This course is intended to provide an introductory examina- tion of the colonization and evolution of Latin America from 1492 to the present. The course pays particular attention to the social, political, economic, and cultural impact of the interac- tions between Europe, Africa and the Americas, which shaped Latin America and the Caribbean throughout the colonial pe- riod. It will then explore the ways in which the consequences of colonialism influenced Latin American independence and national identity in the nineteenth and twentieth century. The course critically examines Latin America’s relationship to the US and world history in recent decades. Honors Program permission required. College level reading and writing skills are required.