Prepare a research paper as part of this course. In it, they must make concise, critical and well-reasoned arguments FOR and AGAINST the following prompt:
“Spanish colonialism has left an indelible mark on Latin America and its people. Given the scale of the mortality associated with conquest and colonialism, and three centuries of human exploitation and natural resource extraction, Spain has an ethical obligation to pay substantive reparations to the nations of Latin America.”
Length: Your paper should be no less than 5,000 words, or around 10-11 pages, exclusive of end notes and bibliography. Generally, with 12 point font and one inch margins, a single spaced page is around 450 words.
Sources: At a minimum, your paper must be based on at least eight sources exclusive of assigned readings, at least three of which are primary sources. No more than one source should be drawn from the Internet unless it has been previously published in printed form, and encyclopedias and book reviews are not acceptable sources.
Citations: These must adhere to the Kate Turabian Manual for Writers, 8th edition. They must utilize endnotes with page numbers (unless drawn from the Internet), and the bibliography must be divided into primary and secondary sources. Papers will not be accepted unless they are in Word, single spaced with one inch margins and are properly cited and contain endnotes and a bibliography in the indicated format. In preparing your bibliography and endnotes, you may find this site helpful:
http://www.press.uchicago.edu/books/turabian/turabian_citationguide.html
Assigned Readings:
Brown, Kendall. “Workers’ Health and Colonial Mercury Mining at Huancavelica, Peru,” in The Americas, Vol. 57, No. 4 (April, 2001): 467-496.
Martin, Cheryl and Mark Wasserman. Latin America and Its People. Vol. 1. New York: Pearson
Longman, 2012. ISBN: 13:978-0-205-52052-7
Naranjo, Pedro, “As They Had Been in Ancient Times.”
Tandeter, Enrique. “Forced and Free Labor in Late Colonial Potosí,” in Past and Present, Vol.
93, (1981): 98-136.
Stevens, Henry, Ed. The New Laws of the Indies. London: The Chiswick Press, 1893.
“Requerimiento” by Charles I of Spain (Primary Document Extract Posted on Moodle).
Robins, Nicholas A. “The Past as Future: The 1680 Pueblo Revolt in New Mexico.” Native
Insurgencies and the Genocidal Impulse in the Americas (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2005), 69-74.
Robins, Nicholas A. “Atrocity as Metaphor: The Symbolic Language of Rebellion.” In Native
Insurgencies and the Genocidal Impulse in the Americas (Bloomington: Indiana
University Press, 2005), 142-152.
Ulloa, Antonio and Jorge Juan. Discourse and Political Reflections of the Kingdoms of Peru.
Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1978. ISBN: 0-8061-1482-7
Wiarda, Howard and Margaret MacLeish Mott. “Conclusion.” In Politics and Social
Change in Latin America: Still a Distinct Tradition? Howard Wiarda and Margaret MacLeish Mott, Eds. Westport, CT: Praeger, 2003. Chapter 16.
Grading:
An essay/paper in the A range (A- to A+) is clearly written and logically organized, properly cited, makes an critical, analytical and/or interpretive argument that addresses the historical question posed, and uses specific historical examples and/or evidence from the class readings (and/or research) to support its claims and analyses. An A essay/paper not only describes what happened, but also explains why events happened and how they may have changed over time.
An essay/paper in the B range (B- to B+) is clearly written and logically organized, properly cited and it addresses the historical question posed; but it tends to frame less of an analytical argument and uses less specific historical examples and/or evidence to support its claims and arguments. These essays/papers tend to be more descriptive summaries and narratives, rather than arguments that explain historical events and issues.
An essay/paper in the C range (C- to C+) may have problems with the structure and logic of its presentation and poor citation; and/or it makes broad conclusions without providing specific historical examples and evidence to support its assertions. These essays/papers tend to demonstrate some comprehension of basic concepts, but no real critical engagement with specific historical events, questions or sources.
An essay/paper in the D range (D- to D+) has little or no historical content relevant to the specific question posed. These essays tend to be general statements with little specific connection or relevance to the course content.
An “F” on an essay/paper means that the students failed to do any recognizable work on the assignment; or violated rules concerning academic integrity.
