F347/H521 Prof. Michael Snodgrass
Fall 2008 Cavanaugh 503S 278-7761
Room CA 235 Office Hours: M 3-4, W 10-11
Mondays 6:00-8:40
The History of United States-Latin American Relations
Since they achieved independence in the early 1800s, Latin Americans have looked towards the United States with a mixed sense of admiration, betrayal, curiosity, and mistrust. Our southern neighbors may emulate our institutions, welcome our investments, and consume our products. But they remain determined to uphold their political autonomy, economic independence, and cultural traditions. This course examines the history behind this ambivalent relation between Latin America and the United States.
We explore the historical development of a broad range of issues and trends, including: the strategic, economic, and ideological factors that shape U.S. foreign policy toward Latin America; the causes and consequences of US military and covert operations in the region; economic relations; and patterns of cultural exchange, including Latin American immigration to the U.S.A. Particular attention will be paid to the changing images and perceptions of Latin America in the United States as well as how Latin Americans view the ‘Colossus of the North.’
Consistent with IUPUI’s Principles of Undergraduate Learning, this course is designed to develop student skills of critical and comparative analysis, improve writing proficiency, and enhance one’s capacity to organize and express his or her thoughts. Please familiarize yourself with the principles at: http://www.iupui.edu/~history/ugprinciples.html. Students will sharpen these skills by analyzing historical documents, writing critical reviews and essays, engaging in classroom discussions, and preparing for examinations.
Required Readings (at IUPUI bookstore, Indy’s College Bookstore, & on reserve at library):
* Lars Schoultz, Beneath the United States: A History of U.S. Policy Toward Latin America
* Alan McPherson, Yankee No!: Anti-Americanism in US-Latin American Relations
* Sam Quinones, Antonio's Gun and Delfino's Dream: True Tales of Mexican Migration
* Online documents (listed below in course schedule) are accessible a) through the web addresses listed on this syllabus or b) under the Resources tab at Oncourse
* Oncourse Readings available under the Resources tab on Oncourse
This syllabus, class announcements, lecture outlines, assignments, and grades will be posted to Oncourse (https://oncourse.iu.edu/portal). Students unfamiliar with the Oncourse system may find a “Getting Help” guide at the website or see the professor for assistance.
Course requirements and grading (based upon 1,000 total points):
Two exams: 200 points each = 400 points. Exams consist of four identification terms and one essay. (Graduate students enrolled in H521 will submit a research paper worth 400 points in lieu of the exams. Assignment guidelines will be provided in class.)
One essay: 200 points. The essay will be based on the Quinones book. Assignment guidelines will be distributed in class and posted to Oncourse under Assignments.
Critical reading analyses: 550 points = 250 points. Students will prepare four brief (2-3 pages) critical reviews of selected readings based upon questions that will be posted to the Oncourse system (under Assignments). The reviews are due on: Sep. 22, Sep. 29, Oct. 6, Nov. 3, Nov.10
Class participation = 150 points. Participation grades are not rewards for attendance, although absenteeism obviously undermines one’s capacity to engage in discussions. The grade of A will go to those students who eagerly participate and demonstrate consistent preparation; occasional participation and steady attendance will earn one a B; a consistent but otherwise silent presence in the classroom earns a C; and poor attendance results in a grade of D or lower.
Final grade scores: A+ (1,000-980), A (979-930), A- (929-900), B+ (899-880), B (879-830), B- (829-800), C+ (799-780), C (779-730), C- (729-700), D (699-600), F (599 or less).
Remember...
...that all late assignments will be penalized as follows: one grade (B to C) for assignments not turned in on due date, and two full grades (B to D) for assignments turned in more than one week late. ASSIGNMENTS MORE THAN TWO WEEKS LATE ARE NOT ACCEPTED.
...to save all papers on your hard drive and a diskette and to retain graded assignments. (Do this for all classes at IUPUI.)
...to check the Oncourse grade book to ensure your grades are recorded correctly.
...that all students are expected to take notes on the lectures as a means of remaining focused and preparing for the exams. Note taking advice is available from the professor during office hours. Students will not read newspapers, balance checkbooks, do crosswords or puzzles, use cell phones, or employ laptops for anything other than note taking. Student who violate these rules will see their final grade penalized by 20 points.
...that plagiarism and cheating will be punished in accordance with IUPUI’s Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct (see the IUPUI Campus Bulletin, 2004-2006, p.36). For example, any student found to have submitted work taken from an Internet site will receive zero points for the assignment (and not just an F grade) and be subjected to full disciplinary procedures as administered by the School of Liberal Arts Dean of Student Affairs, or by officials in whichever school the student may be enrolled. The School of Liberal Arts’ policy states that:
“Plagiarism is the use of the work of others without properly crediting the actual source of the ideas, words, sentences, paragraphs, entire articles, music or pictures. Using other students’ work (with or without their permission) is still plagiarism if you don’t indicate who initially did the work. Plagiarism, a form of cheating, is a serious offense and will be severely punished...The penalties for plagiarism include reprimands, being failed for a particular take-home exam, paper, project or the entire course, disciplinary probation, or dismissal.”
COURSE SCHEDULE
Aug. 25 Inter-American Relations in the Age of Jefferson and Bolivar
Sep. 1 NO CLASS: Labor Day
Sep. 8 Mexico Encounters Manifest Destiny
Schoultz, Beneath the United States, xi-38
Review section on ‘Prelude to War’ at PBS’s US-Mexican War site: http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/index_flash.html
The Treat of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848):
http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/diplomacy/mexico/mxtreaty.htm
Sep. 15 Conquering and Civilizing America’s New Frontier
Schoultz, Beneath the United States, 39-106
Sep. 22 Americans in Cuba, Cubans in the USA
Oncourse readings: a) John Dimock, Impressions of Cuba in the Nineteenth Century, pp. ix-xvii, pp. 1-20, 102-104; b) José Martí, “Cuba and the United States” & “The Truth About the US”
Critical Reading Review #1
Sep. 29 The War of l898
Schoultz, Beneath the United States, 125-204
Hoosier Senator Beveridge supports US imperialism:
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1898beveridge.html
Domestic opposition to US foreign policy:
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1899antiimp.html
Critical Reading Review #2
Oct. 6 Bananas and Black Gold
Schoultz, Beneath the United States, 205-219, 253-271
Library Course Reserves (link via Oncourse or through library website): Jonathan Brown, “Foreign and Native Born Workers in Porfirian Mexico,” American Historical Review (98:3, 1993), 786-818
Critical Reading Review #3
Oct. 13 Mid-term Exam
Oct. 20 Mexico, 1910: Revolution on the Border
Schoultz, Beneath the United States, 220-52, 272-289
Oct. 27 Good Neighbors and Wartime Allies
Schoultz, Beneath the United States, 290-348
Nov. 3 The Cuban Revolution
McPherson, Yankee No!, 1-76
President Kennedy’s Alliance for Progress (1961):
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1961kennedy-afp1.html
Fidel Castro’s Second Declaration of Havana (1962):
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1962castro.html
Critical Reading Review #4
Nov. 10 Cold War in Latin America I: Overthrowing Democracy in Chile
McPherson, Yankee No!, 77-170
Critical Reading Review #5
Nov. 17 Cold War in LA II: Countering Revolution in Central America
Schoultz, Beneath the United States, 349-66
Nov. 24 US-LA Relations in the Age of Globalization
Schoultz, Beneath the United States, 367-86
Joann Wypijewski, “GE Brings Bad Things to Life” The Nation, Jan. 25, 2001
http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20010212&s=wypijewski
Dec. 1 Immigration and the Future of US-LA Relations
Quinones, Antonio’s Gun and Delfino’s Dream
Essay due at start of class
Dec. 8 Final Exam (Graduate student research papers due)