Latin American History

Second Essay Option October 3, 2018

History 131 Bergen Community College

Answer one of the questions below in essay form, with a clear introduction, body and

conclusion. Do not exceed four double-spaced pages using a 12 point font and one inch

margins. The essay must be based only on notes, readings posted on Moodle or the

textbooks. No outside sources are permitted. Last but not least, a Chicago Manual of Style

bibliography is required. Please consult the link below if any doubts or questions should

arise: http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html

The following rubric shall be employed in arriving at the final mark:

50% - Strength of argument (support arguments using relevant evidence from the readings

and answer all parts of the question)

25% - Understanding of the readings and the question (integrate evidence from each source

and limit factual errors)

25% - Grammar (20 points) and bibliography (5 points)

Essays are due promptly by 1:45 p.m. on Wednesday, October 17. Please send them via

email to [email protected] in Word, ODT, PDF, or Google Docs format. Papers sent

after 1:45 p.m. will be assessed a five point penalty. No work will be accepted after 3 p.m.

for any reason.

1. Why did Latin Americans hold anti-U.S. views during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries? What were the eventual consequences for U.S. businesses and

government officials? Back your argument with specific evidence from

“Neocolonialism,” “The Second Nicaraguan Civil War,” “The Sandino Chase,”

Augusto Sandino’s “Manifesto,” “The Mexican Crisis,” “Under the Gun,” “The

Rulers of Veracruz,” and Article 27 of Mexico’s 1917 constitution.

2. What was the typical attitude of U.S. government officials, military officers, reporters, and businessmen toward Latin Americans in the late nineteenth and early

twentieth century? What connection do these views have to the Platt Amendment,

James Creelman’s portrayal of Porfirio Díaz, and U.S. insistence on controlling

customs revenues in Latin American countries? Support your argument using “The

Seizure of Power,” “Under the Gun,” “Cuba, 1860-1930,” “President Díaz: Hero

of the Americas,” “Turbulent Hispaniola,” “The Second Nicaraguan Civil War,”

and “Rulers of Veracruz.”

3. Did the United States’ military occupations of Veracruz in 1914, the Dominican Republic (1916-1924), Haiti (1915-1934) and Cuba (1898-1902), yield mostly

positive or negative results? Evaluate the pros and cons using specific evidence

from “The Mexican Crisis,” “Veracruz,” “The Rulers of Veracruz,” “Turbulent

Hispaniola,” “The Pacification of Hispaniola: 1,” “The Pacification of Hispaniola:

2,” “Under the Gun,” and “Cuba, 1860-1930.”