1 CULTURES IN CONTACT ANT 326L (31520)/LAS 324L (40365) Fall 2017 Class Meeting: CLA 0.112, T/Th 11-12:15 Professor R. Alan Covey Email: [email protected] Tel.: 512-232-2084 Office: CLA 4.406 Office Hours: T/Th 8:30-10 am (schedule through Canvas), by appt Teaching Assistants John Duncan Hurt Email: [email protected] Office: SAC 4.166 Office Hours: Thursdays, 12:30-1:50 pm, and by appointment Camille Weinberg Email: [email protected] Office: CLA 4.418 Office Hours: Wednesdays, 10-11:30 am, and by appointment Table of Contents I. Rationale……….1 II. Course Aims and Objectives…2 • Aims • Specific Learning Objectives III. Format and Procedures………2 IV. Tentative Course Schedule.....2 V. My Assumptions…..5 VI. Course Requirements….5 • Attendance and participation • Religious Holy Days • Readings/Materials • Assignments and Assessment • Use of Canvas and Squarecap VII. Grading Procedures………..8 VIII. Academic Integrity…….….8 • UT Honor Code IX. Other University Notices and Policies………9 • Use of e-mail • Documented Disability Statement • Behavior Concerns Advice Line (BCAL) • Q-drop Policy I. Rationale: America’s cultural diversity was already well in the process of formation in 1776, and it is important to understand how culture contacts and European colonization after 1492 continue to influence our society in the 21st century. This course is designed to provide a large-scale context for thinking about the roots of American diversity. We will begin by looking at Europe and the Americas before 1492, and then tracing patterns of European colonization, indigenous responses, and the experiences of the African diaspora. The course will also consider how American policies toward Native Americans have changed since the time of independence.2 Cultural Diversity Flag: This course carries the Cultural Diversity flag. By definition “[t]he Cultural Diversity requirement increases your familiarity with the variety and richness of the American cultural experience. Courses carrying this flag ask you to explore the beliefs, practices, and histories of at least one cultural group that has experienced persistent marginalization. Many of these courses also encourage you to reflect on your own cultural experiences.” II. Course Aims and Objectives: Aims: Required readings, lecture slides, and class activities are designed to work together to achieve several core aims. These include the consideration of the broader historical context of European colonization in the Americas, discussion of colonization strategies and responses by marginalized groups, and consideration of how the early centuries of European expansions have shaped cultural diversity in the US today. Specific Learning Objectives: By the end of this course, students will: • develop skills in information access and management by working with class readings, lecture slides, and internet sources to answer key questions that will appear on in-class exams. • demonstrate mastery of the key facts of culture contact and colonization in the Americas through three in-class exams. • establish and communicate in writing critical stances about important issues in American cultural diversity, reflected in regular short response activities. III. Format and Procedures: There are three important parts of this course. The first is individual review of class readings and PowerPoint lectures prior to the class meeting. Each student is expected to come to class having already read the required reading for that day and reviewed class materials posted on Canvas. The second is active participation in class activities. Rather than repeat the lectures posted on Canvas, we will carry out different activities, including discussions, collaborative work to answer reading questions, and work to develop skills in accessing and assessing web-based information. The third is timely completion of graded work. There will be graded work each week, either a short writing assignment or an in-class exam. Consulting Canvas in advance and using the resources there will aid in the successful completion of work. IV. Tentative Course Schedule: * Required article **This syllabus represents my current plans and objectives. As we go through the semester, those plans may need to change to enhance the class learning opportunity. Such changes, communicated clearly, are not unusual and should be expected. WEEK 1 Thursday, 8/31: Introduction to the course3 WEEK 2: Europe before the New World Tuesday, 9/5: Power in Europe from AD 1000-1500 Readings: Roberts 1987, skim Braudel 1984, or consult your own sources Thursday, 9/7: Roots of Early Modern Empires DUE: Activity 1 Readings: Boorstin 1983 WEEK 3: The Americas before Conquest Tuesday, 9/12: Indigenous Social Organization in the Caribbean and Latin America Readings: León-Portilla 1992 Thursday, 9/14: Indigenous Social Organization in North America DUE: Activity 2 Readings: Butzer 1979; Nabokov, Chapter 1 (select 2-3 short vignettes) WEEK 4: European Voyages of Exploration Tuesday, 9/19: Transatlantic Voyages and First Contacts Readings: Meinig 1986 Thursday, 9/21: Entering, Conquering, and Colonizing the American Interior DUE: Activity 3 Readings: Díaz del Castillo 1956 WEEK 5: Patterns of Conquest and Exploitation Tuesday, 9/26: Trajectories of Conquest and Colonization Readings: Stevens-Arroyo 1993 Thursday, 9/28: Waves of European Colonization in Texas and the US Southwest DUE: Activity 4 Readings: Spicer 1962 WEEK 6: European Responses to American Discoveries Tuesday, 10/3: FILM: “After the Mayflower” Readings: “Ship of Fools,” “Utopia,” “Four Elements,” “Durer,” and “Fortunate Isles” in Primary Sources folder on Canvas Thursday, 10/5: Midterm Exam 1 WEEK 7: European Strategies in North America Tuesday, 10/10: Spanish Colonial Policies Readings: Gibson 1988 Thursday, 10/12: French and English Colonization Practices DUE: Activity 5 Readings: Jacobs 1988; Wade 1988 WEEK 8: Indigenous Responses to Colonization Tuesday, 10/17: Indigenous Strategies for Contact and Colonization Readings: White and Cronon 1988; Nabokov Chapters 2-3 Thursday, 10/19: Case Studies in