Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Upon successful completion students should be able to:

• Articulate and interpret an understanding of key historical facts and events in the history of Central America and the Caribbean.
• Identify the influence of culturally-based practices, values, and beliefs to analyze how historically-defined meanings of difference affect human behavior.
• Identify and investigate historical theses, evaluate information and its sources, and use appropriate reasoning to construct evidence-based arguments on historical issues.
• Construct a well-organized historical argument using effective, appropriate, and accurate language.

Assess by using any combination of the following:

• Exams
• Essays
• Oral presentations
• Research projects
• Book critiques
• Service Learning
• Class participation and discussion
• Other creative assignments

Competencies and Skills:

Analyze and evaluate primary and secondary sources:

• Connect evidence to its relevant historical context
• Analyze and evaluate written, artistic, or other evidence
• Assess the motivation and purpose of evidence

Evaluate different interpretations of past events and construct your own interpretation:

• Identify a historian’s thesis and supporting evidence
• Evaluate the arguments used to support different interpretations of historical issues
• Develop your own thesis and historical interpretation and use evidence to support it

Think critically about the relationship between past and present events and issues:

• Recognize and identify historical roots and parallels to current issues

Compare and contrast the experience of diverse groups in society:

• Listen to and appreciate the experience of students from a variety of  backgrounds
• Assess the contributions and experiences of various groups in society

Demonstrate college-level communications skills with an emphasis on writing (and may include listening and speaking):

• Communicate effectively in writing about a historical topic
• Communicate in writing an understanding of historical process and an evaluation of how concepts or values change over time

Clearly articulate thoughts and ideas to a particular audience which may include:

• Working collaboratively with other students to evaluate and understand historical events
• Working collaboratively with others in discussions, debate, or role plays
• Presenting information in oral presentations

Themes, Concepts, Issues:

• Mayan and other Pre-Columbian indigenous civilizations
• Exploration and conquest
• Acculturation
• Changing political and economic structures
• Cultural development, literature, art, music
• Indigenous and Creole society, culture, and politics
• Imperialism and neo-imperialism
• Independence movements and revolutions
• Role of the Catholic Church and other religions
• The Mission System
• Ethnicity, race, gender, sexuality and social class
• Inter- and intra-ethnic controversies
• Post-colonialism
• Labor systems (such as collectivity, encomiendas, indenture, slavery, unionization)
• Trans-Atlantic slave system
• Sugar economy
• Civil Wars and militarism
• International relations and U.S. interventions
• Geography and the natural environment
• Tourism
• Atlantic World