Outline

Overview

The encounter between Indigenous societies and European colonisers is the most defining moment in the history of the Americas. Therefore, this unit explores the social, political, cultural, and economic processes that took place in the region under Iberian imperial rule, that is, from the arrival of Portuguese and Spanish colonists in the late fifteenth century until the beginning of the revolutions against European control in the late eighteenth century. These three centuries of confrontations and transformations shaped, in many ways, the culture and identity of Latin American societies.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	History
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	12 credit points at 1000 level in History
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Roberto Chauca Tapia, roberto.chauca@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Roberto Chauca Tapia, roberto.chauca@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 31 March 2025

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Presentation	Group Presentation Group Presentations in Weeks 12-13	10%	Multiple weeks	500 words
Outcomes assessed:
Participation	Tutorial Participation Tutorial participation and leading discussions.	10%	Ongoing	Ongoing Tutorial Participation
Outcomes assessed:
Online task	Early Feedback Task Quiz 10-question multiple-choice quiz #earlyfeedbacktask	0%	Week 03 Due date: 14 Mar 2025 at 23:59	10-question multiple-choice quiz
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Primary source assessment 1x1500wd primary source assessment.	30%	Week 04 Due date: 21 Mar 2025 at 23:59	1500 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Research paper Research Paper	30%	Week 08 Due date: 17 Apr 2025 at 23:59	1500 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Final Written Reflection Final Written Reflection	20%	Week 13 Due date: 30 May 2025 at 23:59	1000 words
Outcomes assessed:
= group assignment ? = AI allowed ? = restricted AI ? = early feedback task ?

Early feedback task

This unit includes an early feedback task, designed to give you feedback prior to the census date for this unit. Details are provided in the Canvas site and your result will be recorded in your Marks page. It is important that you actively engage with this task so that the University can support you to be successful in this unit.

Assessment summary

Written assessment on working with primary sources.
Submit a research paper based on research undertaken in response to an essay question.
Attend all lectures and tutorials.
Demonstrate engagement with the weekly assigned readings by participating in tutorial discussions.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a High distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a Distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an exceptional standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Distinction	75 - 84	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a very high standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Credit	65 - 74	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a good standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Pass	50 - 64	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an acceptable standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

Except for supervised exams or in-semester tests, you may use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessments unless expressly prohibited by your unit coordinator.

For exams and in-semester tests, the use of AI and automated writing tools is not allowed unless expressly permitted in the assessment instructions.

The icons in the assessment table above indicate whether AI is allowed – whether full AI, or only some AI (the latter is referred to as “AI restricted”). If no icon is shown, AI use is not permitted at all for the task. Refer to Canvas for full instructions on assessment tasks for this unit.

Your final submission must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of automated writing tools or generative AI, and any material generated that you include in your final submission must be properly referenced. You may be required to submit generative AI inputs and outputs that you used during your assessment process, or drafts of your original work. Inappropriate use of generative AI is considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

The Current Students website provides information on artificial intelligence in assessments. For help on how to correctly acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the  AI in Education Canvas site.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a 5% penalty for each late day.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Introduction to ‘Age of Conquest’: The Indigenous-Iberian Connection and a Conflicted Identity.	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	The Early Settlement of the Americas and the Maya Civilisation	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	Political Relations in Early Maya Kingdoms. Tutorial reading: Christina T. Halperin et al., 'A pivot point in Maya history: fire-burning event at K'anwitznal (Ucanal) and the making of a new era of political rule’. Antiquity 98:399 (2024): 758-776.	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 03	The Aztec and the Inca Empires.	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 03	Trophy Heads and the Inca Display of Power. Tutorial reading: Francisco Garrido and Catalina Morales, ‘Displays of Violence and Power at the Edge of the Empire: Provincial Trophy Heads during Inca Times’. Latin American Antiquity 30:3 (2019): 606-623.	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 04	The Age of Discoveries and the Conquest of America.	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 04	Nahua/Mexica Perspectives on Spanish Culture. Tutorial reading: James Lockhart. ‘Sightings: Initial Nahua Reactions to Spanish Culture’. In: Implicit Understandings: Observing, Reporting, and Reflecting on the Encounters Between Europeans and Other Peoples in the Early Modern Era. Edited by Stuart B. Schwartz. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1994. Pp. 218-248.	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 05	The Portuguese Colonisation of Brazil.	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 05	Depicting Cannibalism in Early Modern Brazil. Tutorial reading: Neil L. Whitehead. ‘Hans Staden and Cultural Politics of Cannibalism’. Hispanic American Historical Review 80:4 (2000): 721- 752.	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 06	The Amazon River and the Occupation of the American Tropics.	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 06	Mapping the Early Modern Amazon River. Tutorial reading: Camila Dias, ‘Jesuits Maps and Political Discourse: The Amazon River of Father Samuel Fritz’. The Americas 69:1 (2012): 95-116.	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 07	Political and Economic Structures of Colonisation in the Americas.	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 07	Crafting Local Administration from Islamic Spain to the Andes. Tutorial reading: Karen B. Graubart. ‘Learning from the Qadi: The Jurisdiction of Local Rule in the Early Colonial Andes’. Hispanic American Historical Review 95:2 (2015): 195-228.	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 08	The Religious and Social Life in the Early Modern Americas	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 08	Intersex People and the Mexican Inquisition. Tutorial reading: María Elena Martínez. ‘Sex and the Colonial Archive: The Case of “Mariano” Aguilera’. Hispanic American Historical Review 96:3 (2016): 421-443.	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 09	Science and Knowledge in the Americas.	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 09	Travel, Dispossession and the Critique of Colonialism. Tutorial reading: Jorge Cañizares-Esguerra, ‘Postcolonialism avant la lettre?: Travelers and Clerics in Eighteenth-Century Spanish America’. In: After Spanish Rule: Postcolonial Predicaments of the Americas. Edited by Mark Thurner and Andrés Guerrero. Durham: Duke University Press, 2003. Pp. 89- 110.	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 10	The Bourbon and Pombaline Reforms in the 18th-Century Americas.	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 10	Natural Disasters and the Reshape of Early Modern Cities. Tutorial reading: Charles F. Walker. ‘The Upper Classes and their Upper Stories: Architecture and the Aftermath of the Lima Earthquake of 1746’. Hispanic American Historical Review 83:1 (2003): 53-82.	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 11	The Revolt of the Masses Against Iberian Rule.	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 11	Globalising the History of Indigenous American Revolutions. Tutorial reading: Sinclair Thomson. ‘Sovereignty Disavowed: the Tupac Amaru Revolution in the Atlantic World’. Atlantic Studies 13:3 (2016): 407- 431.	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 12	Creole Identities and the Gradual Emancipation of the Americas.	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 12	Group Presentations 1	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 13	Final Reflection: Latin America and the Origins of Modern Nationalism. Discussion based on: Benedict Anderson. Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism. (Chapter 4: ‘Creole Pioneers’.) Revised edition. London: Verso, 2006. Pp. 47-65.	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 13	Group Presentation 2	Tutorial (1 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: According to Faculty Board Resolutions, students in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences are expected to attend 90% of their classes. If you attend less than 50% of classes, regardless of the reasons, you may be referred to the Examiner’s Board. The Examiner’s Board will decide whether you should pass or fail the unit of study if your attendance falls below this threshold.
Lecture recording: Most lectures (in recording-equipped venues) will be recorded and may be made available to students on the LMS. However, you should not rely on lecture recording to substitute your classroom learning experience.
Preparation: Students should commit to spend approximately three hours’ preparation time (reading, studying, homework, essays, etc.) for every hour of scheduled instruction.
Late Penalties: In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date: Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date. After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero may be awarded.
Assessment summary: Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas. You are required to submit all assessments for this unit or risk receiving an absent fail.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

All readings for this unit are available via eReserve, and Canvas.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. LO1: Develop a solid understanding of the confrontations and negotiations taking place between American natives and Iberian colonists from 1492 to 1780
LO2. LO2: Identify the social, political, cultural, and economic transformations that shaped Spanish and Portuguese American societies in early modern times.
LO3. LO3: Explain the formation of Latin American identities and cultures in relation to the process of European colonisation in the region.
LO4. LO4: Analyse and critically interpret primary and secondary sources to better understand the early modern history of Latin America.
LO5. LO5: Organise bibliographic materials and consolidate oral and written communication skills.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

On this occasion, I have added a Group Presentation and Final Written Reflection to improve the instructional scaffolding of this unit and to add a 'secured' form of assessment this semester.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Early feedback task

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

HSTY2719: Age of Conquest

Semester 1, 2025 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Early feedback task

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links