Examine the forces that have shaped the diverse Latin American cultures. This course studies major historical periods and their characteristics, from Pre-Hispanic Cultures, through the Conquest and the Colonization, the Independence movement, the formative period of the new nations to the present. The cultural aspects to be analyzed and discussed include: Catholicism and religious syncretism, the cultural legacy of colonial life, the struggles for independence, literary expression and the role of women. The use of videos, music, the Internet and literary texts, will provide a multimedia approach to Latin American cultures.