Choose one of the following questions and write an essay of 3-5 pages, double-spaced; one inch margins.
1. In 1825, as the Wars of Independence in Latin America ended, what were the most significant challenges that new nations-states faced as they struggled to establish stable governments? Be specific and draw on the appropriate assigned readings, PowerPoints, and other course materials to answer the question. Please do not consult sources that have not been assigned for the class.
2. Discuss and evaluate the successes and failures of what Burkholder and Johnson call "the Caroline" reforms-what I called the Bourbon Reforms. Be specific; identify specific economic or political reforms that you consider especially significant; and consider why some social groups supported the reforms and others opposed them.
3. Consider the primary sources in Colonial Lives that focus on African slavery in Spanish America and Brazil, and identify the most significant obstacles to the emancipation of slaves and the abolition of the Atlantic and Pacific slave trades. Be specific and make sure you engage material in the assigned readings.
Guidelines: You should draw on reading and lecture materials for your essays. Do not consult texts or websites that are not included in the material assigned in the class. Take the time to write carefully; avoid misspellings and typographical errors that might suggest your work also is intellectually sloppy. You are free to discuss approaches to the questions as well as readings and other course materials with other students in the class, however, when it is time to put pen to paper, your words must be your own. Avoid paraphrasing; direct quotations from the texts should be properly cited; you may use parenthetical citations for this first response paper.