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Time: T, Th, 9:30-10:45 AM
Place: Newcomb Hall, Room 209
Description: This course is designed to provide students with a basic outline of the archaeology and culture history of Native North America from the northern part of Mexico to the Arctic. The basic premise of the course is that an understanding Native American lifeways at contact and even through to today requires an appreciation for the history and development of these cultures through time. Archaeological data are the principal means by which we can reconstruct this history. The focus will be on culture history with an emphasis on topics and issues that help to define cultures in space and time. We will also explore themes and trends that are common to a number of cultures across the continent to investigate how these processes affected different aboriginal groups.
Requirements: The class will be lecture oriented. There will be no mid-term examination. Instead, students will compile a research bibliography for a specific area, culture, topic, or site, and one "book review" of a book or monograph of your choice. A final examination, and a term paper will comprise the other assignments. The term paper will be done in two stages, with an initial draft followed by the completed, revised version.
The term paper is not only to provide a grade but also to allow you to more fully explore a topic or topics of particular interest. For most research topics you will find that to 20-25 pages is sufficient. I expect that all written work will be of sufficient length to cover the topic and to do justice to the archaeological research and Native American archaeological record. Final written products should be double-spaced, with 1" margins (maximum). The initial draft will be carefully critiqued, both for form and content. Please take time to read the instructions concerning the term paper carefully before you submit your first draft. Students will be required to meet with the instructor to go over the results of the initial draft. The final, rewritten draft is due on the day of the exam.
The topic should be arranged in consultation with the instructor. You can consult the on-line guide North American Prehistory: Reference Sources in the Howard-Tilton Library for ideas and sources for your paper. I also suggest that you look through the various articles on prehistory in the Handbook of North American Indians, which is in the Reference section of the library. For areas not covered by the Handbook you can use the Fagan text or talk to me.
Grades: The research bibliography will count for 12.5% of the final grade, the book review will count for 12.5% of the final grade, the final exam (which will be cumulative) will count for 35% of the final grade, with the term paper counting for 40% of the final grade.
Readings: The Text is Fagan, B. Ancient North America (3rd edition, 2000); readings in the syllabus followed by asterisk (*) are on reserve at the library under Anthropology 413/713. Readings marked "HdBk" with a volume number, pages, and a dagger (Ý) are found in the Handbook of North American Indians. These volumes are in the reference section of the library and are Non Circulating. A second copy of each Handbook can be found in the Government Documents section of the library.
Important Dates for the Course:
Thursday, Sept. 27, No Class, Yom Kippur
Thursday, Sept. 20, Research bibliography due
Thursday, Oct. 11 Book review due
Thursday, Nov. 15, No Class (Southeastern Archaeological Conference)
Tues. Nov. 20, First draft of term paper due
Thursday, Nov. 22, Thanksgiving
Friday, Dec. 7, Last day of classes
Monday, December 17 Final Examination (8:00 AM-12:00); Final draft of term paper due
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Aug. 30 |
Introduction & Cultural and Natural Areas of North America I |
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Sept. 4 |
Cultural and Natural Areas of North America II |
Fagan Ch. 1-3 |
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Sept. 6 |
Paleoindians I |
Fagan Ch. 4; Fagan 89:Chs. 5-9 |
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Sept. 11 |
Paleoindians II |
Fagan Chs. 5; Fagan 89:Ch. 10*; Gramly 1982: 64-78* |
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Sept. 13 |
Arctic I |
Fagan Ch. 8; HdBk 5:27-48Ý |
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Sept. 18 |
Arctic II |
Fagan Ch. 9: Giddings Chs. 6-7* |
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Sept. 20 |
Archaic of western coastal North America |
Fagan Ch. 10; HdBk 7: 16-29, 107-129Ý |
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Sept. 25 |
NW Coast I |
Fagan Ch. 11 |
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Sept. 27 |
No Class (Yom Kippur) |
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Oct. 2 |
NW Coast II |
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Oct. 4 |
Later Prehistory of California |
HdBk 8: 37-57, 448-470; 690-693Ý |
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Oct. 9 |
The Great Basin I |
Fagan Ch. 12; HdBk 11: 31-50Ý |
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Oct. 11 |
Great Basin II |
Hdbk 11: 161-172Ý |
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Oct. 16 |
The Southwest I |
Fagan Ch. 13; HdBk 9: 31-42, 43-60 Ý |
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Oct. 18 |
The Southwest II |
Fagan Ch. 14 |
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Oct. 23 |
The Southwest III |
Hdbk 9:162-169; HdBk 10: 489-501Ý |
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Oct. 25 |
The Southwest IV |
Fagan Ch. 15; HdBk 10: 368-385Ý |
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Oct. 30 |
The Plains I |
Fagan Ch. 6 |
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Nov. 1 |
The Plains II |
Wood '67 116-168*; |
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Nov. 6 |
The Plains III |
Fagan Ch. 7; Ewers 1955: 299-340* |
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Nov. 8 |
The Mid-Continent and SE I |
Fagan Ch. 16-17 |
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Nov. 13 |
The Mid-Continent and SE II |
Fagan Ch. 18 |
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Nov. 15 |
No Class (SEAC) |
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Nov. 20 |
The Mid-Continent and SE III |
Fagan Chs. 19 |
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Nov. 22 |
No Class (Thanksgiving) |
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Nov. 27 |
The Mid-Continent and SE IV |
Fagan Ch. 20 |
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Nov. 29 |
The Northeast I |
HdBk 15: 28-43Ý; Bourque Chs. 1, 8* |
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Dec. 4 |
The Northeast II |
Fagan Ch. 21 |
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Dec. 6 |
Contact |
Fagan Ch. 22; Dobyns '83: Essay One*; Garcialaso '51 "Third Book"* |
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Dec. 17 |
Final Exam (8:00 AM-12:00) |
References
Bourque, Bruce J.
1995 Diversity and Complexity in Prehistoric Maritime Societies: A Gulf of Maine Perspective. Plenum Press, New York.
Dobyns, Henry F.
1983 Their Number Become Thinned. University of Tennessee Press, Knoxville.
Ewers, John C.
1955 The Horse in Blackfoot Indian Culture. Bulletin 159. Bureau of American Ethnology, Washington, D. C.
Fagan, Brian M.
1987 The Great Journey. Thames and Hudson, London.
Garcilaso de la Vega, El Inca
1951 The Florida of the Inca. Translated by Varner, J.G. and Varner, J.J. University of Texas Press, Austin.
Giddings, James L., Jr.
1967 Ancient Men of the Arctic. Knopf, New York.
Gramly, Richard M.
1982 The Vail Site: A Paleo-Indian Encampment in Maine. Bulletin 30. Buffalo Museum of Natural Sciences, Buffalo.
Wood, W. Raymond
1967 An Interpretation of Mandan Culture History. Bulletin 198. Bureau of American Ethnology, Washington, D. C.
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