Author Archives: Sofia

Historical Discussion Question

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Question: How did racial stereotypes influence the treatment of slaves and ex-slaves during and after the Haitian Revolution?

Answer:

During the Haitian Revolution, some colonists used the violent act insurrectionists committed as an excuse to marginalize black and mulatto people. For example, Antoine Dalmas was a colonist who wrote a detailed account of the slave uprising in Saint-Domingue. In his account, Dalmas continually describes the rebelling slaves as “pitiless”. While it is true that the Haitian Revolution was an incredibly violent revolt, Dalmas lets his prejudice black and mix-raced people influence his narrative. “It is natural that a caste this ignorant and stupid would begin the most horrible attacks with the superstitious rites of an absurd and bloodthirsty religion.” Instead of being surprised by the violence committed by the slaves, Dalmas implies that the events of the Revolution have merely affirmed his preexisting notions regarding a people he considered moral inferiors. Furthermore, Dalmas does not mention the evils of slavery or any crimes committed by the French or other Europeans.

Unfortunately, Dalmas was not alone in his assumption. The plantation owner Pierre Mossut described the insurrectionists as “horde of assassins” and also as “fanatics” in a letter to the Marquis de Gallifet, his employer. He too does not discuss anything he may have done to provoke the rebellion.

On the other hand, many colonists used the claim that non-white people were lazy to argue against emancipation. They claimed that if the enslaved population was freed, they would no longer have workers to sustain the colonial economy. To avoid this issue, some Europeans who did oppose slavery in the New World advocated for laws forcing former slaves to continue working for their colonial masters. For example, Léger Félicité Sonthonax argued in favor of immediate emancipation and total equality based on race except that he believed former slaves should continue in their previous positions but should receive compensation. Étienne Polverel took the idea further, adopting a condescending tone to shame any slave who should wish to work less than six days a week. Polverel also believed that women should receive less pay than men for the same work-hours, as he believed that women were inherently weaker and could not produce the same economic benefits necessary to sustain the economy.

Class Notes 10/17

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Class Summary:

Today in class, we received a handout titled “Editing Wikipedia articles about History” and spent some time discussing the next step in our Wikipedia assignment. For this Friday, we will have to create an abstract and annotated bibliography of four sources regarding our respective topics. The library website can be very helpful for finding sources. While many successful projects use only English-language sources, documents in French, Spanish, and Portuguese are fair game. If you need help finding sources, you should schedule a research consultation at the library or meet with Professor Holt. However, it is best to meet with Professor Holt BEFORE Thursday, as she will laugh at you otherwise.

The theme for the main part of today’s discussion was bureaucracy in colonial Latin America. This topic signals a switch from the overarching theme of first encounters and military conquest to the consolidation of imperialism. To study this, we learn about the lived experiences of people involved in colonial rule, with a focus on Cortés in Mexico. One of the main questions regarding this theme is how the Spanish (and Portuguese) were able to rule such a large area from so far away. We will examine different factors that contributed to the difficulties and successes the Europeans experienced in attempting to do this. For example, how technologies of the time made communication difficult between Europe and the New World, and how the Spanish used architecture as a way of imposing their will upon the native peoples. The readings for today provide an indigenous perspective, a Spanish perspective, and a Spanish map that relate to this issue.

Readings:

  • Latin America & Its People: “The Spiritual Conquest” to “Conclusion” (pages 83-95)
  • “Two Images from the Codex Osuna”
  • “An encomendero’s advice” and “An encomendero’s opinions”
  • Richard Kagan “Projecting Order”

Passage:

The main passage we discussed during class was an excerpt from a letter written by Luís de Velasco, the Viceroy of New Spain to King Charles of Spain. Unfortunately, I was not able to find the letter, and therefore not able to reproduce the excerpt here. When we discussed this document, one of the main things we considered was the tone Velasco uses. Velasco complains about the King’s failure to reply to letters. This was an incredibly bold statement and demonstrates how frustrated inhabitants of the New World were. This separation from their motherland was a large part of what made it difficult for the Spanish and Portuguese to remain in control of Latin America. The tensions that arose because of this included corruption, competition, and prejudice. This became an issue because the Spanish in the New World were not supervised as closely as those in Spain and because they were having troubled controlling such a large area.

Links:

Terms:

  • Viceroy: A person appointed by a monarch to rule an area
  • Cabildo: The center of a government (physical building)
  • Aldeias: Native villages organized by clergy or colonial governors
  • Plaza mayor: a meeting place of merchants or authority figures

Exam Questions:

  • What were some tensions present among the colonial rulers of Latin America (e.g. viceroys)?
  • What strategies did Europeans use to maintain control of the New World?
  • What role did architecture play in the colonization of Spanish America?
  • How did the technology of the time period make it difficult for the Spanish to maintain control?

Mexico City Earthquake

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The article I chose, “Mexico City, Before and After the Earthquake” was published by the New York Times on 23 September, 2017. It discusses the natural disaster that killed at least 155 people in Mexico City last Tuesday. While this earthquake, which had a magnitude of 7.1, may not be shaking the ground anymore, the damage is not yet complete.[1] Many buildings around the city are still standing but are liable to collapse at any time. This situation also poses a threat to surveyors, construction workers, and residents[2].

In addition to presenting descriptions of the damage caused by the earthquake, the article also includes numerous pictures. The author also described the story behind many of the pictures and stated the locations where they were taken. This is very helpful because the pictures display different kinds of damage buildings sustained.

I also appreciated the use of photographs because they give the audience an idea of what life is like currently in Mexico City. Additionally, I found it interesting that no residents of the city were quoted in the article. I believe this was a good choice because the article did not portray the people of Mexico as victims. Instead, it focused on the technical aspects of the earthquake, while still providing information to show how the earthquake is impacting the lives of people in the area. I was also happy to see that there is a Spanish version of the same article.[3]

In class, we spent a significant amount of time discussing the geography of Latin America. This article relates to class themes because Mexico City exists in a location that experiences frequent earthquakes. Because earthquakes are relatively common in the area, they play a significant role in Mexican history and culture. For a personal perspective, follow this link to an article that describes life in Mexico City during various earthquakes over the years, including the one on Tuesday.[4]

[1]. Larry Buchanan et al., “Mexico City, Before and After the Earthquake,” The New York Times, September 23, 2017, sec. World, https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/09/23/world/americas/mexico-city-earthquake-surveying-destruction-damage.html.

[2]. Ibid.

[3]. Ibid.

[4]. Francisco Goldman, “A History of My Mexico City Home, in Earthquakes,” The New Yorker, September 23, 2017, https://www.newyorker.com/culture/personal-history/a-history-of-my-mexico-city-home-in-earthquakes.

Bibliography

Buchanan, Larry, Jasmine C. Lee, Sergio Peçanha, and K. K. Rebecca Lai. “Mexico City, Before and After the Earthquake.” The New York Times, September 23, 2017, sec. World. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/09/23/world/americas/mexico-city-earthquake-surveying-destruction-damage.html.

Goldman, Francisco. “A History of My Mexico City Home, in Earthquakes.” The New Yorker, September 23, 2017. https://www.newyorker.com/culture/personal-history/a-history-of-my-mexico-city-home-in-earthquakes.

 

Wikipedia Article Critique – The Paso Doble

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The Wikipedia page I chose for this assignment deals with the paso doble, a form of ballroom dance which symbolizes a bull fight. Although the article did offer some interesting information about the dance, there were certainly aspects that were not well explained. Additionally, certain parts of the article include potentially contradictory information. For example, the first paragraph explains that the paso doble was most likely created for Spain’s infantry, the second paragraph states that it originated in France and was later introduced in Spain and Portugal to add excitement during a bull fight. While it is possible that both are true, the article does not detail why and how this would have happened.

Perhaps an even more serious oversight is that the page includes no description of the dance’s history in Latin America, despite the fact that it lists the names of numerous Mexican paso dobles. The article also mentions a number of countries in which the paso doble is popular. However, it does not mention anything about the cultural significance of the dance in any locations outside of the Iberian Peninsula.

It is also worth mentioning that this article has multiple errors in grammar and punctuation. Most notably, the article refers to the dance it describes as “pasodoble” although the main ballroom dance page lists it as “paso doble.” While I am not completely certain, I did a few internet searches without finding any instances of the name of the dance written as one word. However, the talk page of the Wikipedia article reveals that the author originally used two words but changed this due to the suggestion of another user.

There is only one other suggestion on the talk page for the article. This one explains that the information on the Spanish Wikipedia article is more precise. Additionally, the English article is a part of WikiProject Spain, WikiProject Dance, and WikiProject France but was rated as “start class, low importance” by all three.

Although this article does raise some interesting topics, it is far from being complete or well-written. Furthermore, the focus is rather Eurocentric. If we were to discuss the “paso doble” in class, we would most likely touch upon the European origins of this dance but consider it more from a Latin American perspective.

Introduction

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Hello! My name is Sofia and I am a freshman from Athens, Ohio. I am very undecided about my major at the moment but I am considering history and Spanish. I also still don’t know my career goals but I can tell you that I’m pretty darn good at the classic rock edition of Trivial Pursuit.

I am interested in learning about Latin America because I had an amazing Spanish teacher in high school but most of her experience was in Spain. Therefore, I am excited to learn more about Latin America in order to have a more balanced perspective. Additionally, I have spent a significant amount of time in Mexico so I am especially interested in this area.