Lecture, three hours; discussion, one hour. Not open for credit to students with credit for course 8AH. General introduction to Latin American history from contact period to independence (1490s to 1820s), with emphasis on convergence of Native American, European, and African cultures in Latin America; issues of ethnicity and gender; development of colonial institutions and societies; and emergence of local and national identities. Readings focus on writings of Latin American men and women from the period studied. P/NP or letter grading.