Colonial Latin America

History 201.01

 Spring Semester 2002

 J. Pablo Silva

ARH 322

Office: Carnegie 403

MWF 1:15-2:05

Phone: 269-4886

Office Hours: TBA

E-mail: silvajp@grinnell.edu

To see reading for a specific week, choose:

Required Texts | Readings | Assignments | Grading | Historiographical Paper

Description:
This course analyses the origins of the region we now call Latin America. In terms of chronological focus, we will look at (1) the Iberian exploration and conquest of the region, (2) the beginnings of colonial society, (3) the impact of slavery, (4) the transformation of the colonies in the 18th century, (5) and the initial phase of Independence. Thematically, we will be interested in the role of religion, the exercise of authority in multicultural societies, resistance to authority, and the peculiar economics and sociology of colonialism.

Readings should be completed prior to the class meeting for which they are listed. The Syllabus below specifies the reading for each week. To see reading for a specific week, choose: Note that there are no specific assignments for the Burkholder & Johnson book. The book is intended to provide background. I have a suggested time line for reading it (Go there now). The interpretation presented there is required for the exams.

 

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Section 1. The Spanish Conquest of America (weeks 1-3)

Monday, 21 January

What is Latin America?

 Week 1
Introduction to the Geography of the Region

Wednesday, 23 January

How did geography make the Americas different?
Jared Diamond, Guns, Germs, & Steel, pp. 67-156, Handout.

 Friday, 25 January
 How did geography affect the encounter between Europeans and Americans?
Jared Diamond, Guns, Germs, & Steel, pp. 157-214, Handout.

Monday, 28 January

How did Europeans react to America?

 Week 2
1. Christopher Columbus, "Letter to Santángel."
2. Inter Caetera.
3. The Treaty of Tordesillas.

Wednesday, 30 January

How did Europeans proceed in the Caribbean?
1. Instructions for the Government of the Indies.
2. Decree on Indian Labor.
3. Antonio Montesinos, "Advent Sermon."
4. Royal Response to the Sermon of Antonio Montesinos.
5. Laws of Burgos.

 Friday, 1 February
 How did the crown view events in the Indies?
1. Palacios Rubios, "The Requirement," or Requerimiento.
2. General Repartimiento of 1514.
3. Alonso de Zuazo. "State of the Indies."
4. Gonzalo Fernandez de Oviedo y Valdés, "Gold Mining."
5. Fernández de Oviedo, "If you decide to go to the Indies."
6. Oviedo, "The Adelantado."

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 Monday, 4 February

How did things line up in Mexico?

 Week 3
Victors and Vanquished, pp. 29-126.

Wednesday, 6 February

How did the Conquest of Mexico come about?
Victors and Vanquished, pp. 127-213.

  Friday, 8 February
What was the immediate aftermath of the Conquest?
1. Victors and Vanquished, pp. 214-243.
2. Julian de Rosa, "Testament and Last Will." Handout.
3. "Tribute Assessments for the Town of Cholula." Handout.
4. Indians of Tecama, "Complaint Against Juan Ponce de León." Handout.

You need to write a paper on your research topic.
See the Assignment. Your paper will be due on February 12.

Section 2. Debating the Conquest (weeks 4-6)

  Monday, 11 February

What was the downside of the Conquest?

 Week 4
Las Casas, Devastation of the Indies.

Wednesday, 13 February

How bad was it?
Las Casas, Devastation of the Indies.

  Friday, 15 February
 How did the crown respond?
1. The New Laws. Handout.
2. Francisco López de Gómora, "The Viceroy Announces the New Laws in Peru." Handout.
3. Gonzalo Pizarro, "Letter to Pedro de Valdivia." Handout.
4. Garcilaso de la Vega, "The Death of Gonzalo Pizarro." Handout.


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  Monday, 18 February

How Could one Justify such a conquest?

Week 5
1. Sepulveda, Handout.
2. Sublimis Deus. Handout.
3. de las Casas, Summary of Sepulveda, In Defense of the Indians, pp. 3-16. Handout.

Wednesday, 20 February
How did las Casas respond?
de las Casas, In Defense of the Indians, pp. 17-53, 221-239, Packet.

  Friday, 22 February
Was las Casas deluded about the missionary effort?
1. Mills & Taylor, pp. 19-22
2. Motolinia, pp. 51-57, 131-33
3. Clendinnen. Handout.

You need to write a book report on a book related to your topic. See the Assignment Sheet. Your paper will be due on February 25.

Monday, 25 February

If Catholicism was so important to the Spaniards, why didn't they establish a Christian paradise in America?

Week 6
1. Duran, Book of the Gods, pp. 51-56, 383-387; History of the Indies, pp. 3-11. Handout.
2. Boyer, Extirpation Reading, pp. 39-53.

Wednesday, 27 February

So did religion matter at all?
1. Boyer, "The Telling of Tales," pp. 18-31.
2. Boyer, "Directorio Para Confesores," pp. 32-38.
3. Burkholder and Johnson, Chaps. 1 to 3.

  Friday, 1 March
What general conclusions can we make about the conquest?
1. Stern, "Paradigms of Conquest," pp. 1-34, handout.
2. Boyer, "The Indians of Tejupan," pp. 6-10.

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Section 3. Early Colonial Society (weeks 7-8)

Monday, 4 March

In Class Exam

Week 7

Wednesday, 6 March

What was the role of the State in early Colonial Society?
1. Ordinances of the Council of the Indies
2. Royal Instructions for the Viceroy Antonio de Mendoza
3. Royal Decree Restating the Right of Patronage, 1574.
4. The Royal Cedula fo 1578.
5. Royal Decree Ordering that Parishes in the Indies be served by Secular Clergy, 1583.

  Friday, 8 March
How did the mining economy work?
1. Diego Gualpa, "Account of the Discovery of Potosí." Handout.
2. Cieza de León, "Potosí." Handout.
3. José de Acosta. Handout.
4. Vásquez de Espinosa. Handout.

Monday, 11 March

What was society like?

Week 8
Catalina Erauso, Lieutenant Nun.

Wednesday, 13 March

How was society organized?
1. Boyer, "Affairs of the Courtroom," pp. 54-76,
2. Boyer, "Under Investigation," pp.112-29,
3. Boyer, "Drinking Gambling and Death," pp.185-200.

  Friday, 15 March

What was colonial religion like?
1. Boyer, "Spiritual and Physical Ecstasier," pp. 77-100,
2. Boyer, "On her deathbed,"166-77.
3. Mills & Taylor, Handout.

You need to summarize the historiography of your topic.
See the Assignment Sheet. Your paper will be due on March 15.

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Spring Break, 16 March to 1 April

 

Section 4. Slavery and Forced Labor (weeks 9-10)

Monday, 1 April

Where does Brazil fit in?

Week 9
Read Burkholder and Johnson, Chaps. 4 & 5.

Wednesday, 3 April

How did Sugar contribute to the colonial project?
Schwartz, "Safra," Sugar Plantations, pp. 98-131.

  Friday, 5 April
What was slavery like?
Boyer, 141-54, 249-68, 279-93.

Monday, 8 April

How does Latin American slavery compare?

Week 10
Tadman, AHR.

Wednesday, 10 April

How did Indian labor compare?
Gage
Juan & Ulloa
Vásquez de Espinosa

  Friday, 12 April
 Was Colonialism good for its citizens?
Boyer, pp. 11-17, 101-11.
Burkholder and Johnson, Chap. 6.

You will need to summarize your argument for me.
See the Assignment Sheet. Your summary will be due on April 12.

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Section 5. The Transformation and Dissolution of Colonial Society (weeks 11-14)

Monday, 15 April

Was Colonialism good for the colonial powers?

Week 11
Paul Kennedy, The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers, pp. 31-72.

Wednesday, 17 April

What do we know about colonial families?
Boyer, pp. 130-140, 155-65.

  Friday, 19 April
What does this tell us about the role of women?
Seed, To Love Honor and Obey, pp. 17-91.

Monday, 22 April

 How did Latin American Society Change from the 17th to the 18th Century?

Week 12
Seed, To Love Honor and Obey, pp. 95-189.

Wednesday, 24 April

What implications did these changes have for gender relations?
Seed, To Love Honor and Obey, pp. 190-241.
Boyer, pp. 216-248.

  Friday, 26 April
 What were the problems in late colonial society?
1. Gabriel Fernández de Villalobos, "Immoderate Desire."
2. Alonso de Zorita, "These Laws are Obeyed and Not Enforced."
3. Burkholder and Johnson, Chap. 7.

You will need to write the introduction to your paper.
See the Assignment Sheet. Your introduction will be due on April 26.

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Monday, 29 April

What problems did contemporaries diagnose?

Week 13
Juan & Ulloa

Wednesday, 1 May
What problems did foreign observers diagnose?
John Campbell, The Spanish Empire in America, Excerpt. Handout.
Raynal

  Friday, 3 May
How did social tensions show themselves in Mexico?
Boyer, pp. 178-84, 201-215.

Monday, 6 May
Did the tensions lead to Independence?

Week 14
Burkholder and Johnson, Chap. 8.

Wednesday, 8 May
How did Independence come about?
Anna, "Last Viceroys."
Boyer, pp. 294-308.

  Friday, 10 May

Time to Turn in Your Final Draft.
See the Assignment Sheet. Your final draft will be due on May 13.

 

 Final Exam:  Thursday, May 16 at 9 am

 

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Last Modified: 6 May 2002
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