Bell's Bulletin Board

HISTORY 420AA

Latin American History

T/TH 9:35-10:50am

Updated March 7, 2013

   
Contemporary issue assignment (100 pts.)

DUE: April 16, 2013 - FOR EACH WEEKDAY IT IS LATE I WILL DEDUCT 10 PTS.

Approach this assignment as if you were an investigative reporter.  You want to educate your reader about a very important issue that needs a solution. 

Format:
1. Type, double-space your paper.  1" margins all around.
2. Paper should be a minimum of four pages, no more than five.
3. Please attach your internet resources.  If I do not receive copies of your resources, I will immediately deduct 40 pts.
4. Remember, G# in the upper right hand corner.  I suggest you put your G# on every page.
5. Please, please, please staple your paper.  I am not your friendly Office Depot!
6. Check with me if you're unsure of a resource.
7. Need help?  Dennis Wolbers or Eric Brenner in the Library can help.  Just show them this assignment.

If you have something else you want to write on, please clear it with me BEFORE you begin.  Thank you.

CHILDREN
Those often the most abused and victimized in the world are children. Using the UNICEF website, as well as any others that are legitimate, please chose one country from Latin America, and write an investigative report.  You should include statistics on the child population, literacy rates for children, infant mortality, and anything else you find interesting.  Answer thoroughly the following question:

1. What are two of the biggest obstacles facing children in this country? How is this problem being addressed?  Has success been made?  Explain.

2. "The Amazon River Basin/Rain Forest…spans the borders of eight countries …and is the world's largest river basin and the source of one-fifth of all free-flowing fresh water on Earth. Its rain forests are the planet's largest and most luxuriant, and home to - amazingly - one in ten known species on Earth. About 20% of earth's oxygen is produced by the Amazon rainforest. (blueplanetlomes.org) What are two major problems facing the Amazon River Basin/Rain Forest today?  How are they being addressed?

3. The United States has been waging a futile war against drugs in Latin America for decades. Latin America, which produces nearly all of the heroin and cocaine consumed in the United States, is the principal target of U.S. international drug war efforts. (Drugpolicies.org) Since the 1970s, Columbia has become home to one of the most sophisticated and profitable drug trafficking organizations in the world.  What is the status of the drug trade in Columbia today?  How has it affected the social, political and economic health of this country?

4. Now for some good news.  Currently, the country of Chile, is one of South America's most stable and prosperous nations. It ranks 40th on the Human Development Index (HDI).   This is the normalized measure of life expectancy, literacy, education, standard of living, and GDP per capita for countries worldwide.  Choose two of these variables and discuss why Chile ranks so high on the HDI scale.

5. The Catholic Church has been a bastion of strength in Latin America since the 16th century.  The Church has been intimately involved with the political and social structure of Latin American society, from its stand on birth control, same-sex marriage, and religious reform.  However, this is slowly changing.  There is new competition for the Latin American soul from the Evangelical Protestant movement.

Choose one country and discuss this new phenomenon. How has Evangelical Protestanism gained a foothold, and why has it been so successful?