Final exam study guide
CCS 350A fall 2011
Two of the following questions will be on your final exam. You will have two hours to
answer the questions.
Please write legibly, be specific, and go beyond the obvious. Please give evidence of new
knowledge acquired in class.
1) Women are often treated differently depending on their status (whether they are slaves
or not, mothers or not, married or widowed, virgins or not, wealthy or poor, Spanish or
casta members, young or old, etc). Give four examples of legal differentiation among
women during the period from 1521-1848. Why did this type of differentiation exist? Was
the differential treatment a reflection of the diversity of women’s experiences? How did
the different treatment contribute to greater diversity (and inequality) among women?
Does it make sense to talk about “women” as a category given the diversity of women’s
experiences and the legal differentiations that contribute to/uphold diversity and inequality
among women? In your view, with regards to women, which differentiation was the
strongest in Mexico during the colonial period (race, class, maternal status, etc)? Do you
see any remnants of these differentiations today (whether in Mexico or the U.S.)? Are you
affected at all by these differentiations?
2) What role did the Catholic Church (including individual members of the Church) play
in the conquest and colonization of Mexico? (Make sure to mention the inquisition and the
mission system) What were some of the internal contradictions within the Church? (Give
at least two examples) What were the Church’s biggest successes? (Give at least two
