Latin American Literature and Culture, 1492-Present

In this course, the conquest and colonization of the Americas is considered, with special attention to the struggles of native peoples in Guatemala, Canada, Brazil, Panama, and colonial New England. In two segments of the course-one devoted to the Jesuit missionization of the Huron in the 1630s, the other to struggles between the government of Panama and the Kuna between 1900 and 1925-students examine primary documents such as letters, reports, and court records, to draw their own conclusions.

This is an excellent website with e-texts and research pertaining to the discovery and conquest of the New World.

"Led by legendary cities of gold and mythical passages to China, foiled by international intrigue and mutiny on the high seas, men like Francisco Vasquez de Coronado, Henry Hudson, Jean Ribault, and Vitus Bering left an indelible mark on a vast new continent. Expedition logs, period accounts, and other primary materials help tell the story of America's exploration. Filled with commentary from leading scholars and on-site re-enactments."

"This program provides a portrait of Cortez and his world -- the real world and the imaginary one painted by theologians, mystics, imaginative travelers, poets, and liars; of the New World as seen by a small number of Spaniards; and of the civilizations of Mesoamerica before they were 'discovered' -- the world of the Mayas and Aztecs, the nature of Aztec religion and politics. "

"The 19th century brought tumultuous political change to Central and South America. This program shows how the cultural crucible of the region fused and realigned aesthetic movements considered sacrosanct in Europe-specifically, Romanticism, Realism and Naturalism. Viewers will gain an understanding of the eclectic matching game that become typical of Latin American literature."