The Spanish Borderlands
Austin College
Fall 2008
History 329
Light T. Cummins
Office: Sherman Hall 124, 813-2359
lcummins@austincollege.edu
Course Requirements:
This course is a critical
analysis of the Spanish experience in those geographic areas of
colonial Spain which are now part of the United States. This course
will examine the Hispanic colonial history of
Required Texts:
The book by David J. Weber will serve as the textbook for the class. Reading assignments are noted for each of the examinations.
David J. Weber. The
Hispanic Frontier of
Examinations and Course Requirements
There will be three tests: two unit examinations and a final examination. As well, each student will engage in outside reading as noted below. Each student will also work through three exhibits dealing with the Borderlands in the Humanities Interactive site maintained by the Texas Humanities Resource Center.
Humanities
Interactive Exercises - - 10%
1st Unit Examination - 30%
2nd Unit Examination - 30%
Final Examination - 30%
As
well, the instructor reserves the right to raise or lower the final
course grade according to class discussion and participation. No extra
credit work will be assigned.
Outside Reading
Students will read extensively in the historical literature from the library's general collection dealing with the Spanish Borderlands. Each undergraduate will be required to read a minimum total of 1500 pages during the semester from monographs or biographies dealing with the era. Graduates students must read a minimum of 2000 pages.
Use the bibliographies in the Weber book as your selection guide for titles. For purposes of rough approximation, this total reflects the estimate that each book read will be some 300 pages or so in length. Of course, should students choose some books which are longer or shorter, the number of books read will vary from individual to individual. Students will assemble their own reading list based on a personal bibliographic search which reflects their interests. Students have complete freedom of choice in selecting their reading. You may, for example, read books all centered on one topic, or vary them widely to reflect all aspects of the course. All books chosen must be valid works of recognized historical scholarship.
The instructor must approve
the reading list, which should be formally submitted by the end of the
second week of class. At that time, the student should submit a typed
list which includes author, title, date and place of publication,
publisher, number of pages, and Abell Library call number. It should be
arranged alphabetically by author. Students will be tested on their
outside reading in the following manner. One class period before each
test, the student will turn in to the instructor during class a blank
blue book which will be returned at test time. The exam will be taken
in this blue book. On the inside front cover of this blue book, the
student should have listed by author and title all of the books from
their reading list which they have read during the period of the course
covered by the examination. The instructor will select one, check it,
and when the blue book is returned at test time, the student will write
a critical evaluation of that book. This will count 25% of the
examination grade. The critical evaluation, among other things, should
address the following points: What are the major points covered by the
book? What is the major theme or thesis advanced by the author? How
does the book relate to other material presented in the course? Does
the book have any noticeable academic prejudices regarding its subject?
Is the author successful or not in achieving his or her purposes? It is
important that students pace their outside reading in such a manner
that approximately one third of it is done during each of the three
testing periods. For that reason, the instructor expects to see listed
at the time of each examination a total number of books reflecting
one-third of the total outside reading assignment.
Humanities Interactive Exercises
Each student will visit and examine thoroughly three online exhibits maintained by the Humanities Interactive project of the Texas Humanities Resource Center, a subdivision of the Texas Council for the Humanities. The Humanities Interactive Project makes available online for students especially created "museum-like" exhibits dealing with various aspects of the history and humanities of our cultural heritage. You will need a graphics intensive browser with Java capabilities in order to undertake this assignment. Such platforms are available in the Abell Library Center, along with many other locations on the Austin College campus.
In particular, students in this course will be visiting and writing papers on three exhibits. They are:
New Spain: The Frontiers of Faith
The Road North: Juan de Onate's Journey North
Invasion Yanqui: The U.S. Mexican War
Late Work
For the purposes of this course, all assignments have been made on the first day of class. Therefore, under no circumstances whatsoever will late work be accepted for course credit without penalty. Only students with verifiable excuses will be allowed to take make-up examinations. In the case of the final, no student will be permitted to take the exam at another time without the instructor's consultation with the mentor and registrar's office.
Incompletes
No
incomplete grades will be awarded in this course for any reason
whatsoever, except in those cases where the student has been rendered
unable to continue in the routine of attending college and is not
completing work in their other classes as well because of such
situation. These cases will be coordinated through the Dean's Office.
Attendance Policy
All students
are
encouraged to keep several factors in mind: roll will be called every
day
and an attendance record kept; missing class for any reason whatsoever
will
be excused as each student is fully responsible for changes of
schedule, assignment,
and all course content material noted each day whether or not they
attended;
and the instructor reserves the right to make a subjective judgment in
raising
or lowering a student's final course grade based upon class attendance
and
participation.
Graduate Students
Those students taking this course for graduate credit are expected to
complete an additional research project of a substantial nature. These
students should consult with the instructor as soon as possible in
order to discuss individually this requirement.
Final Note
It is an important goal for this course that each student get the best
grade they are able to earn. For that reason, please bring to the
immediate attention of the instructor as soon as possible any matter,
event, occurrence, circumstance, or consideration which might have a
direct or indirect impact on your performance in the course. Please do
not delay in mentioning such matters even as a situation develops,
since the instructor will assume no problems are bearing upon your
situation unless informed otherwise.