Presents a number of Columbus Day activities which concern both Columbus and the other early explorers of North and South America. (SJL)

This unit of study seeks to introduce students to the history of Africans in the Mexican state of Veracruz and to provide the classroom teacher with resources and information about Veracruz. Although the unit is designed for students with an advanced level of Spanish, the readings are in English so this activity could be part of an…

This course outline and bibliography on Peru during the middle years of the nineteenth century includes general works in English and Spanish. Entries are organized chronologically and focus on a variety of topics, including efforts to modernize society, the large unassimilated Indian population, geographic isolation, economic problems, militarism,…

Demonstrates how illustrations can stimulate learning and critical thinking, specifically in studying Latin American cultures. Seven illustrations with questions for student analysis are included. (KC)

Presents background information on Salvadoran history, politics, and religion. Provides a model lesson plan designed to help high school students to understand events leading to the current conflict in El Salvador and the rest of Central America. (Author/GC)

Examines effective ways of utilizing foreign currency from various countries whose official language is Spanish as means to promote conversation and enrich vocabulary in Spanish classes. Use of currency has pedagogical, cultural, and historical aspects. (Author/BK)

Native American science is defined as activities of native peoples of the New World in observing physical phenomena and attempting to explain and control them. Problems in studying native science, ethnoscience and native science, archaeostronomy and ethnoastronomy, ethnobotany, agriculture, technology, and future directions are discussed. (JN)

A broad, hemispheric approach to American history, called the Bolton thesis or a history of the Americas, can contribute something unique to a college curriculum formerly dependent on the more traditional surveys. It also poses some extraordinary challenges. Guidelines for teaching such a course are presented. (RM)

Presents a bibliographic review essay on the topic of colonial Peru organized according to the following topics: Pre-Columbian Peru, 5500 B.C.- 1532; the conquest of Peru, 1532-1572; Peru under the Hapsburgs, 1516-1700; Bourbon Peru, 1700-1808; and the coming of independence, 1808-1821. The essay is based on a bibliography composed largely of…

Discusses the use of novels in a Latin American history course. Provides a theoretical basis for the course. Outlines course format, class assignments, and reading lists. Points out the value of the novel to students in understanding the history of Latin America. (RW)

In the year 2000, Brazil celebrated the 500th anniversary of its discovery by the Portuguese navigator, Pedro Alvares Cabral, and subsequent settlement by the Portuguese and African, Western, and Asian immigrants. The seminar commemorating these events was designed for U.S. secondary and post-secondary teachers and curriculum specialists of the…

This information pack tells the story of one of the indigenous peoples of the Americas, the Maya of Guatemala. It covers Mayan culture and daily life as well as the discrimination experienced by the Maya and the fight for human rights in Guatemala. Containing a wealth of activities designed for mixed ability classes, the pack also can be used for…

Presents a bibliographic review essay on Latin American families. The essay is presented in three major categories: (1) the family and enterprise; (2) the family--different regions, time periods, and socioeconomic conditions and (3) family networks. Entries include historical literature and articles in the English language, films, and novels. (DB)

Intended for both teachers and students, this publication, written in Spanish, briefly traces Mexico's history from its Conquest in 1519 to the overthrow of Porfirio Diaz in 1910. The following are briefly discussed: Mexico's Conquest in 1519; events immediately after the fall of Tenochtitlan; the War for Independence; Texas' separation from…

This lesson is a series of activities and multi-media presentations designed to enable students to understand the historic and geographic roots of some of the problems that Central American nations have faced. Geography, history, writing, and storytelling are used as ways of understanding a multicultural world. Creative thinking and participation…