History 216 Modern Latin America

Final Public History Project

In completing this project, students will:

  1. Craft a focused research question to examine an important aspect of Latin American history and culture, paying attention to what their topic reveals about diversity and power within the region.
  2. Use the skills of historians – including information literacy, research, source analysis, and interpretation – to create a public history project that communicates their interpretations of Latin American culture and history.
  3. Communicate their ideas clearly and accessibly. 
  4. Create a polished and attractive public history project that makes good use of digital platform to tell a media-rich story.  

Final Project Specifications

  • You can choose any topic you like, but cannot just duplicate research you presented for your earlier research project.
  • You’ll share your analysis of Latin American history and culture in two ways: as a digital public history project, and in a short presentation during our exam period. You’ll also write a 2-page memo detailing your approach to the project.
  • You must incorporate analysis of at least one Latin American primary source.
  • Your project must show your attention to diversity and structural inequalities in Latin America.
  • Your tone and communication strategies should be accessible and engaging (appropriate for an intelligent general audience with minimal background knowledge).
  • All work on this assignment must be completed before beginning of our exam period: 4pm on Monday, May 8. You cannot use a token for more time on this assignment.
  • All projects must include full citations for all sources of information. (This can be a credits section for your movie, integrated into the map entries, or part of your poster.)

Project Proposal & Rough Draft

  • Share your project proposal with me no later than noon on Wednesday, April 19 26th. You must receive my approval to continue with your plans (I’ll do this by Friday the 28th).
  • OPTIONAL (but recommended): Share a rough draft/ storyboard of your project for my feedback by noon on Wednesday, April 26 Tuesday, May 2.

Digital Public History Project

A Contract Specifications

Create a 2-3 minute movie (strict time limit) that places any aspect of contemporary Latin American culture or politics in historical perspective. Submit by uploading to either YouTube or Stream (and sharing the link on Moodle).

B Contract Specifications

Create a five-stop tour using Google My Maps to present an analysis of place and history. Submit by uploading the link to your project to Moodle.

C Contract Specifications

Create a poster or visual resource to guide viewers about one focused aspect of Latin American history or culture. Submit by uploading to Moodle.

Three-Minute Thesis Talk UPDATED: Now we’ll just show your projects in person, and discuss.

  • Create a single slide on our Final Project collaborative Google slideshow (linked from Moodle) to serve as your background.  Make sure to include your name, project title, and an image(s)!  Upload it any time before our exam period.
  • You’ll present a timed, 3-minute talk during our exam period (Monday, May 8 at 4pm)
  • Start with a concise overview of your topic and why it is important for folks wanting to go beyond a “surface” view of Latin American history and culture. 
  • Explain your approach to public history: how did you shape your work to engage a smart public with limited knowledge of Latin America?  What strategies did you use to go beyond stereotypes? To show the complexity of your topic?
  • Conclude by explaining what you see as the larger significance of your argument and its relationship to course themes.
  • Practice to make sure you are confident about the timing and content.   

Digital History Project Memo

This 2-page memo should devote a full paragraph to each of the following five questions:

  1. Why did you select this topic? What is the larger historical significance of this entry, and why is it important for more people to learn about?
  2. How does this project show your work as a historian analyzing primary sources?  Secondary sources?
  3. How does this project show your attention to the diversity of lived experiences in Latin America?  Structural inequalities (and efforts to fight against them)? 
  4. Did the fact that your project is meant for a general audience affect how you approached its design and execution? Give examples of considerations/decisions you made to better engage your audience.
  5. What are the most important skills you learned in completing this project? How will you use these skills moving forward? 

Upload a pdf of your memo to Moodle before our exam period.

Final Project Rubric

  • Project Format:  Presentation fulfills criteria for content and scope for your contracted grade. Project, presentation slide, + memo submitted on time.

  • Depth of Analysis:   Focused research that goes beyond a “surface” view of Latin America to demonstrate your sophisticated understanding of Brazilian history and key course themes.

  • Historical Context: Project clearly explains how your topic reflects its specific Latin American historical context.

  • Primary Source Analysis:  Insightful incorporation of at least one primary source highlighting a Latin American perspective.

  • Research + Sources: Project demonstrates your use of high-quality, reliable sources of evidence. All outside source of information fully cited.

  • Analysis of Systemic Inequalities:  Clear consideration of what your research reveals about diversity and power.

  • Creativity: Final project includes an array of original, creative ideas, combining topics explored in class with new ideas in novel ways.

  • Design: The final project is visually appealing and reflects effort, attention to detail, and care in presentation.

  • Public History Communication: Clear, effective communication appropriate for a general audience with limited knowledge about Latin America or the Latino Diaspora.

  • Class 3 minute presentation: Concise overview of your project and approach to public history. Student’s responses to peer questions demonstrates the depth of their knowledge.
    Participation in student project showcase, asking useful questions and contributing to discussion.

  • Project Memo: Reflective consideration of how you chose your topic, why it is historically significant, and how you’ve demonstrated your mastery of class learning goals.

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