Provides a broad overview of Latin America from the 18th century to the present. It examines the breakdown of colonial rules, the establishment of independent countries, the formation of viable nation states, the importance of geography, the roles of the different elements of society. Social, political, and economic changes and continuities emphasized to give a sense of the ambiguities of the historical process. Cultural differences illustrated with slides and music. The effects of elite rule and of United States interventions studied. Course meets the History major requirements for Group III.