Tools of Change in the Hispanic World
Spanish 200A, Fall Semester 2008
Tues, Thurs 12:00 – 1:50, Converse 202, Westminster College
Dan Byrne, Ph.D., Foster Hall 306, dbyrne@westminstercollege.edu
The Hispanic world has played a role in human history from the times of prehistoric paintings on
cave walls through today’s complex societies. This course will explore the evolution of Hispanic
culture through time by studying some of the dominant figures, discoveries and ideas that have
transformed the world. These “tools” and the changes they drive lead us to follow the threads of
science, technology, art, philosophy, religion, and language and the cultures they weave.
The topics are divided into time periods, each of which is dominated by a distinct culture whose
particular “tools of change” transformed its world and perspectives, just as our world is adjusting to
today’s “tools”.
Course Schedule: Topics and Assignments
Prehistory
August
Th 28 Introduction to the course; Geography of the Hispanic World; Tools of Change Exercise,
assign: Read IHT 12-13, 17-18, “How we Know Earth’s Age” XX 1-2
September
Tu 2 T/F IHT 12-13, 17-18, XX 1-2 (10 pts); discuss IHT: the concept of “Deep Time”; Man has
been around for a long time, Earth even longer, the Universe longer still, What is geologic
time, How do we determine age? How do we measure time?
assign: Read IHT 123-124, 128-131
6
T/F IHT 441-443, 448-455(middle), XX 31-42 (10 pts); Human migration, ice ages; Cultures
and Technology in the Americas before Columbus (Aztec, Mayan, Incan, Taino, etc)
assign: Earliest Art.
8
pictographs and petroglyphs, Assignment 1 given out (credit/no credit, 20 points).
assign: Read IHT 40-41, 50-52
27
T/F IHT 40-41, 50-52 (10 pts) discuss “Language”: first sounds, protolanguages, origin of
writing: scripts, pictographs, cuneiform, and alphabets. “Memory”: books, libraries,
assign: Read IHT 33-36, XX 47
Semester Break: February 26-March 3
October
6
T/F IHT 33-36 (10 pts) discuss “the Advent of Art”, when, where and how did it come
about? Watch Joseph Campbell video on the first artists, caves, burials, and creation myths.
assign: Read IHT 37-38, 63-65, 99-10
8
T/F IHT 37-38, 63-65, 99-10 (10 pts); discuss “Our Origin”, the origin of religion and of
“Gods”. Creation Myths and their effects on our perspective. Exploration of creation myths
of other cultures. Exercise 3: Write your own creation myth (graded, 20 points) and create an
artifact (graded, 10 points) that could be its representation for future archeologists (to be
presented to the class)
13
Finish discussion of religion and its influence on culture. Present your creation myths
illustrated with your artifact.
Rise of the Greeks
Th 2
T/F IHT 123-124, 128-131 (10 pts); discuss IHT “Early Greek Science/Philosophy”, The
first science, what are things made from? Greek impact on Hispanic culture.
assign: Read IHT p. 133 (last paragraph) – 138, XX 5-8
Tu 4 T/F on reading IHT 133-138, XX 5-8 (10 pts); discuss “Later Greeks”: approaches to
philosophy and science, the nature of the universe, marking time;
assign: 100 Years Chapter 1 (each student is assigned one character to discuss, refer to XX 910)
Rise of the Romans
Tu 6 T/F on reading IHT 133-138, XX 5-8 (10 pts); discuss the Roman Empire to examine Roman
technology and its impact on Hispanic culture.
assign: 100 Years Chapter 1 (each student is assigned one character to discuss, refer to XX 910)
Rise of Islam
Tu 9
T/F 100 Years Chapter 1 (10 pts); discuss 100 years Chapter 1 (use XX 9-10)
assign: Read IHT 260-262, 268-269 (first 2 paragraphs), 271-273 and Huston Smith “Intro to
Islam”, XX 11-16
Th 11 T/F IHT 260-262, 268-269 (first 2 paragraphs), 271-273 and XX 11-16 (10 pts);
“Islam and its Technology” discuss Islam; Islamic science and ideas, number systems, mathematics,
translations of Greek/Latin into Arabic
assign: Read IHT 277-281, XX 17-24
1
T/F IHT 277-281, XX 17-24 (10 pts); discuss IHT “Muslim Spain”; the Moors in Spain:
Mixing of cultures and languages. Knowledge exchange through translation (Baghdad,
Toledo), Keeping time: origins of calendars and clocks. Video concerning Muslim Spain.
assign: Read IHT 441-443, 448-455(middle), XX 31-42
Meanwhile in the Americas
Th
T/F IHT 260-262, 268-269 (first 2 paragraphs), 271-273 and XX 11-16 (10 pts);
“Americas 1” discuss cultures, religions, and art.
assign: Read IHT 277-281, XX 17-24
Tu
T/F IHT 260-262, 268-269 (first 2 paragraphs), 271-273 and XX 11-16 (10 pts);
“Americas 2” discuss science, technology, number systems, mathematics,
assign: Read IHT 277-281, XX 17-24
Christian Conquest
assign: Read IHT 430-431, 432-437(bottom), refer to XX 26-30
13
15
T/F IHT 430-431, 432-437 (bottom) (10 pts); discuss “Maps and Navigation”; Tools of
Trade, Exploration of ships and sailing, the discoverer: da Gama, Columbus, Balboa,
Magellan and the Vikings, and the development of the tools that made it possible
assign: Read handout on Triangulation and Mapping (no quiz)
Group Map-making exercise 2 (20 points for best map, 18 for the rest)
Rise of Science and Protestants
15
20
assign: IHT 458-462
T/F IHT 458-462 (10 pts); discuss radical changes in the 1500’s: the Protestant Revolution,
the Inquisition, Printing, literacy. Watch Burke’s video about perception and reality.
assign: Read 475(top)-480(1st para), 481, 512-514, 518-519, XX 48-49
T/F IHT 475(top)-480(1st para), 481, 512-514, 518-519, XX 48-49 (10 pts); discuss “The
First Scientific Revolution”: Copernicus through Newton (1543-1687) and Mechanical
Technology;
Today and Tomorrow
computers and their languages; Hidden writing “Cryptography” and some simple techniques.
Cryptography exercise 4 (graded, 20 points).
assign: XX 52-59
29 T/F XX 52-59 (10pts); Computer Languages, Programming, Software and Hardware…how
does a computer work? Graphical programming exercise 5 with Alice (credit/no credit, 20
points).
assign: Finish your programming exercise 4.
3
5
24
Continued experience with programming languages: exercise 5 in the computer lab creating
your own web page with interactive scripting: write up and illustrate your creation myth
(graded, 20 points).
assign: Finish your Programming Exercise 5. Begin Exercise 6: research an immigration story
in your family and write the story as part of your web site (graded, 30 points). This will not be
due until April 24th so that you have adequate time to research and complete it.
Read XX 62, Skim XX 63-81
T/F XX 62-81 (10 pts); Quo Vadimus?, Where is all this technology taking us? The good, the
scary, and the unknown. List the new technology you have used in the last 3 years.
Watch Webber video “Industrial Revolution”: another example of when technology
drastically changed the world.
(Last Class) Review the semester’s material and ideas; Present student immigration stories.
assign: Read IHT 33-36, XX 43-46
assign: 100 Years Chapter 3 (each student is assigned one character to discuss, refer to XX 50)
22
T/F 100 Years Chpt 3 (10 pts); Discuss Chapter 3 of 100 years.
assign: Read 100 Years Chapter 12 (each student is assigned one character to discuss, refer to
XX 60)
10
12
T/F: 100 Years Chapter 12 (10 pts); discuss Chapter 12 of 100 years.
assign: Read 100 Years Chapter 20(each student is assigned one character to discuss, refer to
XX 61 and 61a)
T/F 100 Years Chapter 20 (10 pts); discuss Chapters 15 and 20 of 100 years.
Final Exam Due, Friday, April 27th, 12:00
Course Details: Objectives and Grading
Dan Byrne, Ph.D., Foster Hall 306, 832-2363
dbyrne@westminstercollege.edu - E-mail is generally the quickest way to communicate with me.
Office Hours:
Tuesday and Thursday 2:00– 3:00 PM, 9:20-9:50 PM,
Wednesday 11:00-1:00, and by appointment.
Course Objectives: This course will help prepare you for other topics and to look for connections between
them.
After completing this course you will:
Recognize the impacts of time, perspective and language on culture;
Assess the potential influences of technology;
Integrate many concepts to consider how cultures and individuals change through them.
Texts (Both Required): One Hundred Years of Solitude, Gabriel Garcia Marques, Harper Perennial, 1967,
ISBN-13: 978-0-06-088328-7
Ideas: A History of Thought and Invention from Fire to Freud, Peter Watson, HarperCollins
Publishers, 2005, ISBN: 0-06-621064-X
Grading:
Course grades will be determined as follows:
Quizzes (between 15-19)
10 pts each
Assignments (6)
120 pts
Midterm Exam
100 pts
Final Exam
100 pts
Participation: Your final grade may alter by one entire letter grade depending upon the professor's
subjective opinion of your enthusiasm and participation in class. This will be based on how
much you add to the class by your positive participation or distract from it by disruptive
behavior or lack of engagement.
Quizzes: Quizzes will generally be given at the beginning of each class; content will be based on
the reading assignment for the day. Their purpose is to encourage regular study and
attendance. Any missed quizzes (due to arriving late or absence from class) may not be
made up.
Assignments: A variety of assignments will contribute to your experience with the material.
These will include research activities, an “art” project, an immigration essay, a mapping
project, etc. Some assignments will be graded and others will be assessed as credit/no credit
based on participation. Please refer to the schedule for details of each.
Assignments
1 Presentation of Class Reading
10 points Graded
2 Writing Your Creation Myth
20 points Graded
3 Artifact From Your Myth
10 points Graded
4 Mapping Exercise
20 points Credit for Participation
5 Cryptography
20 points Graded
6 Programming in Alice
10 points Credit for Participation
7 Writing an Immigration Story
30 points Graded
Exams: There will be a midterm exam given on October 19st and a comprehensive take-home final
exam given on the last day of class.
Late Work: All work must be turned in on time. Assignments will only receive half the credit if
one day late, and no credit after that.
Eating:
Because this class meets from 12-2 you may be tempted to eat lunch. Nibbling may be fine if
done discretely, but gorging on a full lunch interferes significantly from your involvement in
the class and distracts the rest of us. Plan your time accordingly to eat before or after class.
If you must eat lunch, don’t come to class.
Attendance:
Attendance will not be taken, but students will be responsible for the material covered in
class and are encouraged to attend. Attending class is the only way to take the quizzes and is
the easiest way to benefit from the course.
Changes:
This syllabus is subject to change. The instructor also reserves the right to alter the grading
scheme as needed. Any changes will be announced in class.
Students with Disabilities: If you have special needs because of any disabilities the College will make
reasonable accommodations for you. Please contact the START center for further
information.