History 150
History of Latin America to 1824
Fall 2020 – Section # 71382 ONLINE
ZTC Course
This is a ZERO Textbook Cost (ZTC) Course.
All necessary readings are available within the course Canvas site.
For students who wish a hard copy or electronic edition of the Mann or Restall books, copies can be purchased from Amazon.
A survey of the historical evolution of the peoples and states of Latin America with special attention to the indigenous states and empires of the Americas, their conquest by the Iberian nations of Europe, the creation of multi-racial colonial empires, and the growth of Creole nationalism which resulted in the overthrow of the Iberian empires at the beginning of the 19th century.
Important features of the online course
- Student participation in course discussion boards
- Documentary and feature films on various topics from colonial and contemporary Latin America.
- FLEXIBLE DEADLINES You have the entire 15-week semester to complete the assignments for the course.
- This way you can schedule the work for this course around the busiest periods for your live classes and/or work schedule.
Syllabus
Click here to access Fall 2019 Syllabus. (Available August 12, 2020)
Course Themes
- The evolution of the major pre-Columbian empires of North and South America.
- The history of the Iberian Peninsula, including the influence of Mediterranean history and cultures.
- The expansion of Europe overseas from the Middle Ages through the voyages to Africa, Asia, and the Americas.
- The state of the world economy in 1492.
- The early stages of Spanish exploration in the Caribbean.
- The Spanish conquest of the great mainland empires of the Aztecs and Incas.
- Portuguese overseas expansion and the colonization of Brazil.
- The establishment of Spanish and Portuguese colonial institutions.
- The relations of Church and State in Spanish and Portuguese America.
- Mestizaje in Latin America: The new hybrid cultures composed of Native Americans, Europeans, and Africans.
- Frontier societies of Spanish and Portuguese America.
- Iberian mercantilism and the colonial economies.
- Imperial rivalry and colonial reform in the 18th century.
- The emergence of Latin American nationalism and Independence.
Course Assignments
- Short essays and book reports; no online testing.
- Optional personal course project designed by each student.
- Optional Discussion Boards for all films and readings.
Course Readings and Films
The readings and films selected for the course have been chosen to give you a broad understanding of the history of the development of a complex and fascinating civilization.
It is not necessary to read every chapter from these books. The chapters from Kamen and Russell-Wood books provide the core readings for the development of Spanish and Portuguese America. PDF copies of chapters are posted in the course Canvas site. Copies are available for check-out in the Palomar College Library, Instructor Reserve section, 1st floor.
Chapters (PDF) from the Pierce and Mann books offer supplementary topics specific to the period of the Spanish conquest, and the development of a unique cultural and material worlds in North and South America. Additional readings (PDF) from texts by David Weber explore the Spanish Borderlands of North America, from California and New Mexico to Louisiana and Florida. PDF documents can be read on any electronic media, including desktop, tablets, and smart phones, or printed out.
The Burkholder and Johnson book is recommended for information on both pre-Columbian and 18th and early 19th century topics, but can be replaced by other selections available from most libraries.
Each student should consult with Professor Arguello during the first month of the course to determine how to pursue readings and assignments that address the special interests of each student.
Book List
Free copies of recommended books are available in the Palomar College Library Instructor Reserve section for check out. Many others are available in the Library General Collection.
NOTE To Students – If you have already used the Mann, Pierce, and Restall books for my History 140 class, you may consult with me to use other books for this course.
Recommended Purchase
Professor Arguello recommends that each student consult this book during the course.
Select chapters (PDF) are available for free within the course Canvas site.
Complete copies of this book may also be rented or purchased from the Palomar College Bookstore or checked out from Instructor Reserve in the Palomar College Library. Paperback copies and the Kindle edition may also be purchased at Amazon.
Charles C. Mann. 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created. Vintage. Paper. ISBN 978-0307278241. Also a Kindle edition. There are many used copies of this book.
Supplementary Readings
Chapters of these books (PDF) will be available in the course Canvas site for student use.
Mark A. Burkholder and Lyman Johnson. Colonial Latin America. Oxford University Press. Paper.
– NOTE Editions 4, 5 6, 7, 8, and 9 are acceptable, and copies of these editions are also available in the Palomar College Library, Instructor Reserve holdings.
Guillermo Cespedes. Early Latin America.
Henry Kamen. Empire: How Spain Became a World Power, 1492-1763. Harper Perennial. Paper. ISBN 978-0060932640.
– Copies are also available from Instructor Reserve in the Palomar College Library.
Donna Pierce. Companion to Spanish Colonial Art at the Denver Art Museum. Denver Art Museum. Paper. ISBN 978-0914738787
– Copies are also available from Instructor Reserve in the Palomar College Library.
Matthew Restall. Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquest. Oxford University Press. Paper. ISBN 978-0195176117.
– Copies are also available from Instructor Reserve in the Palomar College Library.
A.J.R. Russell-Wood. The Portuguese Empire, 1415-1808: A World on the Move. 2nd ed. Johns Hopkins University Press. Paper. ISBN 978-0801859557.
– Copies are also available from Instructor Reserve in the Palomar College Library.
Choice
All students are required to write a review at least one book for the course.
Separate specialized titles can be selected from local library collections in consultation with Professor Arguello.
Copies of books on other topics related to the course are also available from the Palomar College Library (FREE), and several will be posted in the Instructor Reserve section.
San Diego Circuit System
This borrowing system allows residents of San Diego County to borrow books, free of charge, from the following public systems, universities, and private college: San Diego Public Library system, San Diego County Library system, UC San Diego, Cal State San Marcos, San Diego State University, and the University of San Diego.
Books can be requested online here, and then delivered to the library closest to your home/residence. Here is information on how to request a book.
LINK+ System
If you have access to the San Diego County Library system, for example through the San Marcos Public Library, you can use the LINK+ System to access books from throughout the states of California and Nevada.
Books can be requested online here. Here is information on how to request a book.
Ciudad de Mexico (Mexico City)
