A study guide for each discussion period is posted on the course web site. The following is a breakdown of what will be covered during each discussion. There are four asterisks before the online Blackboard discussion dates.
(1/23) Introductory meeting: review syllabus and course requirements. The documentaries Columbus and the Age of Discovery: The Sword and the Cross and The Spanish Conquest of Mexico will be shown. This meeting does not count toward the participation grade.
Estimated time: 3 hrs.
****By (1/30) @ 9 PM, Online forum on Blackboard. Submit a review of the documentaries, Columbus and the Age of Discovery, The Sword and the Cross, and The Spanish Conquest of Mexico under “Assignments” in Blackboard. (See syllabus #III B). Read Meyer et al text, Chapter 4-5, 44-73; read Victors and Vanquished, ix-x, 1-33, 40-74. We won’t discuss Victors and Vanquished until next week; but if you have it, get started reading it. Otherwise, there will be too much reading, so you might want to get ahead in the Meyer text so you can read the assigned pages in Victors when it arrives. MLA Students will also read: The Mexican Reader, 1-8, 57-85.
See questions on study guide #1. Post answers to EITHER 1 or 2, AND then choose from 3,4, or 5 for your second question to answer. MLA Students will also post a one-page analytical summary of one of the articles from The Mexico Reader, 1-8, 57-85. By 2/1 @ Noon, everyone should post a comment on at least one classmate’s answer to a question. Always be sure to give substantive, constructive, and considerate comments.
Estimated time: reading- 6 hours; Writing documentary review-1 hour; formulating answers and reviewing other students’ postings and formulating comment/s- 2.5 hours. Total= 9 .5 hrs. Additional time for MLA students: 2.5 hours.
(2/6) 1st Campus Discussion meeting– -Discussion will center on the conquest period. Students should have read Meyer text, 77-97 (Chapter 6), and pages 79-114, 119-217, 245-248 of Victors and Vanquished. See Study Guide #1 for pages assigned last week, too, if you were not able to read them yet. Submit your own question on the reading, as well as the three most important insights gleaned from the reading. (One insight from the Meyer text and two from different sections of Victors and Vanquished.)
MLA Students will also read: The Mexican Reader, 92-94,105-113, and be prepared to give a brief oral summary of the main points of each article to the class.
Estimated time: reading- 7 hours; formulating insights and a question- 1 hr; Class time-3 hrs. Total= 11 hours. Additional time for MLA students: .5 hr.
By 2/13 @ 9 PM, read text 98-141, chapters 7-9, and post answers to three questions, one from each chapter on the Blackboard discussion board. MLA students should also read, The Mexican Reader,122-130. Also, MLA Students, please post a 1 page analytical summary of the article, “Why the Indians are Dying.”
By 2/15 @ Noon, post a comment on at least one classmate’s answer to a question.
Estimated time: reading- 5 hours; formulating answers and reviewing other students’ postings and formulating comment/s- 2.5 hours; begin research and writing of Conquest paper-8 hours. Total= 15.5 hrs. Additional time for MLA students: 1 hr.
(2/20) 2nd Campus Discussion meeting– -Discussion will focus on the social, political and economic structure of the early colonial period. Students should have read Meyer text, 142-170. MLA students should also read The Mexican Reader, 114-120. Because of the conquest paper, insight pages and written questions are optional today, but please finish the assigned reading, as you will be graded on your oral participation.
Sections 1-3 of paper on conquest (about 7-8 pages) and Works Cited of at least three sources are due. (See syllabus III C.) MLA students see different length requirements. Please submit the paper to Turnitin in Blackboard under Assignments, and also bring a hard copy to class. A 72-hour grace period is available for the paper by request.
Estimated time: reading- 4 hrs; conclude research and writing of conquest paper, Sections 1-3 -10 hrs; class time-3 hrs. Total= 17 hours. Additional time for MLA students: 1 hr
****By 2/27 @ 9 PM, read text 171-203 (on culture and daily life in New Spain, and the Bourbon restructuring of New Spain), and post answers by 9 PM to one question from each chapter. MLA Students should also read, The Mexican Reader, 141-159, post a 1-1.5 page total summary of these articles. By 3/1 @ Noon, comment on at least one classmate’s answer to a question.
Estimated time: reading- 4 hours;; formulating answers and reviewing other students’ postings and formulating comment/s- 2.5 hours; continue research and writing of Conquest paper, Section 4-6 hours.Total= 12.5 hrs. Additional time for MLA students: 2 hrs.
(3/6) 3rd Campus Discussion meeting– -Discussion of the late colonial period and the Mexican independence movement. Students should have read chapters 14-15, 204-230 of the text. MLA Students should also read, The Mexican Reader, 160-169, 189-195 and be prepared to give a brief oral summary of these articles.
Submit your own question, as well as the three most important insights gained from the reading, one insight from each chapter. Section four of conquest/ cultural globalization paper and Works Cited of at least five sources (including those used in Sections 1-3), are due. Paper should should be submitted to Turnitin under “Assignments” in Blackboard,” but please also bring a hard copy to class. MLA students see separate length and source requirements for your papers in III C 2 above.
Estimated time: reading- 4 hrs; formulating insights and a question- 1 hr; conclude research and writing of conquest paper Section 4-6 hrs; class time-3 hrs. Total= 14 hours. Additional time for MLA students: 6 hrs for reading and writing papers.
Spring Break is March 8-16th. Enjoy!
**** By 3/20 @ 9 PM, Blackboard online discussion. Discussion of the first Mexican Empire and the first Mexican Republic, the independence of Texas, and the US- Mexican War. Read text chapters, 16-18, 231-268. MLA Students should also read, The Mexican Reader, 196-238, 9-32: and choose one article on which to write an analytical summary of 1 page.. Everyone: View Remember the Alamo (in the library) OR The Alamo in the library’s database, Films on Demand documentary, and submit your review under “Assignments” on the Blackboard site (See syllabus III B). By 3/20, post an answer to one question from each chapter (you can include question #B under Chapter 18). By 3/22 @ Noon, comment on at least one other student’s posting.
Estimated time: reading- 5 hours; formulating answers and reviewing other students’ postings and formulating comment/s- 2.5 hours; viewing documentary and writing review- 2 hrs. Total= 9.5 hrs. Additional time for MLA students: 2 hrs.
(3/27) 4th Campus Discussion meeting– -Discussion of Mexican society and culture in the first half of the nineteenth century, liberals and conservatives, and the French Intervention period. Students should have read Meyer, chapters 19-20, 269-299. MLA Students should also read, The Mexican Reader, 265-272, and be prepared to orally summarize these articles in class. Current newspaper article and analysis are due. (See syllabus #III D). Submit a question, as well as the two most important insights gleaned from the reading (one insight from each chapter).
Estimated time: reading- 4 hrs; formulating insights and a question- 1 hr; locate newspaper article and write analytical summary-1.5 hrs.; class time-3 hrs. Total= 9.5 hours. Additional time for MLA students: .5 hr.
**** By 4/03 @ 9 PM, post to Blackboard discussion. Read text pp. 300-319: chapter 21, “The Restored Republic, 1867-1876: Nascent Modernization,” and chapter 22, “Society and Culture in the Middle of the Nineteenth Century;” and post answers to one question from each chapter. By 4/05 @ Noon, comment on someone else’s posting.
Estimated time: reading- 5 hours;; formulating answers and reviewing other students’ postings and formulating comment/s- 2.5 hours. Total= 7.5 hrs.
(4/10) 5th Campus Discussion meeting– -Discussion of the Porfiriato and modernization in the later half of nineteenth century and early 20th century. Students should have read Meyer et al, chapters 23-25, 321-357. MLA Students should also read, The Mexican Reader, 273-293, and be prepared to orally summarize these articles in class Newspaper article and analysis are due. (See syllabus #III D). Submit a question, as well as the three most important insights gleaned, one from each chapter. Quiz will be distributed.
Estimated time: reading- 4 hrs; formulating insights and a question- 1 hr; locate newspaper article and write analytical summary-1.5 hrs.; class time-3 hrs. Total= 9.5 hours. Additional time for MLA students: 1 hr.
Easter Break vacation is 4/17-20. Enjoy!
****For 4/24 by 9 PM, Blackboard online discussion. Read Meyer et al text, pp.361-387, chapters 26-27 on the Liberals on the Madero presidency and downfall. MLA Students should also read, The Mexican Reader, 333-338, and post a 1- page summary of the Magon article. By 4/24 @9 PM, post answers to one question from each chapter. By 4/26 @ Noon, comment on another student’s posting.
Estimated time: reading- 4 hours;; formulating answers and reviewing other students’ postings and formulating comment/s- 2.5 hours. Total= 6.5 hrs. Additional time for MLA students: 2 hrs.
(5/1) 6th Campus Discussion meeting– -Discussion of the Revolution and its effects on contemporary Mexico. Students should have read Meyer et al 388-421. MLA Students should also read, The Mexican Reader, 297-333; 364-374, and be prepared to summarize these articles orally. Also, we will view a slide lecture on images of women in the later 19th and early 20th centuries. In addition, view the documentary, The Mexican Revolution (in Spanish) or Mexico: Revolution and Rebirth (both in Films on Demand); and write a review of it (see syllabus III B). Current newspaper article and analysis are due. (See syllabus #III D).
Don’t forget to submit your own question, as well as the three most important insights gleaned from the reading (one insight from each chapter). Sorry, no assignments (except quiz) can be accepted after this date. No grace period on these final assignments.
Estimated time: reading- 4 hrs; formulating insights and a question- 1 hr; view documentary and write review -2 hrs.; class time-3 hrs. Total= 10 hours. Additional time for MLA students: 3 hrs.
Quiz is due by Monday, May 5 @ 6:00 PM. It may be turned in on May 1st, before the due date and time; it may be slipped under my door (Holy Cross #203); dropped in campus mail at Campus Box 860; mailed to me at 3001 S. Congress (Campus Box 860), Austin, Texas 78704-6489 (with a post mark on or before 5/5); or faxed. It may not be emailed.
Estimated time: 3 hrs.
Total learning time for this class= Approximately 138-140 hours.
Revised 1/23/14