Course Information
Description
This is a course designed for students who are interested in the human past, the period of prehistory for which there are few written records and most of our knowledge comes to us via archaeological investigations. The course is organized both in a historical and a topical fashion. We will trace the evolution of human culture through time, focusing on the best-known archaeological sites throughout human history.
Total Credits
3
Course Competencies
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Explore how archaeologists generate information about prehistoryAssessment StrategiesEssay, Exam, and/or Written ProductCriteriaUse archaeological terms effectivelyDescribe general terms used in archaeology, such as stratigraphy, absolute vs relative dating, and artifactsExplore several techniques for gaining data in archaeology, such as excavation, radiocarbon dating, survey, and ground-penetrating radarExplain the concept of in situ and artifact preservationExplore the use of cross-disciplinary research to expand archaeologists’ knowledge of the past
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Distinguish between empirical and speculative narratives about the pastAssessment StrategiesEssay, Exam, and/or Written ProductCriteriaApply media literacy and analysis to evaluate a chosen sourceIdentify who produced a source and for what purposeDescribe techniques used to persuadeAssess credibilityExplain how nations utilize archaeology to aggrandize the stateAnalyze the use of archaeology in helping displaced peoples interpret their past or defend their present
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Explore new points of view about who we are as humans, how we came to be, and how we shaped the world around usAssessment StrategiesEssay, Exam, and/or Written ProductCriteriaExplore the development of early Homo and their differences from other early homininIdentify African sites for early Homo such as Olduvai Gorge, and SwartkransExplore Neanderthals and other early hominin speciesExplore the development and migrations of Homo sapiens
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Explore the development of tools and technologies in prehistoryAssessment StrategiesEssay, Exam, and/or Written ProductCriteriaDescribe general terms related to lithic technologies such as debitage, flake, knapping, and handaxeExplore the development of stone and metal tools over timeExplore the use and development of tools for everyday life, art, and weapons for hunting and violenceExplore how the evolution of crafting and various technologies, such as pottery and metallurgy, encouraged the development of complex societies
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Explore domestication and the development of agricultureAssessment StrategiesEssay, Exam, and/or Written ProductCriteriaDescribe the meaning and development of the Neolithic period in many parts of the worldIdentify external and internal factors in the development of domesticationDifferentiate between domestication, cultivation, and agricultureExamine the domestication of key animals such as cattle, dogs, or sheep/goatsCompare arguments for why the development of agriculture was a mistake, vs indigenous techniques of agriculture, and arguments for the benefits of the development
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Explore the rise and development of urbanization and complex statesAssessment StrategiesEssay, Exam, and/or Written ProductCriteriaExamine Childe and other researchers' theories on the development of cities and complexityDescribe terms such as social stratification, hierarchy, and heterarchyRelate the development of writing and literacy to legitimating and affirming power and identityAnalyze methods utilized by rulers to control and organize complex societies using economic, military, and ideological control
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Explore archaeological theories on the development of the prehistoric worldAssessment StrategiesEssay, Exam, and/or Written ProductCriteriaExamine early theories on the spread of Homo sapiens and culture such as diffusionDescribe how racism and colonialism influenced early archaeological studiesOutline the evolutionary approach to analyzing developing complexityCompare and contrast various processual and post-processual theories on human development
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Explore the development of various cultures and sites in the Old WorldAssessment StrategiesEssay, Exam, and/or Written ProductCriteriaDescribe the development of various cultures in the Near East and MesopotamiaDescribe the development of major centers of urbanization such as Angkor or HarappaDescribe the development of Egyptian civilization and cultureDescribe the development of prehistoric art and culture in Europe
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Explore the development of various cultures and sites in the New WorldAssessment StrategiesEssay, Exam, and/or Written ProductCriteriaDescribe the development of various cultures in North America, such as the MississippiansDescribe the development of various cultures in Mesoamerica, such as the Maya, the Olmecs, or the AztecsDescribe the development of various cultures in South America, such as the Moche or the Inka