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Ventura
College, Spring Semester 2006
Instructor: Michael Ward Email: history240@worldnet.att.net V.C.
voice mail: 655-5759
Office: P-6/ Office Hours: 11:30 AM–12:30 PM; 11:30AM–12 Noon, M-W-F |
This course will outline the cultural and historical evolution of the Americas
from the time of Latin American independence to the present. Topical
lectures will consist of presentations on various themes, relating the
changing social, political, and economic climates of this vast region.
Though topical, these presentations will follow a loose chronology, spanning
prehistoric times to the present. I will provide outline handouts
for each lecture, with relevant terms, many of which will be used in tests
and/or quizzes. 
An area larger than the combined territories of Europe and the United States, Latin America is again becoming a major player on the international world scene. Its material wealth and abundant natural resources are well recognized, and its cultural richness, diversity, and influence in the world have become the subject of scholarly pursuits and political debates the world over. Over two dozen separate republics comprise Latin America. In South America, these countries include Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Equador, Guyana, French Guiana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela. The Central American region is composed of the nations of Belize, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, and the Caribbean republics of Puerto Rico, French West Indies, as well as many other island nations. Mexico is the only Latin American nation in North America, however, a case can be made for the inclusion of both Canada and the United States in the Latin American community since Latin-American populations play increasingly significant roles in both of these predominantly English-speaking countries.
Linguistically, Latin America is defined as comprising Spanish, Portuguese, and French-speaking peoples and cultures, but hundreds of Native American languages and dialects are spoken as well. In addition, five English-speaking (and by virtue of this language, non-Latin) nations are found among the islands of the Caribbean. This great influx of languages reflects the diverse cultural origins and socio-economic, political, and racial fusion produced by the colonization of Latin America by European and European-decent peoples, involving persons from Europe, Africa, and the Americas. Early on in Latin America’s history, European colonizers and exploiters, who were eager to establish and maintain their dominance over, and control of indigenous peoples, established tools of social control. Such methods and institutions persist to the present day, though the faces of the colonial forces have changed. Latin America is still a colonized and exploited part of the world, and a persistent colonial mindset continues to hamper the region’s long-held dreams of modernization.
Long-established colonial institutions still operate throughout Latin America, most notably the region’s economic dependence on export production. This centuries-old trend has consistently resulted in widespread poverty throughout Latin America, amidst its great wealth in natural resources. Other patterns and trends also emerge in an examination of the history of Latin America. Some of these have roots in its ancient, indigenous past. Nevertheless, adaptive change and cultural resiliency are the hallmarks of this history, and never more so than at the present time, as Latin America, along with the rest of the world, enters the twenty-first century.
Latin
America’s increasing participation in an international free market economy
has produced mixed results, though reflecting its emerging autonomy from
persistent colonialism, while continuing its dependence on foreign investment
at the same time. Repeatedly hampered in its growth and development
by its early exposure to Spanish, Portuguese, and French colonialism, and
later by British, Dutch, German, and U.S. neocolonialism through corporate/
economic intervention, Latin American nations struggle to modernize.
At the same time, Latin America’s diverse ethnicities and large peasant
populations seek long awaited land reforms and the right to determine their
own futures independent from such foreign domination, strong-arm dictators,
and pro-western, pro-corporate dictatorial governments.
The history of the Americas is the story of the epic cultural struggles between the peoples and nations of the Western Hemisphere. It is intertwined with the history of the modern world, and especially with the history of the United States. Moreover its importance and relevance to Americans (en el norte) and southern Californians in particular cannot be over-emphasized.
The breakdown of the grading for the course will be as follows:
Current Event 10%
Attendance
10%
1st Midterm Exam
25%
2nd Midterm Exam 25%
Final Exam
30%
_____________________________
Total
100%
These are the percentages
that make up the total amount for your grade. The final grade will
be determined by how each individual score meets a standard scale, adjusted
if necessary to reflect the overall performance of the class. It
should be fairly simple to earn a "C," but also a challenge to get an "A."
Regular attendance and class participation are important to achieving a
high grade for this course, and will be given special consideration when
I evaluate borderline grades, so please be sure to ATTEND CLASS REGULARLY. 
Moreover, pay close attention to the calendar, add-drop deadlines, etc. It is YOUR responsibility to submit all required forms relative to your enrollment, so know the deadlines for submitting such materials. As far as this class is concerned, I will supply a calendar of assignments and test dates during the second class meeting. This is a fast-paced course that covers a lot of diverse regions, peoples, and histories, so we will cover much of the subject matter at a fairly rapid rate. I will provide explicit outline handouts with relevant terms making it easier to follow, but it will be important to keep up with the assignments. If you have any questions or reservations about the curriculum, or about your ability to perform the assigned tasks, let’s talk about it. I am committed to your success in this class, and to helping you to achieve your goals at Ventura College. With that in mind, I will be available for consultation before and after class, and by appointment in the adjunct faculty office (room # to be announced). I can also be reached by voice mail and email (I will quickly return all calls and emails).
I look forward to this semester’s adventure of investigation into the history of Latin America. I plan to have fun, and I hope that the experience will be somewhat challenging to you, but also informative, enlightening, and fun too.
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Lithograph of the Battle at the National Cathedral in Mexico City during the Mexican-American War, September 1847.
Clickhereor
on the picture above to go to a PBS documentary discussion about the Mexican-American
War. Then be sure to also visit an opposing site that emphasizes
the Mexican perspective of the war, by clicking on the button below.
Cabeza de Vaca, Adventures
in the Unknown Interior of America (Albuquerque:
University of New Mexico Press, 1983) ISBN: 082630656X
If you are interested in further information about this course, please contact Michael Ward by email or by voice mail at 654-6399 ext. 2427 or 655-5759. Thank you.
Illustrations
without captions include (in order of their appearance from the top of
this page down): miscellaneous Mesoamerican god images; reproduction of
a Maya stele rubbing; Simon Bolivar; Che Guevara image after the Alberto
Korda photograph made in Cuba on March 4, 1960; Aztec Calendar Stone,
c. 15th century, National Anthropology Museum, Mexico City; indigenous
images from Aztec codices, and an Inca mask (below).
Important
Links:
This home page contains
links to important information related to the history of the Americas generally
and to this course specifically. By clicking on the button above,
you can access summaries of our class lectures, and find interesting links
relating to these discussions, and to the history of the Americas.
These pages serve as our 24-hour class information center, and in addition
to the information described above, regular announcement s will also be
posted by clicking on the link above. Thank you for your interest
in this form of communication.
-- Michael Ward
This page was updated
Monday, January 8, 2006. 
history240@worldnet.att.net
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