| This course surveys the political, economic, and social evolution of Latin America by tracing its history from Pre-Colombian times through the 20th century. Beginning with an exploration of the three races that blend to create a unique Latin American culture, the course surveys the wide scope of Latin American history that has created Latin America, as we know it today. Specific attention is paid to the period of Spanish and Portuguese conquest and colonization, Latin America's fight for independence, and the subsequent struggle to build sovereign, modernized nations in the 19th century. This course ends by looking at the social revolutions and guerrilla insurgencies of the 20th century, and Latin America's attempt to overcome its historical problems of political instability, economic underdevelopment, and social stratification. |