HIS240: Latin America to Independence

Dr. Nick Maher

Fall 2007                                                                                                                                                                         

Time: MWF 10:30-11:20                                                                                                                                                   

Room: Hearst 212                                                                                                                                                            

 

 

Montezuma meets Cortes

 

 

 

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Course Description

 

This is a survey of Latin American History from the origins of pre-Columbian civilizations to Indpendence..  This course explores the origins and development of indigenous societies in Mesoamerica and the Andes, the conquest and colonization of (what became) Spanish America, the late colonial crises and reforms, the struggle for independence, and the emergence of Latin American nations.

We will begin by examining the characteristics of the pre-Columbian societies.  We will focus on the three larger civilizations of the Maya, Inca, and Aztecs.  Through the use of primary accounts from both European and indigenous sources, we will consider the motives, process, and immediate impact of conquest.  We will examine the nature of Colonial Spanish American society, administration, religion and developing tensions between Spaniards and Creole elites.  Time will allow only comparative reference to Portuguese America.  Finally, we will see how the movement for Independence arose from a variety of tensions that resulted from contrasting views and concerns of distant European authority and local cultural identity and the challenges that faced the newly emerging Latin American nations.

 

 

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Course Requirements

 

Show up to class on time ready to discuss the day's material.  Bring all relevant material to class. Attendance in class is mandatory.  Two missed classes will be politely ignored.  Beyond that, your final grade will be reduced. 

 

*      The two Tests will be designed to give you an opportunity to demonstrate that you have been reading the assignments and thinking about the material presented in class. 

*      The two Essays will be short synthetic discussions of several of the readings.  Late papers will be graded down one full grade for the first 24 hours late and a second full grade for up to one week late.  No papers will be accepted beyond that. 

*      Participation means speaking.  Do the reading, ask thoughtful questions, and listen to your peers’ questions.

 

Grades for the course will be based on the following:

20%

Essay #1

20%

Test #1

25%

Essay #2

25%

Test #2

10%

Class participation

Honor Code:  “Because Oglethorpe students and faculty expect each other to be truthful in the intellectual endeavour they share, academic work at the University is done under the provisions of an Honour Code. Oglethorpe students affirm their commitment to the Honour Code with a written pledge on each piece of graded work, as requested by the instructor. Both students and faculty have the responsibility of reporting suspected violations” (The O Book).

Cheating includes (a) the unauthorized possession or use of notes, texts, or other such materials during an examination.  (b) Copying another person’s work or participation in such an effort.  (c) An attempt or participation in an attempt to fulfill the requirements of a course with work other than one’s original work for that course.

Plagiarism includes representing someone else’s words, ideas, data, or original research as one’s own, and in general failing to footnote or otherwise acknowledge the source of such work. One has the responsibility of avoiding plagiarism by taking adequate notes on reference materials, including material taken off the internet or other electronic sources, used in the preparation of reports, papers, and other coursework.

University Policy on Course Withdrawal:  Students withdrawing from a course may do so through the 9th week, or two weeks after the published mid-semester date with a “W”. For two weeks between the 9th and 11th weeks the grade “W” or WF” may be given at the discretion of the instructor. Students withdrawing after the Friday that falls on the 11th week will receive a grade of “WF”. Only in the event of medical emergency or hardship may students appeal a grade of “WF” to the Provost.

University Policy on Incompletes:  If a student is unable to complete the work for a course on time for reasons of health, family tragedy, or other circumstances the instructor deems appropriate, the grade “I” may be assigned.  If the student completes the work within thirty days of the last day of exams of the semester in question, the instructor will evaluate the work and turn in a revised grade.  Any “I” not changed by the professor within forty five days of the last day of exams will automatically be changed to a grade of “F”.

 

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Required Texts

*      Burkholder, Mark A., Colonial Latin America (New York: Oxford University Press, 1997). ISBN: 0195105362

*      De Las Casas, Bartolome, A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies (New York: Viking Penguin, 1992). ISBN: 0140445625

*      Inga Clendinnen.  Aztecs: An Interpretation (Cambridge University, 1995) ISBN: 0521485851

*      LaFaye, Jaques, Quetzalcoatl & Guadalupe: The Formation of Mexican National Consciousness, 1531-1813 (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1987). ISBN: 0226467880

*      Leon-Portilla, Miguel , The Broken Spears: The Aztec Account of the Conquest of Mexico (Boston: Beacon Press, 1992). ISBN: 0807055018

*      Mills, Kenneth (ed.), Colonial Spanish America: A Documentary History, (Wilmington: Scholarly Resources, Inc., 1998.  ISBN: 0842025731

Supplementary Readings will be distributed in class.  These readings are indicated with an “(S)”.

 

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Course Schedule

Week 1

Wednesday (8/29)

      Introduction

Friday (8/31)

*      Hugh Thomas, “The Real Discovery of America.” (S)

Week 2

Monday (9/3) No Class: Labor Day

Wednesday (9/5)

*      Mark Burkholder, Colonial Latin America, pp.1-22.

*      Freidel & Schele, “Gaming with the Gods: Destiny & History in Maya Thought.” (S)

Friday (9/7)

*      Freidel & Schele, “Copan: Death of First Dawn on Macaw Mountain.” (S)

Week 3

Monday (9/10) 

*      Gary Urton, “The Mythic Dimensions of Inka History” and “The Pacariqtambo Origin Myth in the Spanish Chronicles,” (S)

Wednesday (9/12)

*      Mills & Taylor, pp.1-18.

Friday (9/14)

*      Inga Clendinnen, “Introduction” and “The City.”

*      Essay #1 Assigned

Week 4

Monday (9/17)

*      Inga Clendinnen, “Victims” & “Warriors, Priests, and Merchants.”

Wednesday (9/19)

*      Inga Clendinnen, “Wives” & “Mothers.”

Friday (9/21)

*      Mark Burkholder, Colonial Latin America, pp. 23-41.

 

Week 5

Monday (9/24)

*      Carlos Fuentes, “The Reconquest of Spain” and “1492: The Crucial Year” (S)

*      Inga Clendinnen, “Ritual: World Transformed, World Revealed” and “The City Destroyed.”

Wednesday (9/26)

*      Leon-Portilla, Miguel , The Broken Spears: The Aztec Account of the Conquest of Mexico

Friday (9/28)

*      Essay #1 Due

Week 6

Monday (10/1):

*      Mark Burkholder, Colonial Latin America, pp.42-49.

*      Mills & Taylor, pp.19-26.

Wednesday (10/3):

*      Mark Burkholder, Colonial Latin America, pp. 50-77.

*      Mills & Taylor, pp.27-45.

Friday (10/5)

*      De Las Casas, A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies, Introduction and pp.1-36.

*      Mark Burkholder, Colonial Latin America, pp.79-106

 

Week 7

Monday (10/8)  No Class (Columbus Day!)

Wednesday (10/10)

*      De Las Casas, A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies, finish.

*      Mills & Taylor, pp.46-64,

Friday (10/12)

Week 8

Monday (10/15):

*      Test #1

Wednesday (10/17)

*      Jacques Lafaye, Quetzalcoatl & Guadalupe, chapters 1 and 2

Friday (10/19)

*      Jacques Lafaye, Quetzalcoatl & Guadalupe, chapter 3.

*      Mills & Taylor

*      Christoph Weiditz’s Drawing of an Indian Woman of Mexico (1527)

*      Christoph Weiditz’s Drawing of a Morisco Woman and her Daughter at Home (1529)

Week 9

Monday (10/22)

*      Jacques Lafaye, Quetzalcoatl & Guadalupe, chapter 4.

*      Mills & Taylor

*      Fray Pedro de Gante’s Letter to Charles V, Mexico City (1552)

*       “The Evils of Cochineal, Tlaxcala, Mexico (1553)

*      The Indian Pueblo of Texupa in 16th Century Mexico (1579)

Wednesday (10/24)

*      Mills & Taylor

*      Fray Juan Izquierdo’s Letter and Report to Charles V, Barcelona (1552)

*      Alonzo Ortiz’ Letter to His Wife, Mexico City (1574)

Friday (10/26)

*      Jacques Lafaye, Quetzalcoatl & Guadalupe, chapter 5.

*      Mills & Taylor

*      Jerónimo de Benarcama’s Letter to Francisco de Borja, Granada (1566)

*      José de Acosta on the Salvation of the Indians (1588)

 

Week 10

Monday (10/29)

*      Mark Burkholder, Colonial Latin America, chapter 5.

*      Mills & Taylor:  

*      Miguel Hernández, “Master of Mule Trains”

*      Two Images from the Codex Osuna

Wednesday (11/31)

*      Mills & Taylor

*      Two Images from the Codex Sierra

*      Fray Diego Valadés, “Ideal Atrio and Its Activities”

*      The Huejotzingo Altarpiece

*      Thomas Cummins and William Taylor, “The Mulatto Gentlemen of Esmeraldoas”

Friday (11/2)

*      Essay #2 Assigned

 

Week 11

Monday (11/5)

*      Mark Burkholder, Colonial Latin America, chapter 6.

*      Carlos Fuentes, “The Baroque Culture of the New World” (S)

*      Mills & Taylor

*      Felipe Guaman Poma de Ayala, “Appeal Concerning Priests”

*      Pedro de León Portocarrero, “Description of Lima”

Wednesday (11/7)

*      Jacques Lafaye, Quetzalcoatl & Guadalupe, chapter 9-10.

*      Mills & Taylor

*      “The Church and Monastery of San Francisco, Lima

*      Solange Alberro, “Beatriz de Padilla”

Friday (11/9)

¸ Film: I, Worst of All

Week 12

Monday (11/12)

*      Jacques Lafaye, Quetzalcoatl & Guadalupe, chapter 5.

*      Mills & Taylor

*      Santa Rosa of Lima According to a Pious Accountant”

*      “Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz’s Letter to Sor Filotea”

*      “Portaits of Santa Rosa and Sor Juana”

*      Sor Juana's Poetry (link through web page)

*      “You Men (foolish men)”

*      “Sonnet”

*      “Since I am Condemned”

*      “This Evening, My Love”

Wednesday (11/14)

*      Jacques Lafaye, Quetzalcoatl & Guadalupe, chapter 6.

*      Mills & Taylor

*      Serge Gruzinski, “Mutilated Memory”

*      Francisco de Avila, “Christmas Eve Sermon”

Friday (11/16)

*      Jacques Lafaye, Quetzalcoatl & Guadalupe, chapter 7.

Week 13

Monday (11/19)

¸ Film: The Mission (On Reserve in the Library)

*      Jacques Lafaye, Quetzalcoatl & Guadalupe, chapters 12-13.

Wednesday (11/23) No Class / Thanksgiving

Friday (11/25) No Class / Thanksgiving

Week 14

Monday (11/26):

*      Mark Burkholder, Colonial Latin America, chapter 7

*      Carlos Fuentes, “The Age of Goya” (S)

*      Mills & Taylor

*      “The Witness Francisco Poma y Altas Caldeas of San Pedro de Acas”

*      “Crossing the Dome of the Rosary Chapel”

*      “Two Painting of Santo Domingo

*      José de Gálvez, “Decrees for the King’s Subjects in Mexico

*      “The Foundation of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe”

Wednesday (11/28):

*      Mills & Taylor

*      “Concolorcorvo Engages the Postal Inspector about Indian Affairs”

*      William Taylor, “Parish Priests and Indian Resistance”

*      David Cahill, “Taxonomy of a Colonial ‘Riot’”

*      Juan Francisco Domínguez, “Discourse on the Ten Commandments”

*      Nicolás Ñenguirú’s Letter to the Governor of Buenos Aires

Friday (11/30):

*      Mills & Taylor

*      “Two Castas Paintings”

*      Handout: Castaas (S)

*      “Late 18th Century Inscription on Fountains and Monuments”

*      “Túpac Amaru I, Remembered”

Week 15

Monday (12/3)

*      Mills & Taylor

*      America Nursing Spanish Noble Boys”

*      José María Morelos, “Sentiments of the Nation”

*      “The Argentine Declaration of Independence           

Essay #2 Due

Wednesday (12/5)

*      Mark Burkholder, Colonial Latin America, chapter 8

*      Richard Graham, “Colonies in Flux” (S)

Friday (12/7)

*      Lyman Johnson, “Spanish American Independence and Its Consequences.” (S)

*      Simon Collier, “National Consciousness and Alternative Myth.” (S)

*      Simon Bolivar, “War to the Death.” (S)

 

Week 16

Monday (12/10)

*      Van Young, “Islands in the Storm.” (S)

*      G. Reid Andrews, “The Black Legions.” (S)

*      Chris Archer, “The Royalist Army of New Spain.” (S)

 

Friday (12/14): Final Exam (9:00 am)