Climbing the El Castillo Pyramid
[ send me this essay ]
A 3 page paper which examines what one could gain or experience through visiting the Mayan ruins in Chichen Itza and climbing to the top of the El Castillo pyramid. Bibliography lists 3 sources.
Filename: RAmayapy.rtf

Colonial Latin America: Social Networks, Identity, and Consensus
[ send me this essay ]
This is a 6 page paper discussing colonial Latin America in relations to the patron-client relationship and social classes. While colonial Latin America was segregated into a hierarchy of social and class systems with the Spanish elite at the top, the maintenance of the system was possible by the textured social networks within communities which existed before the introduction of the Spaniards but nevertheless added the elite Spaniards as the ruling class. The Spaniards did their best to degrade the culture of the Native Indians by introducing Spanish customs and religion and separating the communities into barrios however although the Indians observed these new customs in a public sense, their private identity still contained traditional cultural, familial and social elements. Largely the Spanish elite ruled with stability based on the belief in the class system which expected them to manage the communities with justice. When that expectation failed however, consensus among the lower classes was obtained and riots ensued which led the way to eventual independence. Bibliography lists 9 sources.
Filename: TJLatam1.rtf

Communism in Mexico
[ send me this essay ]
This 22 page paper discusses communism in Mexico, including its history, development of various political parties, and in particular the decade 1930-1940, during which time Mexico nationalized its oil industry and agricultural workers went on a massive strike. Bibliography lists 10 sources.
Filename: HVComMex.rtf

Comparative Mexican Literature: Ruben Martinez’s “Crossing Over: A Mexican Family on the Migrant Trail” and Victor Valle’s “Recipe of Memory : Five Generations of Mexican Cuisine”
[ send me this essay ]
A 5 page overview of the content of these two books and the differences in presentational style elected by each author. The author of this paper emphasizes that Mexican literature offers a wide gamut of style and subject matter. Of particular interest is the way different writers chose to present their information. Some chose a discursive appropriation while others use formal appropriation. The approach elected by Valle falls into the latter category while that of Martinez falls into the former. Bibliography lists 3 sources.
Filename: PPmexLit.rtf

Conquest of Mexico
[ send me this essay ]
A 5 page paper which considers who led the conquest, what natives were affected by it, and examines its positive and negative results. Bibliography lists 2 sources.
Filename: TGmexcon.rtf

Conquest of Mexico
[ send me this essay ]
A 5 page book review that examines Victors and Vanquished by historian Stuart B. Schwartz, which features historical documents that present both sides of the Spanish conquest of Mexico, the observations of Spaniards, but also the observations of Nahua (Aztec) witnesses as recorded by Fray Bernardino de Sahagun in the Florentine Codex. This discourse points to a number of pertinent factors as being crucial to the early Spanish victory. No other sources cited.
Filename: khvvmex.rtf

Contrasts In Mexican & U.S. Culture
[ send me this essay ]
A 4 page paper dealing with the cultural differences between Mexico and the United States. Deals with the importance of multiculturalism and intercultural exchanges. No bibliography.
Filename: Mexus.wps

Corruption in Mexico
[ send me this essay ]
This 8 page paper provides an overview of corruption within Mexico's borders. Governmental corruption includes deceptions within the police force, human rights abuses by the military, and the support of drug cartels. Mention is made of President Fox's intention to change things. Bibliography lists 8 sources.
Filename: SA130Mex.rtf

Could Mexico City, Istanbul, Paris Or St. Petersburg Be Able To Achieve Their Current Status Without The Politics Of Authoritarianism?
[ send me this essay ]
8 pages in length. National identity of any given state or country is that which defines its existence throughout the global community; while some live by the tenets of democracy, others adopt a considerably harsher approach through authoritarianism. Does this separation make a difference when examining the extent to which, for example, Mexico City, Istanbul, Paris or St. Petersburg have been able to achieve current status? Indeed, one might readily surmise that had these four global communities assumed anything but their historically authoritarian stance in relation to politics, their respective modern-day standing would not have warranted such a tremendous endeavor. Bibliography lists 5 sources.
Filename: TLCMexAuth.rtf