Contextualisation

The Spanish Colonisation of America was one of the major events that marked the history of the American continent. In the 15th century, the Kingdom of Spain extended its territories to beyond the Atlantic Ocean, imposing its culture, religion, and political system to various indigenous societies.

This period began with the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1492 and lasted until the independence of Latin American countries in the 19th century. Throughout those centuries, complex interactions between Spaniards, indigenous peoples, and enslaved Africans shaped many aspects of contemporary Latin American societies.

Understanding this period is essential to understanding the dynamics of the American societies, particularly regarding their spoken languages, cultural, religious, and dietary practices, as well as the political and territorial conformation of modern-day countries.

The Spanish colonisation also stands out as an example of how the exploration of territories and people can be conducted in a violent and unequal manner, leading to the extermination of entire peoples and the unsustainable exploitation of natural resources. Learning about this chapter in our history is important to reflect on development models and power relationships that still have influence today.

Practical Activity

Activity Title: The Trail of Spanish Colonialism in America

Project Objective:

The goal of this project is to provide students with an opportunity to deeply explore the period of Spanish colonisation in the Americas, through focused research, historical analysis, the production of visual and theatrical material, and academic writing.

In groups of three to five, students will be required to research, develop and present a multimedia project that includes a historiographic map, an oral presentation with theatrical elements and an extensive written document.

Detailed Project Description:

1. Historiographic Map: Each group will have to create an interactive historiographic map of colonial Latin America. This map should visually represent the main events, commercial routes, locations of indigenous civilisations and tribes, religious missions, exploration routes and other relevant characteristics of the Spanish colonisation.

2. Oral Presentation with Theatrical Component: Each group will have to prepare a 15-20-minute presentation. This presentation should include a historical reenactment of a significant event during the Spanish colonisation of the Americas.

3. Written Document: Each group should write a document reporting on the project development process and their conclusions. This document should follow the format of an academic report, containing an introduction, development, conclusions and references used.

Materials Required:

• History books, academic articles, and online resources for research.
• Materials to create the historiographic map: large sheet of paper, coloured pens, highlighters, pencil, eraser, rulers, adhesives, etc.
• Materials for the historical reenactment: period costumes and accessories, props, music (if applicable), etc.
• Computer to write and print the written document.

Detailed Step-by-Step to Conduct the Activity:

1. Research: Each group will start by researching about the Spanish colonisation of the Americas. Divide the topics between members so that everyone has a specific focus.

2. Historiographic Map: Use the information collected in the research to create a detailed, colourful map that visually represents the Spanish colonisation of the Americas. The map should be large enough to be clearly seen when displayed on the wall of the classroom.

3. Oral Presentation with Theatrical Component: Choose a historical event to reenact. Prepare a script, rehearse the play, and gather necessary materials for the performance.

4. Written Document: As the project progresses, each group should write a detailed report about the project development process. Don’t leave everything to be written at the end! Keep up with your project progress, and write regularly.

Project Deliverables:

1. Historiographic Map: The map created will be presented to the class and displayed in the classroom.

2. Oral Presentation with Theatrical Component: The presentations will be performed on a “Latin American History Day”, where each group will present their historical reenactment for the class.

3. Written Document: The final report must be submitted to the teacher on the due date. It should be well structured, showing the methodology adopted and the conclusions drawn from the research and practical activities carried out. Avoid grammar and formatting mistakes, and remember to include all research sources in the Bibliography section.