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


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