HIST 131 History of Latin America to 1825

MWF 10-10:50am Morton 40 Prof. Fabricio Prado fpprado@wm.edu

Office Hours: F 11:30am-12:30 pm Office: Blair 311
(Or by Appointment) Spring 2017

Introduction

This course is an introductory survey of Latin American history from pre-contact

societies to the end of colonial rule encompassing both Portuguese and Spanish America.
Latin America to 1825 examines crucial historical processes to the formation of modern
Latin American societies. The history of the sub-continent is understood as part of the
large Atlantic community. Topics that will be examined in the course include: conquest,
colonialism, empire, slavery, slave trade, commodity chains, roots of inequalities,
subaltern groups, gender, corruption and contraband, rebellions and revolutions, trans-
imperial interactions. The theme unrest will be an underlying thread throughout the
semester, and it will provide a bridge connecting the historical process of Latin America
to current social challenges of our globalized world.

Course Objectives

This course intends to examine the formation of Latin American societies

emphasizing the importance of trans-imperial interactions as well as the role of subaltern
groups. As a consequence, Latin American history is understood as a constituting part of
the Atlantic World, being affected and affecting historical processes unfolding in North
America, Europe and Africa. The significance of subaltern groups in the making of Latin
American societies will be emphasized by examining the role of slaves, mix-race people,
women, indigenous groups, and other anonymous groups that were fundamental to the
building of the Colonial Iberian Empires and Latin American nations.
To foster critical thinking, effective reading and writing skills are also important
goals of this course. Analysis of historiographical debates, in class discussions and
analysis of primary sources will be emphasized. Moreover, movies, music and images
will serve as vehicles to understand the past and to discuss the process of writing and
reproducing history as a discipline.

Accessibility:
It is the policy of The College of William & Mary to accommodate students with
disabilities and qualifying diagnosed conditions in accordance with federal and state
laws. Any student who feels s/he may need an accommodation based on the impact of
 a learning, psychiatric, physical or chronic health diagnosis should be referred to
Student Accessibility Services staff at 757-221-2509 or at sas@wm.edu. SAS staff
will work with you to determine if accommodations are warranted, and if so, to help
you obtain an official letter of accommodation. For more information please see
www.wm.edu/sas.

Religious Holiday Policy:

The College of William and Mary respects the rights of students to observe major
religious holidays and will make accommodations, upon request, for such observances. Students
who wish to observe religious holidays must inform the course instructor in writing within the
first two weeks of the semester of their intent to observe the holiday so that alternative
arrangements convenient to both students and faculty can be made at the earliest opportunity.
Students who make such arrangements by the deadline will not be required to attend classes on
the designated days. However, all work missed for such absences must be made up. Students who
do not arrange for excused absences by the deadline are not entitled to such accommodation.
Writing Center:
Regardless of how good a writer you are, you can always improve. Make use of the
History Writing Resources Center (Blair 347). Make an appointment one or two weeks before the
writing assignments are due.
Academic Integrity: The College of William and Mary is proud of having the oldest Academic
Honor Code in the United States. Academic integrity is taken extremely serious in this course.
Note on email:
The instructor will respond to all emails within 24 hours of receipt, between Monday and Friday,
9am to 5pm. Please note that emails sent after 5pm on any given day will not be read or
responded to before the end of the following day. Please also note that emails sent after 12 noon
on Friday will not be read or responded to until the end of business hours on the following
Monday.
Grading Policy
It is your responsibility to keep track of your own performance in the course. The professor is
always willing to meet individually with students during the semester to suggest ways in which
you can perform at your best. The end of the semester is not the appropriate time to initiate
contact concerning your performance in the course.

If you wish to discuss a grade that you receive, it is our policy that: 1) you schedule an
appointment to do so no sooner than 48 hours after receiving the evaluation of your work and 2)
with the request for an appointment, you submit a written statement explaining your question or
doubts about the grade.

Late work: Late submissions of written assignments are unfair to the majority of the students who do
their work on time. Late assignments will be penalized as follows: same day, after class, one-half a letter
grade; second day and each day thereafter, one letter grade. However, it is always in your interest to
submit the assignment, no matter how late. Failing in submitting the assignment will give a grade of zero.

Course Assignments
Class Participation (20%)
- Students must submit a weekly response to the reading assignments. Students may
post on Blackboard until 11:59pm of the day before class meets, starting the week of
Sept 7th. Failing in posting responses will make you lose points.
 - Class participation includes attendance, participation in discussions, answering and
asking pertinent questions. Therefore students are expected to be up to date and bring
readings for the day to each class. If class participation is consistently weak, pop-quizzes
may be applied as substitutive for grading.
- Cell phones must be turned off.
- Students are expected to arrive on-time.
- Participation in class depends directly of your attendance. Therefore, absences will
make you to lose points. Documented absences can be offset.
- No computers allowed in classroom unless otherwise noted
- Students MUST attend the On Campus COLL 300 Series talks (failing in attending the
talks will prevent students from being able to turn in Reflection Papers)
- Students must attend the COLL 300 Symposium for 2hours at least.

Eric Sawyer
Founding Member of ACT UP and Housing Works
Location: Commonwealth Auditorium, Sadler Center
Wednesday, February 22, 2017; 5 pm:
For more than 30 years Eric Sawyer has served as advisor, activist, and advocate shaping local
and international policy in response to the institutional crises brought about by AIDS. Sawyer is
a founding member of ACT UP (1983), as well as co-founder of both Housing Works (1990)
and Health Global Access Project (1999). Eric has been the Civil Society Partnerships Advisor
to UN AIDS since 2009. Sawyer was co-producer and senior AIDS advisor on the documentary
film, "A Closer Walk," directed by Robert Bilheimer and is an openly gay man who has been
symptomatic with AIDS since 1980. Sawyer obtained his master's degree in public
administration from the University of Colorado, Boulder; and his bachelor's degree in
psychology fromState University of New York College at Oneonta.

Erna Brodber and Catherine John

Location: Commonwealth Auditorium, Sadler Center
Wednesday, March 15, 2017; 5 pm
Erna Brodber, author, scholar, activistCatherine John, author and scholarErna Brodber
is a Jamaican sociologist and social activist, writer, and scholar. She was instrumental
in replacing the government-imposed Independence Day celebration with the culturally-
resonant Emancipation Day celebration and helps run the Day in her hometown of
Woodside, Jamaica. Emancipation Day is a day where villagers trace their families'
histories and better understand their community's past by celebrating the day in 1838
when slaves of British colonies were finally granted full freedom. Catherine John takes
students every year from Oklahoma University to Woodside to assist and witness the
Emancipation Day events. The students, both black and white, are able to witness and
participate to varying degrees.

Emiko Soltis
Location: Commonwealth Auditorium, Sadler Center
Wednesday, April 12, 2017; 5 pm:
Freedom University is inspired by the legacy of the Southern freedom school tradition.
Freedom U. provides a tuition-free education, college application and scholarship
assistance, and social movement leadership training to undocumented students banned
from public higher education in Georgia. The mission for Freedom University is "to
empower undocumented youth and fulfill their human right to education." Freedom U.
was founded as a response to Georgias Board of Regents banning undocumented
students from admission to the states top five public universities in 2010. Emiko Soltis is
the Executive Director of Freedom University in Atlanta, Georgia. Ms. Soltis will be
engaging students and faculty across campus with several of Freedom U. students.

Map Quiz (5%)

The map quiz will consist of a blank map to be filled in by the students with the
appropriate geographical features.

Papers/Reflections (45%)
All papers must be turned in as a hard copy AND on BlackBoard. Papers that are not
submitted in BOTH formats will not be graded.

Paper I (10%) Seven Myths of Spanish Conquest (800 words)

Students should summarize the main arguments of the book (be sure to include all
the 7 Myths), and compare Restalls perspective on the conquest with Jarred Diamonds
Guns, Germs and Steel.

Reflection Papers (5% each)

The historical processes of Latin America and the Atlantic World were permeated
by challenges that often times led to unrest. Questions of race, ethnicity, gender, and
equality have deep roots in the early modern period. Students are supposed to write three
Reflection Papers based on the On Campus COLL 300 Series establishing connections
between the historical past and contemporary social processes (students may elect
location and time period cover in the course).
REFLECTION I
Eric Sawyer
(Possible connections to course themes: housing and urban space in Lat. Am.,
healthcare in colonial Lat. Am., gender in Latin America)
REFLECTION II
Erna Brodber and Catherine John
(Possible connections to course themes: slavery, gender, abolition/emancipation in
the Atlantic World, independence revolutions, slave rebellions)
REFLECTION III
Emiko Soltis
(Possible connections to course themes: migration, education in Lat. Am,
race and ethnicity, identity and legal rights, indigenous rebellions, indigenous identity,
ethnogenesis, indigenous legal status in Colonial Latin America).

Final Paper (20%) (1400 words)

 Students should a primary source based research paper examining an episode of
unrest in Colonial Latin America (eg.: colonial rebellions, urban riots, slave rebellions,
indigenous rebellions, revolutions). Topics must be approved by the professor.

Presentation COLL 300 End of Semester Symposium (10%)

Students should present a poster of their Final Paper at the On Campus COLL
300 Symposium. Students are expected to visit other courses' and students' booths and
presentation during the symposium. Attendance expected for at least 2hrs. There will be
food and drinks available.

Exam (20%)
An exam will consist of a choice of short essay questions and identifications.
Students will have up to 2 hours to complete the exam.

Textbook and Readings

In each class week there will be a topic for discussion. In addition to readings from the
required textbooks, academic articles and chapters of books emphasizing specific themes
and topics will be assigned. The articles will be available either on BlackBoard or on e-
reserves. Students should prepare the readings before each meeting.

Textbooks:
L. Johnson & M. Burkholder Colonial Latin America
S. M. Socolow Women of Colonial Latin America
Mills, Taylor, Lauderdale-Graham Colonial Latin America A Documentary History
Matthew Restall Seven Myths of Spanish Conquest

Schedule of Classes and Readings

Week 1 - Jan 18th - Iberian Navigations and the Rise Atlantic World
W - Introduction to the course. Europe, Latin America, Africa and Asia
F - Atlantic in Global Perspectives - Patricia Seed Gil Eanes
Burkholder & Johnson Chapter 1
Focus on: Amerindian Civilizations, Iberia before the Conquest and Africa

Week 2 - Jan 23rd - Conquest

M Documentary: Guns Germs and Steel
W Seven Myths of the Conquest of Spanish America
Prepare short summary and at least 2 questions (in class debate)
F Seven Myths of the Conquest of Spanish America

Week 3 - Jan 30th - Challenges of Conquest

M Socolow The Population of Colonial Americas
Movie: Aguirre, the Wrath of God
*** Review of the 7 Myths of Spanish Conquest Due! ***
W Lope de Aguirre, Letter to the King
Movie: Aguirre, the Wrath of God
F Burkholder & Johnson Conundrums & Columbian Exchange (section of Ch. 2)
Week 4 - Feb 6th - Building a Colonial Empire
M - Colonial Latin America - Chapter 3 Ruling New World Empires
W - Frank Jay Moreno The Spanish Colonial System: A Functional Approach
Western Political Quarterly, Vol. 20, No. 2, Part 1. (Jun., 1967), pp. 308-320.
F Colonial Latin America Chapter 4 Population and Labor
MAP QUIZ!

Week 5 - Feb 13th - Gender, Family, and Colonization

M/W/F - Women of Colonial Latin America Chapters 2-10. (Wed & Fri)
MOVIE: DESMUNDO

Week 6 - Feb 20th - Family & Society

M- Socolow: whole book.
In class debate, come prepared to participate.
W - Premo Children of the Father King Chapter 2 Rearing Children in Lima 1650-1750"
COLL 300 Series, 5pm: Eric Sawyer
Prompt for Reflection Paper to be sent out 30min. after the talk
F Urban Space, Housing, Gender Discussion
Discussion will focus on establishing connections, comparisons between the talk
and topics on colonial Latin America.

Week 7 - Feb 27th - Production, Circulation

M -Colonial Latin America - Chapter 5 Production, Exchange, Defense
Steve Topik et Alii The Spanish Silver Peso
W Library Session (Class meets at Swem)
F - Guest Lecture: Susan Socolow & Lyman Johnson: Unrest in Colonial Latin America
Location: t.b.a.

Week 8 March 6th - Production, Circulation II

SPRING BREAK

Week 9 - March 13th - The City and the Countryside

M Colonial Latin America Chapter 8 Living in an Empire
W - Guest visit: Erna Brodber and Catherine John
COLL 300 Series: Erna Brodber and Catherine John, 5pm
Prompt for Reflection Paper to be sent out 30min. after the talk
F Gender, Community & Memory Discussion
Discussion will focus on establishing connections, comparisons between the talk
and topics on colonial Latin America.

Week 10 - March 20th - Reform & Imperial Expansion

M - Stuart Schwartz Cities of Empire
W Special Collection Session (class meets at Swem)
F Colonial Latin America Chapter 9 - Imperial Expansion
Mills et alii Doc. 28
Week 11 - March 27th - Reform and Crisis
M - Ward Stavig - The World of Tupac Amaru
Mills et Alii. Doc. 40,
W - Julia Sarreal The Guarani and Their Missions (Chapters 2,3,4)
F - Julia Sarreal The Guarani and Their Missions (Chapter 4)
The Mission (part 1)
Week 12 - April 3trd - Reform and Crisis II
M - The Mission (part 2) Mills et Alii. Doc. 41
W - The Mission (part 3)
F - Research Day -
*Thesis & List of Sources for Final Paper Due on BB at 3:30pm!*

Week 13 April 10th - The Age of Freedom & Revolution in the Atlantic World
M - Colonial Latin America Chapter 10 Crisis and Political Revolution
W - Freedom University visit
Prepare questions. Prompt t.b.a.
COLL 300 Series, 5pm - Freedom University
Prompt for Reflection Paper to be sent out 30min. after the talk
F Education, Political Rights, Unrest
Discussion will focus on establishing connections, comparisons between the talk
and topics on colonial Latin America.
*final paper's 500word abstract for poster due*

Week 14 April 17th - Independence

M - Colonial Latin America Chapter 11 - From Empire to Independence
W - Johnson "Workshop of Revolution" Introduction and Chapter 8 "An Empire Lost
F - Mills 55, 56, 57

Week 15 April 24th - The Aftermath

M Colonial Latin America: Epilogue/
W No Class Meeting
**COLL 300 Symposium - 5-8pm - Poster of your Final Paper
F Review Session
Final Paper Due!

Week 16 - FINAL EXAM: to be held during Exam week. Date: T.B.A.

Students will have 2 hours for the completion of the final exam.