Latin American History
17 Week- Semester Course. Elective for grades 11 and 12.
(Units are 2 ½ weeks in length- 6-7 class periods/90 min. blocks)
I.
Pre-colonial
Map- Geography of South and Middle America
Art – Visuals
Focus Lesson: Power and People: Olmec, Toltec, Maya, Aztec, Other….
Readings: Intro. C. Mann , 1491
II.
Conquest and Colonization
Economic, political, religious developments
in Europe that led to trans-Oceanic encounter
Results for Europe, Africa, and Western Hemisphere
Focus Lesson: More Change or Continuity? SPRITE
Readings: Bernardino de Sahagun, “General History of the Things of New Spain”
found in The Human Record: Sources of Global History by Andrea/ Overfield
Antonio Vazques de Espinosa, “ Compendium and Description of the West
Indies” found in The Human Record: Sources of Global History by Andrea/Overfield
III.
Independence Movements
Political map showing colonial strongholds
Historiography: POV
Focus Lesson: L’Ouverture to Bolivar
Readings: Simon Bolivar, “The Jamaica Letter”. Found in The Human Record: Sources
of Global History by Andrea/Overfield
IV.
Political Struggles and the New Ruling Elites
Historiography: POV
Focus Lesson: Positives and Negatives of Caudillos
Readings: Charles E. Chapman, “Caudillos as Scourge” found in Problems in Modern
Latin American History by Chasteen/Wood
Ariel de la Fuente, “Causillos as Culture Heroes” found in Problems in
Modern Latin American History by Chasteen/Wood
V.
Early 20th Century and Social Revolution
Focus lesson: Mexican Revolution 1910
Readings: “Two Views of Porfirio Diaz” found in Sources of World History: Readings
for Western Civilization by Kishlansky
VI.
Populism and Anti- Imperialism
Focus lesson: Cold War, Dirty Wars
Timeline of US-LA relations
Art and Culture
Readings: Cardoso and Faletto, “Populism and National Development” found in
Problems in Modern Latin American History by Chasteen/Wood
G. Vargas, “ Excerpts from Speeches and Interviews” found in
The Human Record: Sources of Global History by Andrea/Overfield
VII.
Issues, Image, Identity- Modern Latin America
Art and music
Political map
Focus lesson: Current Events
Readings: TBA. newspapers and news as it unfolds
*Readings include, but are not limited to, those listed
*“Historiography” assignments involve the students finding journals, essays involving the topic
and taking notes for discussion. It involves the student trying to find out where the author got
this information and identifying the author’s Point of View.
Grades will include a combination of summative assessments (100 points), reactive reading
assignments(20 points), historiography activities(20 points), and projects/essays (60 points).
Class participation is encouraged but will not receive a negative score; it can, however, improve
a reactive reading score.
Possible Resources for Readings:
Andrea, Alfred and James Overfield, The Human Record: Sources of Global History, Volumes I
and II, New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2001.
Chasteen, John C., and James Wood, Problems in Modern Latin American History: Sources and
Interpretations, New York: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. , 2009.
Kishlansky, Mark, Sources of World History: Readings for World Civilization, New York:
Wadsworth, 1999.