HI 216Q Fall 2008: Latin America since 1826


Updated May 10, 2008

Welcome [Bienvenidos] to Our Cyberspace Learning Community

This is a brief introduction to HI 216Q, an NCSU First Year Inquiry course. You'll get a full printed syllabus when we meet in August. We'll look at the world differently in this course. Check this out for example.

HI 216Q Quick Reference Menu

Note for the first two links: You'll also get a printed syllabus, but you can do quick online searches to find necessary information in the e-version. Likewise you will get a printed copy of the Wiki Group Project Instructions.

Online course syllabus will be posted before the semester begins. Wiki Group Project Instructions and Formatting Info Internet Tutorials to sharpen your online skills
Classes Dr. Slatta Teaches How to identify and navigate a scholarly monograph How to be an active learner
Primary Sources online FAQs for First Year Students First Year Inquiry Program Home Page
Info on First Year Inquiry Programs and Approaches Vista Online Discussion Forums
  • Need a little something to get the history juices flowing? Check out what happened on this day in history
  • Where does this course fit into your curriculum? It fulfills the Humanities and Social Sciences History GER for a non-English speaking culture (Group 1). What does that mean to you? Check with your advisor or visit NCSU Advising Central. Select major/minor, go to your college, and explore the course options and requirements that you must fulfill. Dr. Slatta Use the menu along the left side of the page to move to different topics. You'll find lots of helpful info under the "How to" section.
  • During the fall 2005 semester, I'll teach HI 216Q in Harrelson Hall Room 119. Note: Because this room contains computer equipment, the door is locked. I'll get there 5-10 minutes before class begins to open up. What people, forces, conflicts, and processes have shaped the varied, exciting, and sometimes frustrating region of the world that we call Latin America? Students examine Latin America's historical development since its nations gained independence in the early 19th-century. In groups, students explore and report on specific cases of human rights abuses and issues. By fitting these human rights themes into the broader major periods and processes of Latin American history, students will understand clearly the forces that have caused and perpetuated abuses. On a cheerier note, we also explore Latin American and Latino culture, including music and film.
  • Who's running this show? Dr. Rich Slatta - "The Cowboy Professor," has taught history at NCSU since 1980 and researches frontier societies and ranch life in the Americas and Hawaii. You can learn a little more here: Dr. Slatta's brief bio. The Find Dr. Slatta page gives you office hours, FAX and phone numbers, and a link to my "Home Range" where you can You may Send me email. I'm often logged on to IM: drslatta
  • Stay in touch! Make certain that the email address that you use is the one listed with NCSU. That's the only way I can communicate with you. Your Unity ID is the default address. If you need to change it, go to the NCSU online directory or to TracsLinks at Registration and Records.
  • You do a variety of assignments to work on your communications skills--writing, speaking, and listening. I try to help prepare you for what employers want in their new employees. to work on improving your writing. You participate in lots of interactive discussions, submit current events reports, and write longer analytical history essays. Yes, you'll be busy.
  • This is an intro course with no prerequisites. However, if your background in Latin American history is weak, you may wish to consult additional textbooks on Latin American history. Most are available in D. H. Hill Library. Just remember that the key course skill is not textbook regurgitation, but rather the analysis of primary sources.
    • Essential

    Online Resources (Free)

    1. A Student’s Guide to History by Jules R. Benjamin
    2. First Year Inquiry Resources
    3. See the help links (lefthand menu) from my home range on studying history, writing, Latin American Press links, research, notetaking, coping and more.
    4. You'll need an up-to-date virus checking program, like Symantec's Norton AntiVirus [free to NCSU students.] You may also use MacAfee or other similar programs.
    5. Help Me! Get the help you need! Go to my Internet Help and Tutorials Page to Improve your computing skills.
    6. Accessible web content: I've made every effort to keep all web pages accessible to all students. If you find an image without an alternate caption or some other obstruction to your utilization of the pages, please let me know. You may also review NCSU's accessibility guidelines for web pages.
    Please check my Acknowledgements and Credits Page for a list of "thank yous" to the people, institutions, software creators, and web sites that have contributed to my various web pages and online course materials.
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