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HI 216-001: Mondays and Wednesdays 1:30 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. in Erdahl Cloyd, 2304
3 credit hrs |​ ​Spring 2017 | No prerequisites | GEP Humanities & GEP Global Knowledge
Professor Frederico Freitas | History Department | North Carolina State University
Phone:​ ​919 515 3307 | Office: Withers 251 | Email: ​[email protected]​ | Twitter: @ffreff
Office Hours:​ ​Mondays and Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and by appointment
TA: Ryan Lenzmeier | Email: ​[email protected]
HI 216: Latin America Since 1826
Latin America and its Nations
In this course we will explore the history of the Latin American nations, from the time of
their independence from Spain and Portugal in the 1820s to the present day. The course
focuses primarily on Mexico, Argentina, and Brazil (my home country), but we will also
visit the Andean, Central American, and Spanish Caribbean regions. During the
semester, we will examine the history of a very diverse group of countries with the help
of two recurrent themes: 1) ​nation-building​, or what kind of countries Latin
Americans attempted to create in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries; 2) ​inequality​,
meaning who gained access to the economic, social, cultural, and political life of these
countries. We will also have the opportunity to hear a broad range of historical figures
speaking for themselves through the reading of historical documents, maps, and works
of art (images, music, and film).
Learning Outcomes
GEP Humanities Learning Objectives
● We will examine different societies and cultures, identifying their differences and
commonalities, and understanding the causes behind those differences.
● We will learn how to make academic arguments about the human experience
using reasons and evidence for supporting those reasons that are appropriate to
the humanities.
● We will survey the process through which historians interpret different societies,
how they make use of fragmentary and interpretative evidence to make claims
about the past, and how other scholars use similar humanistic methods to
challenge those claims.
● We will understand how humanistic historical knowledge is tied to particular
times and places, and we will learn the reasons for pursuing a type of knowledge
that is interpretative and specific in nature.
GEP Global Knowledge Learning Objectives
● We will examine the society, culture, and economy of a diverse set of Latin
American nations, and of groups—determined by class, race, gender, occupation,
and age—within those nations.
● We will use
​ the concepts​ of ​nation-building and ​inequality to contrast different
Latin American societies through time and space.
● We will assess the role of other powerful nations (e.g. Britain, United States) in
influencing, pressuring, and intervening in countries in Latin America.
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Required Textbooks
Students are required to purchase two books:
John Charles Chasteen. ​Born in Blood and Fire: A Concise History of Latin
America, 4​th​ ed. New York: Norton, 2016. ($ 65.71 at Amazon, also
available at NC State Bookstore)
James A. Wood. P
​ roblems in Modern Latin American History: Sources and
Interpretations, 4​th​ ed. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2014.
($ 48.00 at NC State Bookstore)
Those who choose the book review as their writing assignment (more details below) will
have to buy this additional book:
Carolina Maria de Jesus. C
​ hild of the Dark: The Diary of Carolina Maria de
th​
Jesus 50​ Anniversary Edition. New York: Signet, 2003. ($ 6.00 at NC
State Bookstore)
The three books are on reserve in the library. Other listed readings are available online
through NC State Libraries or will be uploaded as electronic files before their weekly
assignment.
Calculation of Course Grade
21%
21%
28%
30%
Weekly Quizzes
Every Wednesday from 1/18 to 4/26 (weeks 2
to 15). Questions based only on the week’s
readings. It is a Moodle-based, in-class
activity (bring your device).
Midterm
3/13, 1:30 am – 2:45 pm, in Erdahl Cloyd
2304. The midterm covers both the lectures
and readings from weeks 2 to 8. Short and
long essay questions.
Final Exam
5/8, take-home exam. The final exam covers
the lectures and readings from weeks 8 to 15.
Long essay questions (distributed on 4/26)
Writing Assignment
Choose ONE of the two options below.
Option 1 – Three Reading
Three times during the course (2/8;
Responses (10% each)
3/22; and 4/26) you will submit a
response to the readings (see details
under “schedule”). This is not a
summary of the readings. Try to
expand on readings by raising
questions, assessing evidence,
engaging with your own experience.
500 to 700 words each.
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4/26. Book Review of C
​ hild of the
Dark. Not a summary of the book. Try
to connect with the courses themes
and readings, as well as to your own
experiences and present-day topics.
1500 to 2100 words.
Option 2 – One Book Review
A+
A
AF
100 – 97%
96 – 93%
92 – 90%
B+
B
B-
89 – 87%
86 – 83%
82 – 80%
C+
C
C-
79 – 77%
76 – 73%
72 – 70%
D+
D
D-
69 – 67%
66 – 63%
62 – 60%
59 – 0%
Extra Points (optional): You can add 2.5% more to your grade by attending 2017 History
Weekend's featured lecture with Dr. Donna Gabaccia (University of Toronto) on “Migration and
Immigration.” Saturday, April 1, 2017, 10 a.m., Withers 232A. As proof of attendance, you should
write a short report (300-500 words) on the lecture and turn in a hard copy in class no later than
April 12. The report will be graded as credit/non-credit.
_________
POLICIES
Electronic Devices
Laptops and tablets are permitted to be used in class, but phones are banned. During
lectures, students are free to either type or handwrite notes (​research​ seems to suggest
that taking notes by hand improves learning). However, it is advisable students bring
laptops or tablets to class to engage in online class activities.
Attendance and Absences
Attendance is mandatory, but students can have up to​ two​ ​unexcused ​absences, where
the absence and the missed weekly quiz will be excused. However, each subsequent
unexcused absence (starting with the third one) means a drop of 2.5% in the final grade.
Exams cover material from both lectures and readings, so I strongly advise students
avoid missing classes.
According to the University, examples of emergency absences that may be e
​ xcused
include:
● Illness or injury when certified by an attending physician. Physicians on the
Student Health Service staff do not provide written excuses. Because of student
confidentiality, information can only be released directly by the Counseling
Center or Student Health Services in case of crisis or with the student’s written
authorization.
● Death or serious illnesses in the family when documented appropriately. An
attempt to verify deaths or serious illness will be made by Student Organization
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Resource Center (1202 Talley Student Center, 515-3323) at the request of the
instructor.
According to the University, examples of anticipated absences that may be excused
include:
● The student is away from campus representing an official university function,
e.g., participating in a professional meeting, as part of a judging team, or athletic
team. These students would typically be accompanied by a University faculty or
staff member.
● Required court attendance as certified by the Clerk of Court.
● Religious observances as verified by Student Organization Resource Center (1202
Talley Student Center, 515-3323). For more information about a variety of
religious observances, visit the Diversity Calendar.
● Required military duty as certified by the student’s commanding officer.
See university’s ​Attendance Regulation​ for further information.
Students have to make up for e
​ xcused​ absences (and missed weekly quizzes) with a
response for the week’s readings, 300 to 500 words. If they have two excused absences in
the same week, the response will be longer, 600 to 800 words. Make up work does not
count as one of the three reading responses for the writing assignment. Make up work is
due on the Wednesday of the week following the absence and should be turned in class as
printed copy. Failing to turn in make up assignment for excused absences means a 2.5%
drop in the final grade.
Assignments
Coursework that is not submitted will receive zeroes. Unless otherwise stated,
coursework is due at 11:55 pm of the scheduled date. No late coursework will be
accepted. All written coursework should be submitted on Moodle in a file (e.g. pdf, word)
with pages numbered in the header or footer and double spaced text in twelve-point font
roughly equivalent to Times with one-inch margins. All page-length requirements and
word counts for assignments do not include endnotes, footnotes, or bibliographies.
Please, check the ​detailed guidelines​ for reading and assignments.
Academic Integrity
Any violation of the university’s Academic Integrity policy will be referred to the Office of
Student Conduct for appropriate action. All sources (books, articles, documents, internet
sites, etc.) used in any coursework must be properly cited or may be considered
plagiarism. For further information, students may consult the ​Office of Student Conduct​.
It is the understanding and expectation in this course that the student’s signature on any
coursework means that the student neither gave nor received unauthorized aid.
The university defines plagiarism as:
● Submitting written materials without proper acknowledgment of the source.
● Deliberate attribution to, or citation of, a source from which the referenced
material was not in fact obtained.
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Disabled Students
Reasonable accommodations will be made for students with verifiable disabilities. In
order to take advantage of available accommodations, students must register with the
Disability Services Office at Suite 2221, Student Health Center, Campus Box 7509,
919-515-7653. For more information on NC State's policy on working with students with
disabilities, please see the ​Academic Accommodations for Students with
Disabilities Regulation (REG02.20.01)
N.C. State University Policies, Regulations, and Rules (PRR)
Students are responsible for reviewing the NC State University PRR’s which pertains to
their course rights and responsibilities:
● Equal Opportunity and Non-Discrimination Policy Statement
https://policies.ncsu.edu/policy/pol-04-25-05​ with additional references
at ​https://oied.ncsu.edu/equity/policies/
● Code of Student Conduct ​https://policies.ncsu.edu/policy/pol-11-35-01​
● Grades and Grade Point Average
https://policies.ncsu.edu/regulation/reg-02-50-03
● Credit-Only Courses ​https://policies.ncsu.edu/regulation/reg-02-20-15
● Audits ​https://policies.ncsu.edu/regulation/reg-02-20-04
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SCHEDULE
Assignments may change. Students should consult the course syllabus on Moodle for
updates. Throughout the semester, you should refer to the online version of this syllabus,
for it contains hyperlinks to the readings. Complete the weekly readings before Monday.
Week 1 – Introduction - ​Defining Latin America
January 11, 2017
Week 2 – Colonial Preamble - T
​ he Spanish and Portuguese Empires
January 18, 2017
a) Week’s Readings
● “Chapter 3 – Colonial Crucible,” in B
​ orn in Blood and Fire, p. 54-93
● “The Rebellion of Túpac Amaru” and “All Must Die,” in T
​ he Peru Reader,
p. 159-174 ​(​Online​ through NCSU Libraries)
Week 3 – Independence - ​New Countries in the Western Hemisphere
January 23 and 25, 2017
a) Week’s Readings
● “Chapter 4 – Independence,” in ​Born in Blood and Fire, p. 94-125
● “Independence,” “Cortes of Cádiz,” “War to the Death,” “The Vision of
Father Morelos,” and “Congress of Tucumán,” in ​Problems in Modern
Latin American History, p. 1-11
● “The Landowners Petition,” in T
​ he Argentina Reader, p. 66-70 ​(​Online
through NCSU Libraries)
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Week 4 – Rupture and Continuity - C
​ audillos and Patronage Politics
January 30 and February 1, 2017
a) Week’s Readings
● “Chapter 5 – Post-Colonial Blues,” in B
​ orn in Blood and Fire, p. 126-159
● “Caudillos,” “Caudillos as Profit Maximizers,” “Caudillos as Culture
Heroes,” “Ribbons and Rituals,” “Protagonist on a National Stage,” in
Problems in Modern Latin American History, p. 43-45, 48-63
Week 5 – Slavery - ​The Slave Trade, Abolition, and Racial Relations
February 6 and 8, 2017
a) Reading Response 1
Wednesday, February 8. Choose one week from 2 to 5. Within the chosen
week, pick 1 to 4 texts to comment. Due on Moodle at 11:55 pm. 500 to
700 words.
b) Week’s Readings
● “Chapter II – Slavery,” in ​Problems in Modern Latin American History,
p. 21-42
● “Workers for Sale or Rent,” in T
​ he Rio de Janeiro Reader, p. 112-115
●
(​Online​ through NCSU Libraries)
“Fleeing Slavery,” and “Santiago de Cuba’s Fugitive Slaves,” in ​The Cuba
Reader, p. 65-73 ​(​Online​ through NCSU Libraries)
Week 6 – Liberalism and Conservatism - ​The Search for Progress
February 13 and 15, 2017
a) Week’s Readings
● “Chapter 6 – Progress,” in B
​ orn in Blood and Fire, p. 160-191
● “Liberalism and the Church;” “A New Generation of Liberals;” “Liberalism
and Anticlericalism;” “The Pots-Colonial Church;” in ​Problems in Modern
Latin American History, p. 65-78
● “Civilization or Barbarism?” in T
​ he Argentina Reader, p. 80-91​ (​Online
through NCSU Libraries)
Week 7 – Neocolonialism - ​Commodity Booms and US interventions
February 20 and 22, 2017
a) Week’s Readings
● “Chapter 7 – Neocolonialism,” (except “Countercurrents”) in B
​ orn in
Blood and Fire, p. 192-226
● “The Panama Canal Treaty,” 1904 ​(​Online here​)
● “Letter to the editor,” José Martí, 1889 (​ ​Online here​)
Week 8 – The Mexican Revolution - ​Twentieth Century’s First Major Revolution
February 27 and March 1, 2017
a) Week’s Readings
● “Education and the Mexican Revolution,” in P
​ roblems in Modern Latin
American History, p. 115-118
● “Revolution,” in ​The Mexico Reader, p. 333-371, 398-402​ (on Moodle,
download here​)
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Week 9 – Immigration – ​European and Asian Immigrants in Latin America
March 13 and 15, 2017
a) Midterm
Monday, March 13, 1:30 am-2:45 pm, in Erdahl Cloyd 2304
b) Week’s Readings, March 15
● “Countercurrents — New Immigration to Latin America,” in B
​ orn in
Blood and Fire, p. 227-231
● The Specter of Degeneration,” in ​Problems in Modern Latin American
History, p. 97-100
● Samuel L. Baily et al., ​Mass Migration to Modern South America, 2003,
p. 3-8, 29-50, 221-226 (On ​Moodle​)
Week 10 – Populism – ​Nationalism and WWII
March 20 and 22, 2017
a) Reading Response 2
Wednesday, March 22. Choose one week from 6 to 10. Within the chosen
week, pick 1 to 4 texts to comment. Due on Moodle at 11:55 pm. 500 to
700 words.
b) Week’s Readings
● “Chapter 8 - Nationalism,” “Post World War II Populism,” in ​Born in
Blood and Fire, p. 231-275
● “Declaration of Workers Right - Juan Perón;” “Doña Maria Remembers
Perón - Maria Roldán;” “Father of the Poor - Robert M. Levine;” in
Problems in Modern Latin American History, p. 160-166, 170-174.
Week 11 – Cold War – ​Revolutions and US Interventions
March 27 and 29, 2017
a) Week’s Readings
● “Chapter 9 – Revolution [after Perón section],” in B
​ orn in Blood and Fire,
p. 275-295
● “Social Revolution;” “Essence of Guerrilla Warfare;” “Cuba’s
Revolutionary Literacy Campaign;” “The Cold War;” “The Lesser of Two
Evils,” “Statements of U.S. Foreign Policy Doctrine;” in ​Problems in
Modern Latin American History, p. 175-186, 199-209.
Week 12 – Dictatorship – ​The Military Enter the Stage
April 3 and 5, 2017
a) Week’s Readings
● “Chapter 10 – Reaction,” in B
​ orn in Blood and Fire, p. 296-327
● “Opening Chile’s Memory Box;” “Human Rights Violations Committed by
Government Agents;” “Testimony of Atrocity;” in ​Problems in Modern
Latin American History, p. 247-256
Week 13 – Neoliberalism – ​Globalization and Migration to the United States
April 10 and 12, 2017
a) Week’s Readings
● “Chapter 11 – Neoliberalism and Beyond,” in ​Born in Blood and Fire, p.
328-356
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●
“The Global Economy,” “Neocolonial Economics,” “Reagan in Cancun,” in
Problems in Modern Latin American History, p. 219-228
Week 14 – Environment –​ The Amazon Forest, Drug Trafficking
April 17 and 19, 2017
a) Week’s Readings
● Paul Eliot Gootenberg, “Cocaine in Chains: The rise and demise,” in ​From
Silver to Cocaine, 2006, p. 321-350 ​(​Online​ through NCSU Libraries)
● “Part VIII - The Cocaine Economy,” ​The Peru Reader, p. 425-435​ (On
●
Moodle​)
“Excerpts from Chico Mendes’s ​Fight for the Forest,” ​Latin American
Perspectives , Vol. 19, No. 1, (1992), pp. 144-147 ​(​Online​ through JSTOR)
Week 15 – Turn to the Left –​ Left-wing governments in the 2000s
April 24 and 26, 2017
a) Book Review
Wednesday, April 26. For those who chose writing a review of C
​ hild of the
Dark. Due on Moodle at 11:55 pm. 1500 to 2100 words.
b) Reading Response 3
Wednesday, April 26. Choose one week from 11 to 15. Within the chosen
week, pick 1 to 4 texts to comment. Due on Moodle at 11:55 pm. 500 to
700 words.
c) Questions for final take-home exam will be distributed to class (see below)
d) Week’s Readings
● “China’s New Role,” “The New Left and the Global Economy,” “BRIC
Summit,” in P
​ roblems in Modern Latin American History, p. 228-239
● Jorge Castañeda, “A Tale of Two Lefts,” 2006.
●
●
(​http://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/features/ataleoftwolefts​)
Greg Grandin, “The Legacy of Hugo Chavez,” 2013.
(​https://www.thenation.com/article/legacy-hugo-chavez/​)
Franklin Foer, “Can Brazil Be Saved?,” ​Slate, 2016
(​http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/cover_story/2016/08/how_
once_booming_brazil_was_brought_low_and_how_it_can_save_itself.html​)
Week 16 – Final Exam (take-home)
May 8, 2017 - ​Monday​, due at 11:55 pm on Moodle