History 415 Syllabus Spring 2014 De Vos

HISTORY 415: Precontact and Colonial Spring Semester 2014 T Th 12:30-1:45pm, AL 204

Dr. De Vos Office: Arts and Letters, 534 Office Phone: 619-594-4893 Office Hours: Monday and Friday, 12-1:30pm Email: [email protected]

Goals of the Course: This course explores the history of the area we call "Latin America" from just prior to Columbus's landing in the Caribbean in 1492 to the achievement of Independence by most colonies in the 1820s. The geographical focus of the course is wide, spanning much of North America, , and the South American continent as well as the islands of the Caribbean. The information we will cover concerning this period is also wide-ranging, both chronologically and thematically. We will explore change and continuity in a number of contexts -- political and economic as well as social and cultural -- and we will focus on issues of continuities in indigenous cultures over time, thus complicating the meanings of "conquest" and "." At the same time, we will examine the various structures put in place by Spanish and Portuguese colonists and the ways and mechanisms by which they did dramatically impact Latin America's development over time.

This course has a series of goals. They are:  To teach you about colonial Latin American history. This is an obvious point, but it bears explanation. By the end of the semester, you should know the basic geography of Latin America, the themes, chronology, and different periods of colonial Latin American history, the major historical figures of this period, and the major historiographical debates in the field. Most importantly, you should be able to connect these people, periods, and places within a broad, sweeping "story" of Latin American history.  To teach you to think like a historian. History has a reputation for being little more than a compilation of "facts and dates." Those of you with a degree of exposure to the study of history, however, know that it is anything but that. The history we learn is in fact based on scholars' interpretation of past events. These interpretations can be balanced and fair, but they are invariably influenced by the author's particular point of view. What we think of as "objective" history, therefore, is actually the way that a particular author has interpreted the materials available to him or her. In this course, I would like you not only to recognize that history is subjective, but to also build the critical thinking skills necessary to develop your own interpretation and your own "reading" of colonial Latin American history.  To help you become a better writer. Although this is not an English composition class, your writing style, organization, and ability to make an argument are crucial factors in determining your grade and overall success in this class. More importantly, having good writing skills will serve you well for the rest of your life -- in finishing your degree at SDSU, in succeeding at whatever career you choose, and in advocating for yourself in general. I will evaluate your writing throughout the course through weekly assignments, essay examinations, and a formal paper assignment. In class, we will discuss at length how to write a good paper (with thesis, argument, and evidence) and what it means to write well.  To help you become more reflective about and the society you live in. This course centers around the fundamental issue

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of what happens when people of radically different cultures come into contact with each other. It explores the impact of such encounters with regard to gender relations, power relations, cultural assumptions of superiority and inferiority, justification of actions, etc. I argue that these dynamics are fundamental to human interactions and are present in today's world as much as they were evident in the past. By studying native American and European interactions in the colonial period, therefore, you can also gain insight into race, class, and gender relations in modern-day San Diego.

Course Format: This course meets twice a week in 75-minute sessions. I will lecture for a certain amount of that time, but this is not a typical lecture course. In class, we will also discuss your reactions to reading materials, examine and discuss images and videos, and listen to and comment on presentations. In this way, everyone contributes to what we learn throughout the semester, so the success of the course depends on all of us. It is important as well to remember that your responsibilities go beyond reading the material and coming to class prepared. They also include listening to and respecting your colleagues' comments in order to create an atmosphere in the classroom where everyone feels comfortable speaking.

Office Hours: My office hours are indicated on the first page of the syllabus. If you are not able to come at that time, I will be happy to make separate appointments with you. Individual meetings are often very helpful, especially if you find you are having trouble with some aspect of the course. Therefore, I strongly encourage you to come and see me outside of class. I am also available for short questions after class.

Course Requirements and Grading: Your grade is based on the following components: 1. Attendance: You need to come to every class. Important: Every third absence you have lowers your grade one full point. This means that if you have 3 or 4 absences, I will lower your final grade one full point (for example, from a B+ to a C+). If you have 5 or 6 absences, your final grade will be lowered two full points, etc. I will accept written proof for legitimate reasons for missing class, and if you have special circumstances, come and meet with me to discuss them. 2. Participation (10%): Participation is a key part of this course, and it does not simply mean showing up for class. I will assume that you will be in class every day, and that you will come prepared. Being prepared means the following:  that you do not come late to class  that you are alert and paying attention throughout the entire period  that you take notes during lectures, videos, and discussion  that you have done the reading(s) we are to discuss and bring them to class  that you are prepared to participate in class discussion  that you add meaningful and knowledgeable comments to class discussion More general behavior guidelines are listed in the California Code of Regulations, Section 4101, included in the San Diego State University General Catalogue. Also take into account that I will call on you at

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random to answer questions in class. This means that you need to be prepared at all times. The degree to which you fulfill these requirements will determine your participation grade. Also be aware that your participation grade is closely linked to your grade for discussion papers, as meaningful participation in class discussion is dependent on doing course readings. 3. Discussion Papers (15%): Each week you will be required to answer questions from the reading. They are due every Tuesday (except for the weeks of the midterm examination) and must be typed and double-spaced. There is no page minimum or page limit for this assignment, but I expect well-done answers to take between 2 and 3 pages altogether. These questions are attached to the syllabus. I will grade these papers with a plus (+) for full credit, a check-plus for ¾ credit, or a check for ½ credit depending on the quality and thoughtfulness of your answers. I will grade on both grammar and content, and I will not accept hastily written answers, answers with excessive grammatical errors, answers that do not directly engage the readings, or answers that have been copied or paraphrased from the reading. These answers will take thought and care, and I want to see them written in your own words . I want you to also be aware that there are not always right answers. Many of these questions are designed to develop your analytical ability. In these cases it is up to you to decide what is "right," and whatever you come up with is valid, as long as you can give reasons for your position and back it up with evidence. Late papers will not be accepted. If you have extenuating circumstances, you must notify me ahead of time. 4. Group Presentation and Discussion Leading (10%): Every Thursday (excluding the weeks marked in the schedule), we will have group presentations, with each group assigned to a particular week. You will sign up to be part of a group in the first week of class. Your group will be responsible for two things: 1)to prepare a 10-minute presentation on a particular historical figure or place (identified in the sign-up sheet) and 2) to prepare discussion questions and lead the class in discussion of the non- textbook reading materials (i.e., all readings except for Bakewell). In order to do a good job on your presentation, you will need to:  coordinate with group members and designate responsibilities ahead of time  conduct outside research (go to the library and find reading materials outside the course readings) on your historical figure. You may use one reputable website, but I want to see evidence of books and/or articles.  use visual aides in your presentation on the historical figure  for discussion, read the week’s readings carefully. This part of the presentation does not require outside research, but I recommend that you meet with me ahead of time to go over them  think of at least 5 interesting, thoughtful, analytical and (preferably) controversial questions that will initiate and provoke discussion  have each group member participate in your presentation – though how you organize it is up to you I reserve the right in the first two weeks to move people into different groups if there are not enough signed up for a particular week, or if a number of students drop and the list has to be “re-balanced.” (This does not apply to people who have to present in Week 3). 5. Midterm Exam (20%), Thursday, March 6: You will take an in-class midterm examination on this day that will last the entire period. You will need to

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bring an examination “blue book” to class on that day. I will go over test- taking strategies with you beforehand, and I will discuss what the exam will look like and how I will grade it. The exam will have essay questions, the answers to which must incorporate specific course readings, as well as vocabulary terms to identify. The examination will cover material from course readings, discussions, videos and images presented in class up through the week prior to the examination. The best way to prepare for the exam is to keep up with readings, answer discussion questions carefully and thoughtfully, take careful notes in class and on readings, and actively engage in class discussions. Then when it comes time to study for the exam, you’ve already done all the background work. 6. Final Exam (20%) Thursday, May 1st: You will also take a final examination worth 25% of your grade, for which you will again need a blue book. The exam will be cumulative, covering all materials throughout the semester, but the emphasis will be on material covered following the midterm exam. The format will be similar to that of the midterm, with essay questions and vocabulary and image identifications. You can stay prepared for the final exam in the same way you did for the midterm. 7. Formal Paper (25%), due Thursday, May 15 by 12:30pm: In addition to your reaction papers, you will turn in a formal paper of approximately 5 pages. I will hand out the paper assignment to you within the first four weeks of class, and at that time we will go over specifics about how to write the paper and how I will grade it. I will read rough drafts of the paper, but they must be complete and turned in at least a week prior to the paper's due date. You must also let me know ahead of time and meet with me if you would like me to read the rough draft in order to improve on the paper. Late papers will not be accepted. If you have extenuating circumstances, you must notify me ahead of time.

This syllabus is subject to change if necessary, and if you are confused about anything in the course, do not hesitate to ask about it!

Reading Materials: Books: The following is a list of the books that are required for the course that you can buy at KB Books or in the Aztec bookstore. If you run into problems with availability, please let me know.

 Bakewell, Peter. A History of Latin America to 1825. 3nd Edition. Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2010.  O’Connor, Erin E. and Leo J. Garofalo, eds. Documenting Latin America: Gender, Race, and Empire, Volume I. Boston: Prentice Hall, 2011.  Sweet, David G. and Gary B. Nash, eds., Struggle and Survival in Colonial America. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1981.

Articles: There are also a number of articles assigned in class. The following list includes articles that are available on Blackboard.  Dauril Alden and Jack Weatherford, “Columbus, Stay Home!” Newsweek 24 June 1981.  Donald E. Thompson and John V. Murra, “Inca Bridges in the Huanuco Region” American Antiquity 31:5 (1966), pp. 632-639.  Terence N. D'Altroy and Christine A. Hastorf, “The Distribution and Contents of Inca State Storehouses in the Xauxa Region of Peru” American Antiquity, Vol. 49, No. 2 (Apr., 1984), pp. 334-349.

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 Frederic Hicks, "’Flowery War’ in Aztec History” American Ethnologist 6:1 (Feb., 1979), pp. 87-92.  Camilla Townsend, “Burying the White Gods: New Perspectives on the Conquest of Mexico, The American Historical Review 108:3 (2003), pp. 659-687.  Susan Kellogg, “Hegemony Out of Conquest: The First Two Centuries of Spanish Rule in Central Mexico” Radical History Review 53 (1992), pp. 27-46.  Alfred Crosby, “Virgin Soil Epidemics as a Factor in the Aboriginal Depopulation in America” The William and Mary Quarterly 33:2 (1975), pp. 289-299.  Stuart Schwartz, " Plantation Labor and Slave Life" in Slaves, Peasants, and Rebels: Reconsidering Brazilian Slavery. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1992, pp. 39-65.  Linda Curcio-Nagy, "Giants and Gypsies: Corpus Christi in Colonial Mexico City," in Beezeley, ed. Rituals of Rule, Rituals of Resistance. Wilmington, DE: Scholarly Resources, Inc., 1994, pp. 1-26.  Pamela Voekel, "Peeing on the Palace: Bodily Resistance to in Mexico City" Journal of Historical Sociology Vol. 5, No. 2 (June, 1992), pp. 183- 208.

Videos: We will watch several videos and excerpts of videos throughout the semester. Unless the excerpt is very short, I will hand out questions to be answered about the video presentation. Questions are due the class period after we have concluded watching the video and will count as part of your grade for discussion papers. Please note, however, that video questions do not substitute for weekly discussion papers. If you have missed class for a legitimate reason on the day or days that we watch a video, you may watch it in the Media Center at Love Library, or if the Center does not have a copy of the video, I will lend it to you and you may turn the questions in the following week. Here is a list of the videos we will watch in whole or in part throughout the semester, though I reserve the right to change this list or eliminate certain videos if we run into time constraints.

Week 1 Video: “The Buried Mirror: The Conflict of the Gods,” Sogetel, S.A., 1991 Week 2 Video: “Inca Mummies: Secrets of a Lost World,” National Geographic, 2002 Week 4 Videos: “, Part I: The fall of the ,” PBS Home Video, 2002 and “Conquistadors, Part I: The Conquest of the Incas,” PBS Home Video, 2001 Week 9 Video: “I, the Worst of All,” GEA Cinematográfica, 1990 Week 12 Video: “The Buried Mirror: The Price of Freedom,” Sogetel, S.A., 1991

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Course Schedule:

Week 1: Course Introduction and Geography of Latin America 1/23

Readings: Bakewell, A History of Latin America, Chapter 1 “Lands and Climates”

Week 2: Culture and Society in Pre-Contact Latin America 1/28 & 1/30

Readings: Bakewell, A History of Latin America, Chapter 2 “American Peoples”

Thompson and Murra, “Inca Bridges in the Huanuco Region” American Antiquity 31:5 (1966), pp. 632-639 (on Blackboard).

D'Altroy and Hastorf, “The Distribution and Contents of Inca State Storehouses in the Xauxa Region of Peru” American Antiquity, Vol. 49, No. 2 (Apr., 1984), pp. 334- 349 (on Blackboard).

Hicks, "’Flowery War’ in Aztec History” American Ethnologist 6:1 (Feb., 1979), pp. 87-92 (on Blackboard).

Week 3: Culture and Society in the World of 2/4 & 2/6

Historical Figure: Isabel of Castile

Readings: Bakewell, A History of Latin America, Chapter 3 “Iberia and Africa” and Chapter 4 “Columbus and Others” O’Connor and Garofalo, Documenting Latin America, Chapter 1, “Christopher Columbus Evaluates Indigenous Societies” Alden and Weatherford, “Columbus, Stay Home!” Newsweek 24 June 1981 (on Blackboard).

Week 4: Interpretations of Conquest 2/11 & 2/13

Readings: Bakewell, A History of Latin America, Chapter 5, “Experiments in the Caribbean” and Chapter 6 “Military Conquests” O’Connor and Garofalo, Documenting Latin America, Chapter 2, “Politics, Gender, and the Conquest of Mexico”

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Townsend, “Burying the White Gods: New Perspectives on the Conquest of Mexico, American Historical Review 108:3 (2003), pp. 659-687 (on Blackboard).

Week 5: Catholic Colonialism 2/18 & 2/20

Historical Figure and Text: Fray Bernardino de Sahagún and the Florentine Codex

Readings: Bakewell, A History of Latin America, Chapter 7, “Administration: The Power of Paper” and Chapter 8 “Church: Friars, Bishops, and the State” O’Connor and Garofalo, Documenting Latin America, Chapter 6, “European Priests Discuss Ruling Indigenous and African Peoples”

Week 6: Indigenous Responses to Colonialism 2/25 & 2/27

Historical Figure: Virgin of Guadalupe

Readings: Kellogg, “Hegemony Out of Conquest: The First Two Centuries of Spanish Rule in Central Mexico” Radical History Review 53 (1992), pp. 27-46 (on Blackboard). Chipman, "Isabel Moctezuma: Pioneer of Mestizaje" in Sweet and Nash, Struggle and Survival, pp. 214-227. Wightman, "Diego Vasicuio: Native Priest," in Sweet and Nash, Struggle and Survival, pp. 38-48. Alberro, “Juan de Morga and Gertrudis de Escobar: Rebellious Slaves,” in Sweet and Nash, Struggle and Survival, pp. 165-188. O’Connor and Garofalo, Documenting Latin America, Chapter 19, “On Her Deathbed: Beyond the Stereotype of the Powerless Indigenous Woman” O’Connor and Garofalo, Documenting Latin America, Chapter 8, “Blending New and Old Beliefs in Mexico and the ”

Week 7: Catch-up, Review, and Exam 3/4 & 3/6

No readings for this week. Prepare for mid-term exam.

MIDTERM EXAM - THURSDAY, MARCH 6

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Week 8: The “Columbian Economy”: , Sugar, and Slavery 3/11 & 3/13

Historical Place: Potosí Silver Mine

Readings: Bakewell, A History of Latin America, Chapter 10 “Economy: Ships and Silver” and Chapter 13 “Colonial ” (first half only) Crosby, “Virgin Soil Epidemics as a Factor in the Aboriginal Depopulation in America” The William and Mary Quarterly 33:2 (1975), pp. 289-299 (on Blackboard). Schwartz, "Sugar Plantation Labor and Slave Life" in Slaves, Peasants, and Rebels: Reconsidering Brazilian Slavery, pp. 39-65 (on Blackboard).

Week 9: The “Forgotten Century" Part 1 3/18 & 3/20

Readings: Bakewell, A History of Latin America, Chapter 11 “The Seventeenth Century: a Slacker Grip” O’Connor and Garofalo, Documenting Latin America, Chapter 16, “Ambitious Women in a ‘Man’s World’” Curcio-Nagy, "Giants and Gypsies: Corpus Christi in Colonial Mexico City," pp. 1-26 (on Blackboard).

Week 10: The “Forgotten Century” Part 2 3/25 & 3/27

Historical Figure: Captain Henry Morgan

Catch-up week – no readings or papers due.

Spring Break!

Week 11: The Caste System 4/8 & 4/10

Historical Paintings: The Casta Paintings

Readings: Bakewell, A History of Latin America, Chapter 9 “Society: Old Orders Changed” O’Connor and Garofalo, Documenting Latin America, Chapter 20, “Official Paintings Seek to Classify People in a Complex Society”

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Super, “Miguel Hernandez: Master of Mule Trains,” in Sweet and Nash, eds., Struggle and Survival, pp. 298-310. Alberro, “Beatriz de Padilla: Mistress and Mother,” in Sweet and Nash, eds., Struggle and Survival, pp. 247-256.

Week 12: Bourbon Reforms 4/15 & 4/17

Historical Figure: Marquis de Pombal

Readings: Bakewell, A History of Latin America, Chapter 12, “Eighteenth- Century Spanish America: Reformed or Deformed?”and Chapter 13 (from “The Age of ” on) Voekel, "Peeing on the Palace: Bodily Resistance to Bourbon Reforms in Mexico City" Journal of Historical Sociology, pp. 183-208 (on Blackboard). O’Connor and Garofalo, Documenting Latin America, Chapter 21, “Creole Town Councils Fear Change from Above and Below”

Week 13: Independence 4/22 & 4/24

Historical Figure: Miguel Hidalgo

Readings: Bakewell, A History of Latin America, Chapter 14, “Independence” O’Connor and Garofalo, Documenting Latin America, Chapter 25, “Indian Leaders Tupac Amaru and Micaela Bastidas Fight to End Spanish Rule O’Connor and Garofalo, Documenting Latin America, Chapter 26, “Father José María Morelos and Visions of Mexican Independence” O’Connor and Garofalo, Documenting Latin America, Chapter 27, “The Many Views of Simon Bolívar”

Week 14: Catch-Up, Review, and Final Exam 4/29 & 5/1

No readings for this week. Prepare for exam and work on final paper.

4/29 Catch-Up and Review

5/1 FINAL EXAM – THURSDAY, MAY 1

Week 15: Papers and Writing Workshop 5/6 & 5/8

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5/6: Meeting about papers and individual meetings

5/8: Individual meetings about papers.

If you would like me to read a rough draft of your paper, please turn in a completed draft of the paper to me by May 8th

FINAL PAPER DUE THURSDAY, MAY 15 AT 12:30PM

10 History 415 Syllabus Spring 2014 De Vos WRITING HANDOUT

ABBREVIATIONS

When grading your papers, I will make use of a number of abbreviations. Here is the legend to my abbreivation “code.”

DMS: Doesn’t make sense UC: Unclear RW: Reword/find another, more approriate word AWK: Awkward FR: Sentence fragment TRANS: Insert a transition TS: Topic sentence needed CS: Concluding sentence needed AGR: Subject-verb agreement; verb does not match subject DF: Doesn’t follow; sentence or idea does not logically follow from previous one

I will circle all simple grammatical errors (typos, spelling mistakes, wrong word choice, innapropriate use or lack of apostrophes, etc.). It is up to you to correct these. Below I have listed several mistakes that I see far too commonly. They are elements of grammar that should have been mastered in elementary school and have no place in unversity-level writing. Be aware that such mistakes will bring your grade down. If there are an excessive amount of grammatical errors in your paper, I reserve the right to hand it back to you without grading it. Some of these mistakes are (but are not limited to) the following::  use of its versus it’s  use of two, to, and too  use of their, there, and they’re  when to use an apostrophe (plurals versus possession)  use of commas verus semicolons versus colons  use of accept versus except  use of affect versus effect  use of throne versus thrown  use of traitor versus trader  spelling mistakes  sentence fragments (will also be marked with an “FR”)

Also be sure to indent and single-space quotes that are longer than 3 lines. When you do this, you do not need to use quotation marks.

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PLAGIARISM What is plagiarism? Here is an explanation (and a warning):

Definition: Plagiarism means presenting the ideas and words of others as if they were your own. Building an argument of your own using the (acknowledged) ideas and research of others is not plagiarism. This is a creative activity and is the normal activity of working historians.

How to avoid the charge of plagiarism: 1. If you take a fact or idea directly from someone else, you must give a footnote reference. (Use your common sense about this. You do not need to footnote everything. The basic rule is to give a footnote for any information which is not easily available, or is controversial, or is particularly importnat for your argument. The purpose of the footnote is to allow the reader to assess the strength of the materials from which your argument is constructed.) 2. If you also use the exact words of your source (if you quote) then you must enclose the whole quotation in quotation marks (unless it has been indented and single-spaced; see above). 3. Take information from your sources, but use your own words.

Why not plagiarize? 1. Plagiarism of facts: If you do not explain where your information comes from, your reader cannot assess the reliability of your argument and will rightly distrust your conclusions. Plagiarism is a sign that you did not bother to check the evidence on which your argument is based. 2. Plagiarism of words. This is dishonest. It also stunts your intellectual development by encouraging habits of mechanical, imitative thinking. It encourages you to write without engaging your own mind, thoughts, and ideas. Finding the right language is an essential stage in building a historical argument, while using the language of others prevents you from developing an independent approach to intellectual problems. If you rely on the ideas and arguments of others, you will never develop the capacity to think through problems independently. Nor will you learn to express the results of your own thinking in the only proper language: your own.

The Penalty For these reasons, any work that contains any plagiarism at all will be regarded as valueless. I reserve the right to give zero credit to plagiarized work. There will be no right of resubmission for work that contains any plagiarism (in line with University policy; see the University Catalog), and I will take the disciplinary action that is appropriate according to Univerity policy.

12 History 415 Syllabus Spring 2014 De Vos Formal Paper Writing Guidelines

Your paper grade is based on how well you fulfill the following aspects of what constitutes a well-written paper. The general guidelines listed below will give you basic information on format, language, and use of quotes in papers. There are also a series of questions to ask yourself while you write the paper. These questions fall under three categories: organization, content (context, argument and evidence), and style and grammar. These are the questions I ask of your papers as I read them. I recommend that you do the same.

General Guidelines Quotes:  Quotes need to be introduced. Do not insert a quote into your writing without first informing the reader where it comes from or who said it. Quotes are also supposed to illustrate points, not make points for you.  Do not use extensive quotes in short papers (under 10 pages). Quotes for short papers should not exceed 4 or 5 lines and you should not have more than 1 indented quote per page. Papers longer than 10 pages can support more quotations, but do not overuse them.  Indent and single-space quotes that are longer than 3 lines. When you do this, you do not need to use quotation marks. Language:  Do not use contractions (don’t, won’t, etc) in your paper. They are not appropriate in formal written work.  Do not use colloquialisms (informal phrases or “sayings”) or swear words of any sort, even if they seem harmless. Any written work that you turn in must use more formal language. If the paper is written in language that is too familiar or that includes swear words, I will turn it back to you without grading it.  Do not use the first person (“I”) or second person (“you”) in your paper.  As a general rule, use the past tense in writing your paper. At certain points in the paper, use of the present tense may be appropriate, but for the most part, stay with the past tense, and be consistent about it.  If there are too many grammatical mistakes or unclear sentences (see “Writing Handout” in syllabus), I will turn the paper back to you without grading it. Format:  Your paper must have a title on a separate title page.  Your paper must have page numbers.  Your paper must have a bibliography and citations. I will let you know the proper format to use for those citations.

Organization  Is the paper well organized? Does the reader know at all times exactly what he or she is reading about and why he or she is reading it?  Does the paper have each of the necessary components? How well has the author done in writing each of these components

13 History 415 Syllabus Spring 2014 De Vos o Introduction: o Does the paper start broadly and narrow to the specific topic of the paper? o Does it provide sufficient background for an intelligent non-expert to understand the topic that is addressed? (This is necessary throughout the paper). o Thesis statement: o Does the introduction end with a clear thesis statement? o Does the thesis statment have a clear and specific argument? o Does the thesis take a stand that the author will prove throughout the paper? o Does the thesis include the 3 (approximately) main points that the author will make to prove his or her point? o Support paragraphs or sections: o Does the number of support sections correspond to the number of main points identified in the thesis? Do they go in the same order as they were written in the thesis? o Do the paragraphs specifically relate to the argument stated in the thesis? Do they adequately and logically prove what they are supposed to? o Do the paragraphs begin with a topic sentence that relates directly to the thesis statement? o Do the paragraphs include specific evidence that supports the argument being made? o Do the paragraphs have a concluding sentence (or sentences) that sum up what that section has proven? o Conclusion: o Does the conclusion restate the argument? o Does it then go on to make broader, more sweeping statements about the larger meaning of the thesis?

Content: Context, Argument, and Evidence  How well does this paper fulfill the general spirit of the assignment?  Does the author tie in historical context learned in class? How well does the author demonstrate his or her understanding of the historical context?  Is the argument sound? Is it original, creative, and thoughtful?  How well did the author make use of materials used? How well does evidence fit the argument? Are quotations used appropriately?  Are works cited in an appropriate and uniform manner? Does the bibliography fulfill the requirements of the assignment?

Style and Grammar  Are there grammatical errors? Spelling mistakes? Typographical errors? Has the author proofread his or her work carefully?  Is the language appropriate to a formal paper?  Does the writing flow well? Is there too much passive voice or too many unnecessary words?

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 Are sentences clear and complete? Does one sentence flow from the next in a logical, smooth manner?  Does the author make use of transitions statements (however, although, therefore, nevertheless, etc.) at appropriate places in the paper?

Some final notes:  Always type and double-space your papers, using standard margins and font size.  Keep a copy of your paper as well.  I strongly recommend that you obtain, read and refer regularly to one or more of the following books: Boothe, et. al. The Craft of Research. Strunk, and White. Elements of Style. (highly recommended) Turabian, Kate. Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Thesis, and Dissertations. Williams, Joseph M. Style: Ten Lessons in Clarity and Grace.

15 History 415 Syllabus Spring 2014 De Vos Questions for Discussion Papers Each Tuesday (except for the week of the midterm exam) you will turn in answers to questions based on the week’s readings. These questions must be typed and double-spaced. There is no page minimum or limit, but answers that are well thought out will probably be between 2 or 3 double-spaced pages. As state in the syllabus, these papers will be graded with a plus (+) for full credit, a check-plus for ¾ credit, or a check for ½ credit depending on the quality and thoughtfulness of your answers. I will grade on both grammar and content, and I will not accept hastily written answers, answers with excessive grammatical errors, or answers that have been copied or paraphrased from the reading. These answers will take thought and care, and I want to see them written in your own words . I want you to also be aware that there are not always right answers. Many of these questions are designed to develop your analytical ability. In these cases it is up to you to decide what is "right," and whatever you come up with is valid, as long as you can give reasons for your position and back it up with evidence.

Questions for Week 2, due Tuesday, September 4: 1. From Bakewell and Hicks, identify and describe the Aztecs. Where did they come from and how did they rise to power? What was a “flowery war” and why did the Aztecs practice them? What do these wars show about the main characteristics and values of Aztec society? 2. Using Bakewell and the two articles on the Inca, identify and describe the Inca. Describe the Andean society from which they came. How did the Inca organize their empire and overcome significant geographic and climactic challenges? 3. Is it fair to say that the Aztecs and Inca were “barbarian,” as many European observers at the time called them? Using the readings, give specific reasons as to why or why not, and be sure to define what you mean by barbarian. Questions for Week 3, due Tuesday, September 11: 1. After reading Bakewell, describe the major characteristics of Spanish society in 1492. What was the Reconquest and how did it affect Spanish society? How did it affect Spanish colonization of the ? 2. From the O’Connor and Garofalo reading, who was Christopher Columbus and what does he describe in his letter? How does he characterize the indigenous people he meets? In what ways does he try to make his discoveries seem attractive to the Spanish monarchs? What is your reaction to his letter? 3. From the Newsweek article, what were the controversies surrounding the 1992 celebration of the 500th anniversary of Columbus’s discoveries? Do you agree with the ultimate judgment of the authors of the article? Do you think the world be better off if Columbus had “stayed home?” Questions for Week 4, due Tuesday, September 18: 1. From Bakewell and the other readings, briefly describe the events of the conquest of the Aztec and Inca empires. Why do you think the Spaniards were successful? If you were to ask a Spaniard in Cortes’s

16 History 415 Syllabus Spring 2014 De Vos or Pizarro’s army (you may choose which one), what do you think he or she might say? If you were to ask an Aztec or Inca warrior, what do you think he might say? 2. From O’Connor and Garofalo, who was Malitzin and what was her role in the conquest of Mexico? What does the reading reveal about the relationship between the Cempoalans and the Aztecs? How did Cortés take advantage of that relationship? Would you label Malitzin and the Cempoalans traitors to the Aztecs? Why or why not? 3. According to Townsend, did the Aztecs think of Spaniards as gods? Why has that been such a persistent myth in the historical scholarship, and what evidence from what sources does Townsend use to dispel it? Questions for Week 5, due Tuesday, September 25: 1. From Bakewell, what is an encomienda and how was it supposed to work? How did it work in reality? Describe the “bureaucracy rising” that came to replace the encomienda. 2. Using Bakewell and O’Connor and Garofalo, explain the religious basis for the Spanish and Portuguese colonization of the and identify and describe the main actors who sought to bring about conversion of the indigenous people. Was this so-called “spiritual conquest” successful? Why or why not? 3. From the O’Connor and Garofalo reading, who was Bartolomé de las Casas and what were his arguments regarding the nature of the indigenous peoples of the Americas? What evidence did he use to support his argument and refute others? Compare this with his vision of African slaves. How did that vision change over time? Questions for Week 6, due Tuesday, October 2: 1. What is Kellogg’s main argument, and how would you define “hegemony?’ What implications does this article have for traditional interpretations of indigenous people as “conquered,” “defeated,” or “passive” peoples? Is this new interpretation a “radical” one? (Note the name of the journal in which it was published.) 2. In the readings from O’Connor and Garofalo and from Struggle and Survival, you learn about several different individuals and the ways they coped with and responded to European colonization. Briefly identify each person and characterize their particular response to colonialism: did they act as traitors? Heroes? Did they passively accept the dictates of the society in which they lived, or did they rebel against it or even take advantage of it? Or were they simply trying to survive? What is your interpretation of their life and actions? a. Isabel Moctezuma b. Diego Vasicuio c. Juan de Morga d. Gertrudis de Escobar e. Dona Ana María de la Cruz y Alpízar f. Don Cristóbal Choque Casa

Week 7 NO PAPER DUE

Questions for Week 8, due Tuesday, October 16:

17 History 415 Syllabus Spring 2014 De Vos 1. From the Bakewell reading, describe the economy of Spanish America and the economic relations between Spain and Spanish America. Which new industries were developing in the Americas in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries? How did the Spanish Crown try to maximize its revenue from its colonies? 2. From Crosby, what is a virgin soil epidemic, and what role did it play in the Europeans’ ability to conquer and colonize in the Americas? Look at the date of publication of the article: in what ways was this an innovative, even radical interpretation of conquest at the time? 3. How does Schwartz describe the production of sugar in colonial Brazil? How did the particular aspects of sugar production affect slaves’ lives and work? What did the planters do to insure maximum production from these laborers? Would you characterize these measures as a “victory” for the planters or for the slaves, or for both? Questions for Week 9, due Tuesday, October 23: 1. Why does Bakewell refer to seventeenth-century Spanish rule as “a slacker grip?” What was going on during this period that caused Spain to loosen its hold on Spanish America? 2. Describe the Corpus Christi festival. Why was it so important to Hapsburg rulers and bureaucrats? What did it represent in Spanish American culture? 3. From O’Connor and Garofalo, identify Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz and Catalina de Erauso? How did each transgress society’s norms? Why did each resist marriage? In her writings, how does Sor Juana critique male attitudes toward women, and how does she defend her own studies? No Paper Due for Week 10, Tuesday, October 30. Questions for Week 11, due Tuesday, November 6: 1. According to Bakewell, describe the development of Spanish American society in the sixteenth and into the seventeenth centuries, from the Two Republics to the rise of the caste system. Pick an individual described in the Struggle and Survival readings (Hernandez or Padilla) and explain how that person represents both the hierarchy and the flexibility of the system. 2. What were the casta paintings and why were they commissioned? What elements do they contain and what lesson(s) were the paintings described in O’Connor and Garofalo supposed to teach to their viewers? What is your reaction to these paintings? Do you think they are realistic depictions of colonial society? Questions for Week 12, due Tuesday, November 13: 1. From Bakewell, identify and describe the major Bourbon reforms of the eighteenth century. Why were these reforms put into place? 2. From the Voekel article, identify and describe the ways that Bourbon reformers tried to create order and control Mexican society in the eighteenth century. 3. From the O’Connor and Garofalo reading, explain what changes the creole cabildo members feared and why they were so upset. How were the changes related to Bourbon reforms and larger issues of creole identity and power? Questions for Week 13, due Tuesday, November 20:

18 History 415 Syllabus Spring 2014 De Vos 1. From the Bakewell reading, identify and describe the major causes of Independence. What do you think was the most important cause (or causes) and why? 2. From O’Connor and Garofalo, identify Tupac Amaru and Micaela Bastidas. What actions did they take and how did they try to rally people of different ethnic groups to their cause? What do their letters reveal about the challenges they faced as well as their hopes for changing the colonial system? 3. Describe the actions and intentions of the main Independence leaders Simon Bolivar, Miguel Hidalgo, and Jose Maria Morelos. What did they envision for the governing of their independent nations? Are their goals and visions similar or very different? How do they compare to those of Amaru and Bastidas?

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