Course Description: Study of the development of Spanish culture & civilization through geography, religion, sociology, and the arts of the Iberian Peninsula with special reference to the ways of thinking and cultural products. Taught in Spanish.
Course Narrative: Throughout this course I was able to learn about the culture and civilization of Spain. We began with the indigenous groups of people who migrated from other nearby countries and lived in different regions of Spain. Each group of people had their own language that spread throughout their territory. Then, we learned about the Roman invasion, the migration of the Muslims, the Arabs and ultimately the beginning of the monarchy. Throughout the chapters I was able to see how each language of the groups who once dominated Spain, all contribute to the Spanish languages that are now spoken in Spain which include: castellano, vasco, gallego, and catalan. It was very interesting to learn how Spanish slowly developed through time from Latin throughout Europe which is why there are a few European languages that are very similar to Spanish. We had the opportunity to create a presentation based on a painter or sculptor, to learn the different techniques they use to create their amazing artwork and how we can learn more about them through their art. This class fulfills the MLO outcomes of Literary and Cultural Knowledge, since we spent the entire semester learning about the geography of Spain, their civilization, how their religion has evolve through time and it's connection to the government.