Latin America and U. S. Relations Classroom:  Hours:  Mon. Wed. Dr. Antonio de la Cova Office:  Hours:  Phone:

COURSE OBJECTIVES: Analyzes the political, economic and diplomatic relations between Latin America and the United States. Emphasis on "Manifest Destiny," the Spanish-Cuban-American War, the Panama Canal, the Good Neighbor Policy, the Alliance for Progress, and NAFTA.

READINGS: You are expected to read all of the texts assigned to this course and the homework assignment readings. Questions regarding the readings will appear on the exams. The texts available at the bookstore are:

Lars Schoultz. Beneath the United States (1998)
LaRosa & Mora. Neighborly Adversaries: Readings in U.S.-Latin American Relations (1999).
Alan McPherson. Anti-Americanism in Latin America and the Caribbean (2006).
Carlos Gagini. Redemptions: A Costa Rican Novel. (1918, reprint)

OTHER MATERIAL: Documentaries and overhead projections presented are part of class lectures, requiring taking notes on these occasions. Homework will be assigned from the Latin American Studies web page.

GRADING: Your grade will consist of three exams and a research paper. The exams will cover material from the readings, lectures and presentations. There will be NO "Extra Credit." The final grade is:

        First exam 15%     Second exam 25%     Third Exam 30%     Research Paper 30%
        A = 100-90; B+ = 89-87; B = 86-80; C+ = 79-77; C = 76-70; D+ = 69-67; D = 66-60; F = 59-0

RESEARCH PAPER: Choose your own topic related to this course. Eight to ten pages in text length, typed in 12-point font, double-spaced, with standard margins, without illustrations. Include at least three citations from the Latin American Studies web page, three books and three academic journals. A late paper will lose ten points. Turn in a paper copy and one on disk or by e-mail.

MAKE-UP EXAMS: It will only be given if you have a valid physician's excuse or a verified family emergency. Makeups are different and considerably more difficult than the regularly scheduled test.

ATTENDANCE: The roll will be taken at every class. Unexcused absences totaling 8 classes (20% of the course) will result in an F for the course.

CLASSES         LECTURE TOPICS                                    ASSIGNED READINGS

Dec. 2-6    Introduction and study guides                Schoultz, xi-38; LaRosa, 1-30.
            Spanish explorers in North America           Hernando De Soto in Indiana 
            Hispanic Missions in Florida and California  Juan de Oñate Statue Controversy 
            Film clip: Heroes Hispanos                   Fray Junipero Serra

Dec. 9-13   Hispanics in the American Revolution         Schoultz, 39-77; LaRosa, 31-62.
            Texican colonists                            Bernardo de Galvez 
            The Alamo and San Jacinto                    Myth, Blood, and Ink 
            Film clip: Unsolved History: The Alamo       The Yellow Rose of Texas 

Dec. 16-20  The Mexican War and Expansionism             Schoultz, 78-124; LaRosa, 63-92.
            Military strategy and tactics                Life of Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna 
            The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo              The Bond of an Ill-Fated Army 
Dec. 20     First Exam.                                  Overseas War--In 1846! 

            Research paper prospectus and bibliography due.

Jan. 6-10   Manifest Destiny                             Schoultz, 125-151; LaRosa, 93-123.
            Narciso Lopez and Cuban Annexation           The Round Island Expedition of 1849 
            William Walker in Nicaragua                  Nicaragua Emigration Company 
            Hispanics in the U.S. Civil War              Strange Death of Julius Garesche 

Jan. 13-17  Yellow Journalism and Jingoism               Schoultz, 152-175; LaRosa, 124-154.
            Remember the Maine                           Spanish American War Chronology 
            The Rough Riders                             A Splendid Little War 
            Film clip: Death of the U.S.S. Maine         U.S.-Spain Treaty of Peace

Jan. 20-24  The Panama Canal Treaty                      Schoultz, 176-219; LaRosa, 155-188.       
            Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine   Brief History of the Panama Canal 
            Film: Engineering Marvels: The Panama Canal  Roosevelt Corollary in Santo Domingo 

Jan. 24     Second Exam.

Jan. 27-31  Chasing Pancho Villa and Sandino             Schoultz, 220-271; LaRosa, 189-218.
            Franklin Roosevelt's Good Neighbor Policy    Villa Attack on Columbus, N.M. 
            CIA intervention in Guatemala (1954)         Good Neighbor Policy Speech 
            Film clip: The Bay of Pigs                        Suspension of Arms Shipments to Cuba

          
Feb. 3-7    Kennedy and the Bay of Pigs Invasion         Schoultz, 272-315; LaRosa, 219-252.
            The 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis                Site change called fatal to invasion     
            The 1965 Dominican Intervention              Letter from Khrushchev to Kennedy                    
            Film: U.S. in Latin America: Yankee Go Home  Juan Bosch 

Feb. 10-14  The Central American Imbroglio               Schoultz, 316-348; LaRosa, 253-286.
            The Reagan Doctrine in Grenada               U.S.-Cuba Relations During Reagan           
            The Panama Invasion                          Operation Urgent Fury 
            Film: Operation Just Cause                   Scars of the U.S. Invasion Remain

Feb. 14     Research Paper Due

Feb. 17-21  Refugees and immigration                     Schoultz, 349-386; LaRosa, 287-314.
            NAFTA and Summit of the Americas             Spanish increasingly is spoken                        
            Globalism and democratization                Economic Pain Spreads From U.S. 

Feb. 21     Third Exam                                   Bush Declares Free Markets Essential