Week Twelve Assignment Descriptions and Committee Discussions Now Active

Week Twelve, we make the final steps backward in our journey to understand Early America. All of this week predates the United States, the Revolution, and late British colonialization  This week's reading deals with Spanish Conquest and Colonization (1492-1640).  

As you will discover, Spanish Conquest and Colonization was fundamentally different than that of the British.  The Spanish had two intertwined models of colonialization.  One established missions to convert Natives to Catholicism and--as a related by product--Spanish subjects.  Please note the use of subject as opposed to citizen.  The second model was one of out right conquest, which allowed grants to newly created nobles and  made Natives into what were, in essence, serfs or slaves.  In turn, this new aristocracy created echos of Old Spain, and this included work to convert the nations to Catholicism--the state church of Spain.   

Week Twelve will also give you a very brief glimpse into the Native literatures, societies, and traditions which    continue into today, were changed by contact, and in the process informed everything American society became.  

Enjoy, and write with questions.

Steve