LAH 4131   'Atlantic Indians': How Indigenous and African Peoples Shaped Europe & the Americas

Col of Arts, Soc Sci and Human, Department of History and Philosophy

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

The trajectories of European and Native American cultures and societies were enmeshed after 1492. Soldiers, colonists, missionaries, readers, and consumers were profoundly affected by their exposure to radically different ways of organizing life, and these effects permeated European culture. This course then takes seriously indigenous men and women as participants-not merely as objects-in the re-making of intellectual history in the Atlantic world. From works of natural science, literature, art, cartography, and philosophy to native artifacts this seminar examines how the discovery of America forever changed Europe and ultimately helped to shape what we call the Americas today. Meets Multicultural Requirement.

LAH 4135   Spanish Conquest of the Americas

Col of Arts, Soc Sci and Human, Department of History and Philosophy

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

This seminar examines the encounters between "old" and "new" worlds from the 15th to the 17th centuries. Through both primary and secondary readings we study the clash of cultures and ensuing development of new "creole" societies. While this is a story of devastation, suffering, and violence, it is also a tale of endurance, survival, and accommodation. Throughout the semester we will endeavor to view the "conquest" from multiple perspectives, including indigenous and African, looking beyond the European conquerors. We also investigate themes of gender, religion, and law to gain a much richer understanding of the monumental event that is broadly referred to as the "conquest" of the Americas. Meets Multicultural Requirement.

LAH 4451   Greater Mexico: Central America from Conquest to the 20th Century

Col of Arts, Soc Sci and Human, Department of History and Philosophy

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

This course examines the creation of the nation-states of Central America from Mexico to Panama. We begin with the Aztecs and the Maya, then work our way through the Spanish conquest and colonization of the region. The second half of the course looks at the transition from Spanish colonies to independent nation-states, though still closely tied to the U.S. and other European countries throughout the 19th century. We then study how the influence of and economic dependence upon the U.S. and European nations led Central American states first to Socialism and then to authoritarian regimes in the 20th century. We end by looking at current relationships between the U.S. and Central America, covering themes like the "War on Drugs" and immigration. While each of the countries that make up Central America has a unique history, this course examines them as a group (as the Spanish did), paying particular attention to the themes, events, and patterns that they shared. This will give us a better understanding of some of our closest neighbors. Meets Multicultural Requirement.

LAH 4474   The Colonial Caribbean

Col of Arts, Soc Sci and Human, Department of History and Philosophy

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

This course introduces students to the colonial Caribbean, from first contact in 1492 to emancipations in the British Islands in the 1830's. The emphasis throughout is on the Anglophone colonies, though we will cover the early Spanish dominance, African migrations, and the revolution on French St. Domingue.

LAH 4522   The Andes: From the Incas to Today

Col of Arts, Soc Sci and Human, Department of History and Philosophy

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

This course follows the development of the Andean region (Venezuela, Colombia, Bolivia, Peru, Chile, and Argentina), from the Spanish conquest of the Incan Empire to the fall of the military dictatorships of the late 20th century. It examines the formation of the Spanish colonies and their transition to independent nation-states, though many still retained close ties with the U.K. and Germany, in the 19th century. We will then look at how the influence of and economic dependence upon the U.S. and European nations led Andean states first to Socialism and then to authoritarian/military regimes in the 20th century. While each of the countries that make up the Andes has a unique history, we will examine them as a group, paying particular attention to the themes, events, and patterns that they shared. This will give us a better understanding of some of the most prosperous Latin American countries today.

LAH 4728   Gender and Sexuality in Latin America from Colonization to Today

Col of Arts, Soc Sci and Human, Department of History and Philosophy

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

This course examines gender roles and sexuality throughout Latin American History. We begin by investigating pre-Colombian conceptions of sex, gender, and the family. Next we explore how the Spanish conquest altered the role of women in Latin American politics, religion, and society. We also look at how ideas of sex and marriage were altered. After the conquest period notions of gender and sexuality continued to evolve and have a significant impact on independence movements, the creation of nation states, and the abolition of slavery. The course tackles all of these themes, concluding in the 20th century examining current obstacles faced by women and the LGBTQ communities of Latin America. This course explores issues of gender and sexuality across Latin America from Mexico and Cuba to Peru, Brazil, and Colombia. Meets Multicultural Requirement.

LAH 4905   Directed Study

Col of Arts, Soc Sci and Human, Department of History and Philosophy

1-12 sh (may be repeated indefinitely for credit)

LAH 6139   Early American Borderlands

Col of Arts, Soc Sci and Human, Department of History and Philosophy

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

Whether they are called Borderlands, Frontier Zones, or the Middle Ground, the territories on the edge and in-between empires are diverse and unique spaces. Often borderlands were less tightly governed then the centers of empire, leaving spaces and opportunities open for diverse groups and classes. It is within these areas that Indians, Africans, pirates, women, and rebels were able to refute colonial powers. This course will study these various borderlands, from the U.S. southwest to Florida, the Caribbean and northern South America. We will examine these frontiers of Spanish, French, and English empires, in particular focusing on the development of unique cultures and societies far from the reaches of the metropole.

LAH 6476   Colonial Caribbean

Col of Arts, Soc Sci and Human, Department of History and Philosophy

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

This class introduces students to the colonial Caribbean as a historically unique region. Beginning with European contact in 1492, students examine the century of Spanish hegemony before turning to the evolution of the British islands from frontiers to mature plantation societies, and finally concluding with the emancipation of 1833. Students will evaluate scholarship and sources in the classroom and in major research projects.

LAH 6905   Directed Study

Col of Arts, Soc Sci and Human, Department of History and Philosophy

1-12 sh (may be repeated indefinitely for credit)