The Spanish Empire in the Early Global Age: 15th-17th Centuries
COL 391
Spring 2012 not offered
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| Crosslisting:
HIST 391, IBST 272 |
"The world is not enough"--with these words Philip II, king of Spain, expressed his idea of the first truly global empire: his own. Spain's imperial ambition had no limits: Philip II's monarchy was to encompass the planet and beyond, spearheading the conquest of Heaven itself. In fulfillment of what he saw as God's will, the Spanish monarch's messianic imperial vision sought to bring Christianity to the most distant confines of the earth, effectively extending his rule over lands scattered in four continents, from Spain to China.
The Spanish Empire appears to us medieval in its ideas about religion, law, and government and, at the same time, as a forerunner of modernity, giving rise to phenomena such as scientific exploration, cultural globalization, world capitalism, biologic and cultural crossbreeding, all in an unprecedented scale. This course will consider the Spanish imperial experience as a global history. Through art, literature, political writings, and memoirs, we will learn about its political practices, the everyday life of its subjects and rulers, and the ways in which they made sense of the world. |
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Essential Capabilities:
None |
| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
SBS COL |
| Course Format: Seminar | Grading Mode: Student Option |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (HIST-MN)(HIST) |
Major Readings:
Readings will be drawn from both secondary and primary sources. We will supplement classic texts in Spanish imperial history with more recent scholarly analysis.
Primary sources will include, among others:
Bernal Díaz del Castillo, THE CONQUEST OF NEW SPAIN
Francisco Núñez Muley, MEMORANDUM TO THE AUDIENCIA OF GRANADA
Alonso de Contreras, HISTORY OF MY LIFE
Tommaso Campanella, A DISCOURSE TOUCHING THE SPANISH MONARCHY
The secondary sources will include , among others:
Elliott, IMPERIAL SPAIN
Herzog, DEFINING NATIONS
Pagden, SPANISH IMPERIALISM AND THE POLITICAL IMAGINATION
Rafael, CONTRACTING COLONIALISM
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Examinations and Assignments:
The grade will be based on a) two short papers (500-750 words); b) a major research paper (5000 words); c) student presentations, and d) active class participation. |
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