar. 29: Questions
on
Lieutenant
Nun due at 2:00PM and class Colloquium on the
Colonial Era
(15% of grade).
Assignment for next class: Begin
reading
Ch. 9 in the text, pages 298-320.
April
3:
Topic: Colonial Spanish America and Colonial Brazil compared.
Assignment for next class: Review Study Guides 2 and 3 and prepare for
test.
April
5: Test
on Colonial Era (10% of grade). Assignment for next class:
Finish
reading Ch. 9, pages 321-356.
April
10: Topic:
Expansion
and Reform. Did any of these reforms influence
later independence movements? How did different groups react to these
changes?
Assignment for next class: Reading text Ch. 10 and begin research for
Independence assignment.
April
17:
Topic:
Background
to Independence. (Click here
for study
guide 4.) How did 18th century revolutions and events
influence
Latin American independence? Assignment for next class: Prepare
list of
books you will use in your paper and write a paragraph with your thesis
statement
April
19:
Students meet at assigned times with
instructor to discuss paper on independence. Assignment
for
next
week: Complete paper on
April 24: Student presentations on
May
3:
Papers
returned to students.
_______________________________________________________________
Links to Latin American Websites (Disclaimer: These websites are not
maintained
by me. Their reliability and accuracy must be judged by the reader.)
Select
Internet Resources on Latin America
WestWeb:
Spanish
Borderlands
and Southwestern History
Latin
American
Network Information Center - LANIC
Afro-Argentines
The
Virgin of
Guadalupe
Sex Crimes in the Colonial Era