When Christopher Columbus and his sailors landed in the Bahamas in 1492, they inadvertently began the largest exchange of peoples, plants, and pathogens the world had ever seen. The ancient and complex societies of the Aztecs, Inkas, and Maya soon confronted the prospect of violent conquest and demographic catastrophe. Spain and Portugal not only claimed vast territory, but began the forced transport of west African peoples to provide labor for agriculture and mining that transformed landscape and society across the Americas.

Colonial Latin America emerged as a hybrid world of wealth and of devastation. This course explores the institutions that secured those inequalities, while tracing stories that reflect life in a diverse empire. You will learn about individual people and places, from nuns like the poet Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz and craftsmen like the Afro-Brazilian sculptor Aleijadinho, to the rebels Tupac Amaru and Micaela Bastidas.

Course Requirements:

There will be an in-class mid-term exam; and a final exam with a take-home component. Grading will also reflect preparation for and participation in discussion.

Intended Audience:

The course is designed for students at all levels, and does not require prior background in history.

Class Format:

It includes two lectures a week, and one discussion section (you may opt for a Spanish-language section)