History 30.8--reading guide, Liss, Atlantic Empires
In general, chapter 5 is more important than chapter 2.
In the notes, I'm using the page #s at the TOP of the page.
Chapter 2
- p. 28--asiento--dated from a 17th century treaty between Britain and
Spain; a provision to allow the British to trade with Spanish colonial
ports, which technically were closed to foreigners. Theoretically, only a
certain number of ports were open, but this provision proved impossible to
enforce. This is key in understanding the importance that Liss attaches to
commercial ties--for all practical purposes, between 1680 and 1760, the
Western Hemisphere was what we would now call a free trade zone.
- pp. 29-32--you can skim; general discussion of types of trade
- p. 32--PP starting "throughout the eighteenth century" is
critical to Liss's argument
- pp. 34-35--important discussion of intellectual trends in this
period--both Enlightenment and religious revivalism; Liss argues that
American commerce helped spread these ideas to Latin America
- pp. 35-38 can be skimmed; general discussion of manifestations of these
intellectual trends
- p. 38--Adams quote is worth contemplating: exactly what type of empire is
he envisioning?
- pp. 39-45--general summary of events leading up to American Revolution;
skim or read closely, depending on how familiar you already are with these
events
- p. 45--Jefferson quote is interesting and important
- pp. 46-47--concluding PP: how do you explain these apparently
contradictory ideological impulses? This is a theme we'll be dealing with
throughout the course
Chapter 5
- p. 105--Paine's Common Sense is probably the best statement of the links
between the political, economic, and ideological currents of the Revolution
as they affected foreign affairs
- pp. 106-107--skim
- pp. 108-109--important. What are the practical ramifications of
Jefferson's world view on p. 109? How does the type of foreign policy
described by Felix Gilbert (p. 108) affect LA? Are the two contradictory?
- p. 111--intrsuctions to Poinsett--read very closely
- pp. 112-122--skim
- p. 122-123--look closely at Jefferson's arguments--how do you reconcile
them with those he made on p. 109?
- p. 125--PP starting "In sum, while the American Revolution" is
key