Colonial Latin America
This unit challenges the Eurocentric narrative that describes a peaceful, progressive colonialism of Latin America. It will allow students to explore the colonial history from the perspective of Indigenous authors and populations. The strands will allow students to deconstruct concepts and terminology often used in the master narratives.
“De negro é española sale mulato” (A Black man and a Spanish woman produce a Mulatto). While casta paintings showing the complex combinations of mixings do not always reflect the lived realities of socioracial status in Spanish America, they do reflect the understanding that mixings with whites over generations would eventually lead to full whiteness.
Essential Questions
- Why would the Europeans describe indigenous populations as “savage” and “inferior?”
- How would you define the experience of the Europeans and Indigenous populations when they met?
- What prior technologies existed in the Americas before the Europeans colonized?
- How did colonialism affect the cultural, social, political, and economic climate of societies?
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Thematic Strands in This Unit
Deconstructing the concept of “civilization”
This theme encourages students to think critically about the concept of “civilization.” The ideology of “civilization” served to legitimize colonization in the minds of the colonizers by creating a belief in the inferiority of Indigenous populations and positioned Europeans as superior. A common narrative in many American history textbooks is that Europeans came to the Americas to save and “civilize” the Native tribes and empires. Yet, students are missing an important piece of that narrative: the fact that these indigenous communities already had key elements of “civilization.” Students will learn about definitions of civilization, analyze images related to European and Indigenous cultures, and answer questions that will complicate their notions of “civilization. |
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The Role of Cortés during the Spanish Conquest
This strand encourages students to think critically about the accounts and events that occurred when the Spaniards reached the Americas. In this strand, students will learn about the important historical events that led to Cortés’ glorification and to his reputation as a “heroic” figure based on his power as the author of Cartas Relaciones (Letters from Hernan Cortés). Students will understand how Cortés’ agenda influenced the content and style of his letters to the Spanish Crown. In addition, students will be able to contextualize the setting in which Cortés operated and how this context shaped his letters. Cortés’ justification to the Crown was essential to prove himself worthy of his trip to the Americas due to his previous conflicts with the Governor of Cuba. Students will understand the important role that figures such as the “Malinche” had during this contact. “La Malinche” (Indigenous name) or “Doña Maria” (Spanish name) served as the translator for the Spanish and the Indigenous groups during the conquest period. In addition, students will begin to understand essential aspects of the Aztec empire and the role Montezuma played, as the Aztec emperor, during the Spanish-Aztec contact.
This strand encourages students to think critically about the accounts and events that occurred when the Spaniards reached the Americas. In this strand, students will learn about the important historical events that led to Cortés’ glorification and to his reputation as a “heroic” figure based on his power as the author of Cartas Relaciones (Letters from Hernan Cortés). Students will understand how Cortés’ agenda influenced the content and style of his letters to the Spanish Crown. In addition, students will be able to contextualize the setting in which Cortés operated and how this context shaped his letters. Cortés’ justification to the Crown was essential to prove himself worthy of his trip to the Americas due to his previous conflicts with the Governor of Cuba. Students will understand the important role that figures such as the “Malinche” had during this contact. “La Malinche” (Indigenous name) or “Doña Maria” (Spanish name) served as the translator for the Spanish and the Indigenous groups during the conquest period. In addition, students will begin to understand essential aspects of the Aztec empire and the role Montezuma played, as the Aztec emperor, during the Spanish-Aztec contact.
The Glorification of the Spaniards in Accounts of the “Discovery” and Conquest of the Americas
This band is meant to have students critically analyze historical accounts that glorify the Spaniards at the time of the so-called “discovery” and conquest of what is today Latin America. Traditionally in American History textbooks, Europeans are portrayed as “heroic” in their colonization of the Americas, thus devaluing the experiences and pre-existing advanced technologies of the Indigenous civilizations and empires. In this band, students will analyze sections of Columbus’ diary edited by Las Casas and come to recognize the power that authors have in determining the way that history is written. This band will ensure that students are able to identify and understand the role of Las Casas as an editor of Columbus’ text on the “discovery” of the Americas as well as understand the need of Columbus to glorify himself in front of the Spanish Crown in his writing.
This band is meant to have students critically analyze historical accounts that glorify the Spaniards at the time of the so-called “discovery” and conquest of what is today Latin America. Traditionally in American History textbooks, Europeans are portrayed as “heroic” in their colonization of the Americas, thus devaluing the experiences and pre-existing advanced technologies of the Indigenous civilizations and empires. In this band, students will analyze sections of Columbus’ diary edited by Las Casas and come to recognize the power that authors have in determining the way that history is written. This band will ensure that students are able to identify and understand the role of Las Casas as an editor of Columbus’ text on the “discovery” of the Americas as well as understand the need of Columbus to glorify himself in front of the Spanish Crown in his writing.
Counter Narratives to Spanish Heroism Written by Spaniards (las Casas)
This strand has students consider counter narratives written by Spanish that challenge the description of conquistadors, such as Cortes, as heroes. Through these counter narratives students will gain new perspectives on the events during this time period. In addition, students will be able to conceptualize the context in which these narratives were written and used in Europe. Students will have the opportunity to explore parts of a counter narrative to Spanish heroism written by Bartolomé de las Casas as well as the illustrations that accompany many of the versions of his book and underscore the victimization of the Indigenous by Spaniards. This will lead into the next theme about Indigenous authors telling the story of the conquest from their perspective, which is not included in history textbooks.
This strand has students consider counter narratives written by Spanish that challenge the description of conquistadors, such as Cortes, as heroes. Through these counter narratives students will gain new perspectives on the events during this time period. In addition, students will be able to conceptualize the context in which these narratives were written and used in Europe. Students will have the opportunity to explore parts of a counter narrative to Spanish heroism written by Bartolomé de las Casas as well as the illustrations that accompany many of the versions of his book and underscore the victimization of the Indigenous by Spaniards. This will lead into the next theme about Indigenous authors telling the story of the conquest from their perspective, which is not included in history textbooks.
The Importance of Including Indigenous Voices and Perspectives on the Conquest and Colonization of Latin America
This strand is meant to give voice and agency to Indigenous authors who write about the events that occurred during the interactions between Incas and Europeans. Students will have the opportunity to use their critical thinking skills to learn about the perspective of the “colonized” during Latin American colonialism. This strand examines the work of Guaman Poma, Indigenous author and illustrator—who chronicled the period of the Spanish conquest in both pictography and in alphabetic texts. His voluminous works describe Incan culture and civilization and the role it played before, during, and after the conquest in 1535. In this strand, students transition from analyzing counternarratives written by Europeans to analyzing those of Indigenous authors. Students will also come to understand the importance of including Indigenous voices and perspectives of the conquest and colonization to fully understand these events in Native History.
This strand is meant to give voice and agency to Indigenous authors who write about the events that occurred during the interactions between Incas and Europeans. Students will have the opportunity to use their critical thinking skills to learn about the perspective of the “colonized” during Latin American colonialism. This strand examines the work of Guaman Poma, Indigenous author and illustrator—who chronicled the period of the Spanish conquest in both pictography and in alphabetic texts. His voluminous works describe Incan culture and civilization and the role it played before, during, and after the conquest in 1535. In this strand, students transition from analyzing counternarratives written by Europeans to analyzing those of Indigenous authors. Students will also come to understand the importance of including Indigenous voices and perspectives of the conquest and colonization to fully understand these events in Native History.