COURSE OUTLINE FALL 2013
HISTORY 123A - HISTORY OF LATIN AMERICA
1:30- 2:50 M-W HC 211
Instructor: Dr. Victoria H. Cummins, Sherman Hall 117
Campus Box 61616, phone 813-2263,
email: vcummins@austincollege.edu
COURSE DESCRIPTION: History 123 is a chronological and topical examination of the colonial, early national period, and twentieth century Latin American history. Emphasis will be placed on the concepts and events common to the political, social, and economic development of the region.
GENERAL GOALS FOR THE COURSE:
History 123 is intended to enable each successful student to do the following:
- Acquire knowledge of significant themes of Latin American history;
- Acquire factual knowledge of historical events in Latin America;
- Acquire knowledge of the basic physical and political geography of Latin America;
- Discuss assigned readings in a meaningful way;
- Develop skill in writing essays on historical material.
REQUIRED TEXTS: Eakin, Marshall, The History of Latin America, (NY: Palgrave Macmillan, 2007) 978-1-4039 80816; Pérez, Jr., Louis A. Winds of Change. Hurricanes and the Transformation of Nineteenth Century Cuba. Chapel Hill, NC: UNC Press, 2001. 978-0-8078-4928-6; Crosby, Alfred. The Biological Expansion of Europe 900-1900. NY: Cambridge U Press, 2nd ed. 2004. 978-0521546188
REQUIREMENTS: The final grade will be based on your performance on a map test, three essay examinations, participation in two book discussions, and attendance. Work will be weighted as follows:
Attendance and discussion participation 10%
Map Test 10%
First & Second Examinations 50% (25% each)
Second & Third Examinations 30%
The final grade will be assigned on the following scale: 97.5-100=A+; 92.5-97.4=A; 90.0-92.4=A-; 87.5-89.9=B+; 82.5-87.4=B; 80.0-82.4=B-; 77.5-79.9=C+; 72.5-77.4=C; 70.0-72.4=C-; 67.5-69.9=D+; 62.5-67.4=D; 60.0-62.4=D-; less than 60.0=F. For S/D/U grading, 70.0 and above=S. 67.5-69.9=D+; 62.5-67.4=D; 60.0-62.4=D-.
STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES
a. Each student is fully responsible for changes of schedule, assignment, and all course content material noted each day whether or not s/he attends class. For that reason, it is the student’s responsibility to bring to the immediate attention of the instructor as soon as possible any matter, event, circumstance, or consideration that might have a direct or indirect bearing on his/her performance or class attendance.
b. Daily attendance is required and the roll will be taken. Excessive absences (more than 6) may result in the student being dropped from the course for non-attendance. Absences for school-sponsored activities will not count against the maximum of six. However, in general, a student who already expects to miss six classes for any reason should not take this course this semester. Incompletes will be given only in cases in which a student in good standing encounters circumstances beyond his/her control that prevent him/her from completing the course requirements.
c. You must abide by the general guidelines for Academic Integrity in the completion of all work for this course.
d. There will be three unit tests required for all students enrolled in the course. The questions on these examinations will be based on class presentations and assignments. The examinations will be administered on the dates indicated on the class schedule below. The first examination will consist of essay and/or narrative short answer questions and a map test. The other two examinations will be composed of essay and/or narrative short answer questions.
e. You must abide by the general guidelines for Academic Integrity in the completion of all work for this course.
f. Austin College seeks to provide reasonable accommodations for all individuals with disabilities and will comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations and guidelines. It is the responsibility of the student to register with and provide verification of academic accommodation needs to the Director of the Academic Skills Center as soon as possible. For further information regarding disability services or to register for assistance, please contact the Academic Skills Center. The student also must contact the faculty member in a timely manner to arrange for reasonable academic accommodations. Students who qualify for accommodations in testing and/or other areas should present their paperwork to the instructor as soon as possible. Paperwork must be presented by Monday September 16, 2013 in order to give sufficient time for arrangements to be made for the map test.
g. Turn off all electronic devices at the start of class. You may neither send nor receive phone calls, text messages, etc. during class. There will be no use of laptops in class without the prior specific permission of the instructor.
h. Do not eat in class.
Lecture Topics and Reading Assignments T = text, Marshall Eakin, The History of Latin America
Week/Date Topic Assigned Reading
1 – 9/4/13 Introduction; Native Americans T Ch 1, 19-25; Ch 2, 27-38
2 – 9/9 Conquest and Colonization Read Crosby, Ecological Imperialism, Chapters 1,4,5,6,7,8.9.11
3 – 9/16 Economy and State Continue Crosby; T Ch 7, 95-105; Ch 8, 107-122.
DISCUSSION OF ALFRED CROSBY, ECOLOGICAL IMPERIALISM, CHAPTERS 1,4,5,6,7,8.9.11
WED 9/18/13
4 – 9/23 Church and Society; T Ch 9, 123-132; Ch10, 133-148
MAP TEST (25 MINUTES) WED 9/25/13
5 – 9/30 Eighteenth Century Reform; Independence T Ch 11, 149- 162; Ch 12, 169-175; Ch 13, 177-189, 194-196.
FIRST UNIT EXAM WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 2, 2013
6 –10/7 The Aftermath of Independence:
The search for order T Ch 14, 203-217; T Ch 15 219-221.
.
7 – 10/14 Late 19th century Modernization:
Positivism and Its Legacy T Ch 15, 222-238.
8 – 10/21 20th Century Mexico: Revolution T Ch 19, 285-295
and Restoration
9 – 10/28 Mexico, cont.
SECOND UNIT EXAM MONDAY NOVEMBER 4, 2013
10 – 11/4 An Alternative to Revolution: T Ch 22, 351-354; Ch 21, 333-337
Populist Regimes in Latin America
11 – 11/11 continued
DISCUSSION OF LOUIS A PÉREZ, JR., WINDS OF CHANGE INTRODUCTION, CHAPTERS 1-4, CHAPTER 5 PP. 122-138. WEDNESDAY 11/13
12 – 11/18 Socialist Revolution in Cuba T Ch 20, 305-314.
&13 – 11/25
14 – 12/2/12 The US and Latin America T Ch 16, 239-252, Ch 22, 366-375;
Ch 23, 377-396.
THIRD UNIT EXAM
MONDAY 12/9/13 9-10:30 AM
Map Test Study Sheet
You will need to be able to locate the following on a blank map of Latin America on the Map test.
A. COUNTRIES B. CITIES
Mexico Mexico City
Cuba Vera Cruz
Haiti Havana
Dominican Republic Port-au-Prince
Guatemala Santo Domingo
El Salvador Guatemala City
Honduras San Salvador
Costa Rica Tegucigalpa
Nicaragua San Jose
Panama Managua
Colombia Panama City
Venezuela Bogota
Ecuador Caracas
Peru Quito
Chile Lima
Bolivia Santiago de Chile
Argentina La Paz
Paraguay Asuncion
Uruguay Montevideo
Brazil Brazilia
Rio de Janeiro
Buenos Aires
C. RIVER SYSTEMS
Amazon
Magdalena-Cauca D. MOUNTAINS
Orinoco Sierra Madre Oriental
Parana-Paraguay (La Plata) Sierra Madre del Sur
Sierra Madre Occidental
Andes
E. PLACES
Tropic of Cancer
Tropic of Capricorn F. HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY
Windward Passage Gran Colombia
Amazon Basin Aztec Empire
Greater Antilles Inca Empire
Lesser Antilles Viceroyalty of New Spain (Late 18th C.)
Pampa Viceroyalty of New Castile (Late 18th C.)
Straits of Magellan Viceroyalty of New Granada
Panama Canal Viceroyalty of the Rio de la Plata
Tierra del Fuego Viceroyalty of Brazil
Caribbean Sea
Yucatan Peninsula
Equator
Florida
Straits
Return to Victoria Cummins Homepage