LATIN AMERICA: CONQUEST AND EMPIRE

This course surveys the history of Spain and Portugal’s colonies in the Americas - the region we call Latin America - from 1492 to 1898.  It introduces students to the nature and legacies of colonialism in Latin America while sharpening student skills in writing and critical analysis.  We will examine both European and Native American societies on the eve of their encounter.  We explore the process of discovery/conquest/settlement from both perspectives and analyze the social, cultural, and environmental consequences of colonization.  We study the colonial economy, the causes and effects of African slavery, and the conflicts that developed over land ownership, labor issues, and social relations (e.g., class, race, and gender).  We explore the mechanisms by which the Crown and the Church maintained three centuries of political stability in the colonies.  Finally, we ask how people accommodated themselves to the colonialist system and why they rebelled against it, concluding the semester with the wars of independence and the creation of new Latin American republics. 

Required Readings:

• Jonathan C. Brown, Latin America: A Social History of the Colonial Period (2000)  

• Inga Clendinnen, Ambivalent Conquests: Maya and Spaniard in Yucatan, 1517-1570 (1987) 

• William Taylor, Drinking, Homicide, and Rebellion in Colonial Mexican Villages (1979) 

• Articles posted  in the Electronic Reserve System (http://errol.iupui.edu).  

(* It is suggested that all students visit the University Library and print copies of the ERROL readings as soon as possible.  Those not yet familiar with the system should consult a reference librarian.) 

This syllabus, the course schedule, class announcements, weekly lecture outlines, study questions, assignments, and grades will be posted to Oncourse (https://oncourse.iupui.edu/).  Students unfamiliar with Oncourse may find a “Getting Help” guide at the website or come to the professor for assistance.

Course requirements and grading (based upon 1,000 total points):

Final grades will be determined by student performance on two exams (250´2, or 50%), two essays (150´2, or 30%), quizzes on reading assignments (100, or l0%), and class participation (100, or l0%).  Graduate students enrolled in H521 will write an 8-10 page historiography essay in lieu of the second examination.

Final grade scores: A (1,000-930),  A- (929-900), B+ (899-880), B (879-830), B- (829-800), C+ (799-780), C (779-730), C- (729-700), D (699-600), F (599 or less).

Remember...

* There is no mandatory attendance requirement.  But attendance will be recorded and persistent absenteeism results in lower class participation grades, inferior quiz results, and poor test preparation.  Students must make prior arrangements with the professor if extraordinary circumstances cause them to miss one of the two exams.  In-class quizzes may not be made up under any circumstances.

* It is expected that all students will 1) read,  2) think critically about, and 3) arrive to class prepared to discuss and be quizzed upon assigned readings.  Preparation is the key to effective participation.  Students must not only read the assigned material.  They must do so actively by   a) taking notes and b) preparing comments, critiques, or questions that the readings provoke.  Passively outlining the text is not an effective means of critical reading and thought. 

* All late assignments will be penalized as follows: 1/3 grade for assignments not turned in on due date (B to B-), one full grade for first week late (B to C), two full grades thereafter (B to D).

* Students who do not complete the two book reviews and two exams will not pass the course. 

* No incomplete grade may be taken by any student except under the most extraordinary of circumstances.  University policy states that incomplete grades may be taken only by students who have completed 75% of course requirements. 

* Plagiarism and cheating will be punished in accordance with university policy, as outlined in the Indiana University Academic Handbook (p.123) and the IUPUI Campus Bulletin, 2000-2002 (p.36). 

COURSE SCHEDULE