Indians Before Columbus / Prehistory of North America
room B 145 MW 3:00-6:00 PM
sections: H008 / H009
Instructor Dr Clarke Johnson
Course Objectives: This course is intended to introduce the student to the diverse prehistoric societies of North America. Following examination of the earliest evidence of human occupation and the life ways of Paleo-Indians, there will be an introduction to the Inca, Maya, and Aztec civilizations. Empirical data on regional, archaeological, ethnohistorical, and ethnographical data will be presented within a historical framework. Analysis and interpretation of site data will be presented withing the context of archaeological theory. The course will conclude with the consequences of historic contact. The instructor's pictures, artifacts, and personal experiences in Peru, Mexico, and the Southwest will augment the text readings and video presentations. Telephone and Email inquiries about this course are welcome.
Relationship to Other Courses: We suggest, but do not require, that students take Anthropology A104 or P200 as a preparation for either of these courses; Sociology S161 or Anth A103 are reasonable alternative preparations. This course is a companion to North American Indians (E120/320), Introduction to Archaeology (P200), and Life in the Stone Age (P210). What are the differences among them? E120/320 has an emphasis on Native American culture in what is now the United States as it was at the time of European contact as known from historical records, and follows the cultural changes that occurred into the twentieth century. This course (P260/360) has an emphasis on the development of Native American culture from the first occupation of the continent over 10,000 years ago up to time of that contact as known from the archaeological evidence. It also contains a component about the great civilizations to the south of the United States, including the Inca, Maya, and Aztec civilizations, and the effects of European contact on them. P200 begins with an introduction to methodology in archaeology and continues with a survey of human cultural evolution over the last few million years, but with an emphasis on cultures of the Old World after the Ice Age; it is more of a course on archaeology -- how we do it and interpret the findings -- while P260/P360 is more of a course in prehistory, i.e., what we have learned about the past through archaeology. P210 is a unique course that tries to reconstruct life in the past by studying specific technologies such as making stone tools, and the differences in daily life that might be found in different societies with different kinds of social organization. This instructor has taught E120/320, P200, and P210. This course is designed to complement, not overlap, the content of the companion courses.
Textbooks: Fagan Ancient North America 2nd ed ................................FAGAN
Price and Feinman Images of the Past 2nd ed .....................IMAGES
Instructor: Clarke Johnson DDS, PhD Northwestern and the University of Chicago; Visiting Lecturer in Anthropology here at IUN; Assistant Professor in Oral Biology and Oral Sciences, UIC.
Office Hours: Monday and Wednesday 12:00 noon - 2:45 P.M. in room 230 Linden wood Hall. If the door is closed, check with Tara Smith in the department office, room 214.
Telephone: My office number is 219-981-5601. If there is no answer, leave a message on the voice mail. My home number is (815) 939-4242. If there is no answer, leave a message after the 4th ring. Due to annoying telemarketers, it is essential that you identify yourself as from IUN! I'm rarely at home during business days.
Email: cjohnson@iunhaw1.iun.indiana.edu Note: please do NOT attach image files to email!
Websites Authored by the Instructor: www.uic.edu/classes/osci/osci590 and www.uic.edu/classes/orla/orla312
Registration in P260: One site report is required. It is explained elsewhere in this syllabus.
Registration in P360: An additional ten page research paper is required. This is a serious requirement and you should decide now if you wish to be in P360 or in P260. It is explained elsewhere in this syllabus.
Class Participation and Attendance: Attendance, participation in class, and viewing of the video presentations is expected of you.
Quizzes and Examinations: There will be a short quiz at the beginning of each class period, with the exception of the first session and when exams are scheduled. There will be two progress examinations and a final examination.
Inclement Weather: In the event that IUN is officially closed, any scheduled quizzes or exams will be at the next scheduled class session.
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| Final Grade Breakdown for P260: | Final Grade Breakdown for P360: |
| Quizzes 80 | Quizzes 80 |
| First Exam 100 | First Exam 100 |
| Second Exam 100 | Second Exam 100 |
| Site Report 40 | Site Report 40 |
| Term Paper 100 | |
| Special* to be announced | Special* to be announced |
| Final Examination 120 | Final Examination 120 |
| Total Points 440 plus special | Total Points 540 plus special |
*Special: This will be announced in class.
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What is a grade of A or B? First, read the comments under the heading 'self study' below. Second, plan to read the text intensively, attend each class section, and pay attention to the videos. On each quiz, and on each of the three examinations, there will be questions drawn from the text that are not covered in lecture. To earn the top grades, it will be necessary to study the text in detail.
Quizzes: There are nine quizzes including the take-home from session one. You may drop your one lowest quiz. The best eight will be counted. Any absence for any reason will count as your dropped quiz.
Self Study: Reading and disciplined systematic study of the text assignments is very important. The lectures cannot cover all that is in the readings; therefore, it is vital that you begin reading the first day of the course and follow through consistently. There are only thirteen sessions to cover what is ordinarily in a fifteen week course.
Video Presentations: Each session will include at least one full length video presentation.
Incomplete: To qualify for an incomplete you are expected to have completed at least two thirds of the required course work. If you face extraordinary circumstances or crisis, do let me know. As the Beatles song lyrics said: life is what happens when you've made other plans.
Anthropology in the News: If you see an article of interest, bring it in. If something is on television, record it!
Anthropology On-Line: The anthropology department and anthropology club maintain excellent web sites with many links to other sites of interest. If you like to 'point and click' on the Internet, it is very worthwhile to explore the home pages and their links to other web pages.
Anthropology Club: This campus has an active club which brings in speakers of interest, has occasional field trips, and maintains a resource center. Announcements about their activities will be made in class.
Field Trip: A trip to Cahokia is planned for August 6th and 7th. If you are unable to go along, you may go on your own-but to verify your trip there, turn in a photo of yourself at the site AND bring back a museum brochure that I may keep.
P260 Site Report: This document should consist of text, four pages in length in a 12 point font (this is a 12 point font) with normal one inch margins. Included should be an introduction to the site, site history, description of the site, interpretation, presentation, preservation, and a personal perspective. More information will be given at the first class. A trip to Cahokia is planned for Aug 6-7..
P360 Research Report: This is a ten page research paper exploring
some region in North American prehistory. An archaeological site within
the region of interest is to be evaluated on two levels; site-specific
and regional context. More detailed information appears on the last page
of this syllabus.
CLASS SCHEDULE FOR P260 / P360 Prehistory of North America Summer
II, 1999
SESSION 01 Introduction; Theory and Method in Archaeology; Paleo-Indians I
Wed, July 07 FAGAN Chapters 2 and 4
QUIZ 1 issued; it is due next Monday
SESSION 02 Paleo-Indians II ((Note: Special Session this Friday!
Fri, July 09 FAGAN Chapters 5 and 6
QUIZ 2 Turn in Quiz 1
SESSION 03 The Great Plains
Mon, July 12 FAGAN Chapters 7 and 8
QUIZ 3 ***Term Paper and Site Report Topics due next Monday!***
SESSION 04 The Arctic
Wed, July 14 FAGAN Chapters 9 and 10
QUIZ 4 ***Term Paper and Site Report Topics due today!***
SESSION 05 First Hour Exam short break The West I: Early Foragers on the Coast
Mon, July 19 FAGAN Chapter 11
***Term Paper and Site Report bibliographies due next Monday***
SESSION 06 The West II: Prehistoric Societies of the Coast and Basin
Wed, July 21 FAGAN Chapters 12, 13
QUIZ 4 ***Term Paper and Site Report bibliographies due today!***
SESSION 07 The Southwest I
Mon, July 26 FAGAN Begin to read Chapters 14, 15, 16
QUIZ 5 Special guest lecture after the break!
SESSION 08 The Southwest II
Wed, July 28 FAGAN Finish reading Chapters 14, 15, 16
No quiz! Prepare for Second Hours Exam next session!
SESSION 09 Second Hour Exam short break Eastern Woodlands I
Mon, Aug 02 FAGAN Chapter 17
SESSION 10 Eastern Woodlands II: Late Archaic; Adena
Wed, Aug 04 FAGAN Chapters 18, 19
QUIZ 6 **Term papers and site reports are due next Monday!***
Field Trip to Cahokia tentatively scheduled for Aug 6, 7 (Fri-Sat)
SESSION 11 Hopewelian; Mississippian Climax
Mon, Aug 09 Fagan Chapters 20, 21
QUIZ 7 ***TERM PAPERS DUE***
SESSION 12 Ancient Mesoamerica
Wed, Aug 11 IMAGES pp 282-341
QUIZ 8 **SITE REPORTS DUE**
SESSION 13 Inca and Their Predecessors
Mon, Aug 16 IMAGES pp342-383
QUIZ 9
SESSION 14 Final Examination
Wed, Aug 18 In our regular classroom at the scheduled time
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TERM PAPER INFORMATION P360
P360 students are to write a 10 page research paper exploring some region
in North American prehistory somewhere in the present-day United States
or Canada. IF you have a strong interest in Mesoamerica or South America,
THEN you may do so, but with instructor approval. The following two-part
format is strongly urged:
SITE SPECIFIC COMPONENT
I. Introduction to the Site
A. Geographic location (map & environment)
B. Site History; objectives of investigations
II. Methods of Investigation (survey, excavations,
and so on)
III. Artifact Assemblage
IV. Site Features
V. Cultural Components
VI. Interpretation of the Site
REGIONAL CONTEXT COMPONENT
This section should discuss how the site adds to existing culture history
interpretations, or conflicts with them. Cultural history interpretations
should correspond to the main divisions in the Fagan text.
An intellectually solid paper necessarily will reflect opinions drawn
from a variety of sources-books, periodicals, reference volumes, professional
papers, and so on. Use of the Internet is strongly urged but be absolutely
sure to included conventional sources that are subject to peer review!
In the regional context component, be sure to clearly express your conclusions.
Do not make it just a restatement of your objective. Provide some insight
for me on the site and its role in a broader, regional interpretation of
the prehistory of North America.
Your conclusion should read some judgement, express your agreement or
disagreement with regional chronology or how the interpretation of the
site has been presented. Do remember that the conclusions in your paper
must be based on evidence.
TIPS ON WRITING YOUR PAPER.
-It must be typed. Sorry, no exceptions on this one.
-Margins should be one inch around each border.
-Use a twelve point font! This line is written in a twelve point font.
-Double space, BUT DO NOT TRIPLE SPACE!
-Use a standard print font such as Times New Roman which is used here,
Courier which appears on some word processors, or a similar font which
would be found in popular textbooks.
-Check for spelling errors.
-Use a consistent style for your bibliography.
-There must be a full ten pages of text. The bibliography is an extra
sheet. So is any title page, pictures, or maps.
-Do your report neatly!
-There are penalties for late reports. Early reports are smiled upon
with great favor!
CJ'99