Department of History

In 1519, the Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortés led an expedition to conquer the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlán, located on the site of present-day Mexico City. The clash of cultures, peoples, social systems and world views which resulted from the Conquest continued over the following three centuries as Spanish, Portuguese, English, Dutch and French powers ruled the territories of Mexico, Central America, South America and the Caribbean. In the 1820s, most Latin American nations won their Independence from colonial powers and began to chart their own courses of development. Newly independent countries grappled with fundamental questions about what kind of political systems they would adopt, how to create solid national economies, how to keep in check the power of the military, elite, and foreign interests, and how to bring together the diverse peoples of their countries as citizens of one nation across the imposing boundaries of race, culture, and class. This class on the history of Modern Latin America will consider many dimensions of the national histories of Latin America from their Independence to the present. We will study several overarching themes which defined the reality of Latin America through the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, namely, the development of dependent, export-based economies, tumultuous relations with the United States, the cycles of international debt which continue to this day, and the persistent political instability of the regions which led to military dictatorships and popular revolutions. This thematic approach will be complemented with lectures and readings highlighting the particulars of specific national histories, thus allowing us to look more in depth, for example, at Argentina’s Dirty War, the Cuban Revolution, the CIA’s role in Guatemala and Chile, the experience of maquiladora workers under NAFTA, etc. Student presentations will also play a large role in relating these stories, events, and experiences.

Required Readings:

 1) The Politics of Latin America: The Power Game by Vanden and Prevost, Oxford Univ Press ISBN # 0-19-512317-4

2) For La Patria by Brian Loveman, Scholarly Resources, Inc. ISBN # 0-8420-2773-4

3) House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende

4) Imposing Decency by Elieen Findlay-Suarez, Duke Univ Press ISBN # 0822323966

5) Women in the Global Factory by Annette Fuentes and Barbara Ehrenreich, South End Press ISBN # 0896081982

Course Requirements:

1) A three to four-page paper centered on lecture, readings and Imposing Decency. DUE: March 6

2) A three to four-page paper centered on lecture, readings and House of the Spirits. DUE: May 1

3) A five-page paper on your presentation topic. DUE: On the DAY of your presentation!

ALL written work for the class must be typed, double-spaced, with 10- or 12-point font, 1-inch margins, and numbered pages (bottom center or right center preferred). All of your papers should have a title, be creative if you would like. Title pages are not necessary. NO folders, fancy plastic covers, or other additional "packaging" on papers, please. Just staple the pages together in the top left hand corner. Be sure it has your name on it.

Presentation and Webliography: Along with several classmates, you will give a group presentation to the class on one of the assigned topics. Students are responsible for researching that topic, analyzing how it relates to other themes we have discussed, and presenting it to the class. As part of your group presentation, students must complete a webliography which will be submitted online and published on the History Department website. In class presentations should ideally use powerpoint and include a discussion of at least one of the best research websites found on their topic. Each student must also turn in a five-page paper about their area of the presentation topic. This should be written like a short research paper. Papers MUST include a bibliography and footnotes.

Class Discussions, Map Quiz and Attendance: You are expected to attend class regularly. You must successfully pass a map quiz of Latin American geography which will be given on Feb 6th. You are expected to come to class with the assigned reading completed. Class discussions constitute a significant portion of this grade.

Final Exam: A final exam covering the readings, lecture materials, and presentation content. Identifications will also be included.

Grade Evaluation:

Paper #1: 20%

Paper #2: 20%

Paper #3 on presentation topic 15%

Class Presentation and Webliography 10%

Class Discussions, Attendance and Map Quiz: 15%

Final Exam: 20%

A Note on Academic Honesty: Plagarism consists of using someone else’s facts, words, or ideas without attributing to that source/author. Plagarism is a serious academic offense and will not be tolerated in this class. Buying a paper on line, copying sentences, paragraphs or phrases from a book (or other source) without citing them, submitting a paper you did not write, or submitting a paper that you have already submitted for another class (multiple submissions) all constitute plagarism. Students should be prepared to turn in a copy of their paper on a floppy disk if requested to do so. Anti-plagiarism software can scan the Internet for similar papers or texts. This is your warning DO NOT plagarize. If you are caught, which is a strong possibility, the matter will be turned over to the Dean of the College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences. Our university imposes severe penalties on students who plagarize. At best, it will result in an F for this course and academic probation. At worst, it will result in suspension or dismissal. You may use published material from books, journals, articles, but you MUST acknowledge that source in a citation. Provide citations from all quotes used in your paper as well as any ideas which you have paraphrased from another author. The only exception is general knowledge and your own ideas, of course. Failing to cite your sources is plagarizing. DON’T DO IT!

From proper citation format: Turabian, Kate L. A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, rev. 6^th ed. University of Chicago Press, 1996 (available at the UC bookstore for $12 or on reserve at the library). Also, on RESERVE at Library – Call # LB 2369.T8 1996.