Conquest, Colonization, Captivity:  The Americas

The aim of this course is to explore how conquest, colonization, and human captivity shaped the history, cultural values, and social ethics that brought together the European, African, and Indigenous civilizations in the Americas.

In the first part of the course, we examine the process whereby European colonial powers moved across the Atlantic and established their presence in the Americas by violent conquest. Utilizing primary sources from the era and analysis by historians, we will examine what historical values and social ethics guided conquest and colonization, and how the historical figures at the time justified their actions.

In the second part of the course, we utilize primary and secondary sources to examine in detail the new cultures born out of the colonial order through creating new religious values, political rights, and social ethics.

In the third part of the course, we turn our analysis to the historical changes in people’s thoughts and actions that rejected the legitimacy of colonialism, proclaimed freedom for some (but not all), and the ideas and values that resulted in the final abolition of human captivity in the Americas.

Collectively, the course contextualizes the beliefs and values of the conquerors that forged the colonial order, and probes the moral and ideological responses of the colonized as they struggled to assert their own rights in constructing a new society.

Learning Outcomes

After successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate knowledge of the principles of historical thinking to understand human societies, specifically through examining the roles conquest, colonization, and human captivity played in shaping the history of the Americas from 1441 to 1888.
2. Define and summarize major events, developments, and themes related to the conquest of indigenous civilizations, construction of European colonies in the Americas, and the institution of human captivity through the enslavement of the African and Indigenous populations.
3. Evaluate significant themes, issues, or eras in the history of the Americas from 1441 to 1888.
4. Demonstrate basic skills in the comprehension and analysis of selected sources and their relevance in the context of historical knowledge.
5. Demonstrate ability to recognize the differences between original historical source material (primary sources) and later scholarly interpretations of those sources (secondary sources).
6. Demonstrate the ability to develop interpretive historical arguments drawing on primary and/or secondary sources.
7. Identify the sources and functions of values that guided human practices in conquering, colonizing, and enslaving in the Americas.
8. Demonstrate an understanding of the importance of ethics, values, and social responsibility in the history of colonization for the self, individuals, and societies in waging wars of conquests and human captivity that continue to shape contemporary society in the present.
9. Demonstrate the ability to reflect on how values shaped personal and community ethics and decision making in the context of conquest, colonization, and human captivity.