Spain Portugal:Age of Empire

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

This course offers an overview of the history of the Iberian peninsula from the late Middle Ages through the early nineteenth century. We will cover the histories of Spain and Portugal, and also devote considerable attention to the development and evolution of their colonial empires. We will concentrate on the period from the union of Castile and Aragon (1469) to the end of Habsburg rule in Spain (1700), but we will also survey the background to this period, and the eighteenth-century era of reform and revolution until most colonies achieved independence after the Napoleonic period. We will cover the basic political and economic history, but also discuss social, religious, artistic, and cultural developments. One of our main themes will be the interaction between European and imperial agendas, forces, and concerns throughout the history of the Iberian colonial empires. The course aims thus to offer a broad introduction to a complex period of history; to lead us to reflect on cultural interactions, differences, and similarities across wide geographical areas; and to allow students to further their understanding of historical thinking and analysis. The latter goal will especially be the focus both of our readings and of the writing assignments. The readings will consist of primary sources, works of many genres and origins. They will allow discussion of many diverse issues and themes of Iberian history, and we will examine how different types of sources shed light on various elements of that history. Writing assignments will push students to develop their critical reading, writing, and analytical skills. There will also be regular discussions, and a final examination.