CCOG for ATH 235 archive revision 201904
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- Effective Term:
- Fall 2019 through Summer 2020
- Course Number:
- ATH 235
- Course Title:
- Archaeology of the Americas
- Credit Hours:
- 4
- Lecture Hours:
- 40
- Lecture/Lab Hours:
- 0
- Lab Hours:
- 0
Course Description
Examines the archaeology and prehistory of the Americas and the impact of European contact and conquest on indigenous cultures. Covers the development of pre-Columbian cultures and civilizations such as the Olmec, the Maya, the Aztec, the Inca or their predecessors from an archaeological perspective. Compares the geographies, values, beliefs, social customs, politics, technologies, and resources of prehistoric cultures in the Americas. Examines systems of power and social justice issues related to excavation, study, and preservation of indigenous human remains. Audit available.
Addendum to Course Description
This class will cover the time period from first appearance of prehistoric people in the Americas to the time of European contact and conquest. Students should read and write at a collegiate level.
Intended Outcomes for the course
Upon completion of the course students should be able to:
- Describe the history and cultural development of societies in the Americas from the prehistoric period through the time of European contact as revealed in the archeological record.
- Identify and compare the cultural systems of different prehistoric societies in the Americas.
- Describe systems of power and marginalization associated with prehistoric or pre-Columbian societies in the Americas.
- Examine the impact of culture contact, conquest, and colonialism on societies in the Americas from an archaeological perspective.
Course Activities and Design
Class activities may include any of the following:
- lectures
- class discussions
- small group activities
- videos and films
- artifact analysis
- guest speakers
- museum visits
Outcome Assessment Strategies
Assessment strategies may include any of the following:
- exams (take home and in class)
- quizzes
- presentations
- short papers
- term papers
- projects
Course Content (Themes, Concepts, Issues and Skills)
Themes:
- geography of the Americas
- indigenous American food resources and life ways
- prehistory of Central and South American cultures
- culture areas and regions of the Americas
- the Archaic period
- State formation in the Americas
- Impact of European contact, conquest and Colonialism
Issues:
- Cultural Origins
- Cultural Expansion
- Cultural Collapse
Concepts:
- Cultural Evolution
- Mesoamerica as a Culture Area
- Mesoamerican Pattern
- State formation and expansion
- "CBS" Crops
- Slash and Burn/Chinampa Agriculture
- Paleo-Indian, Incipient, Pre-Classic, Classic, Post-Classic
- Olmec, Maya, Teotihuacano, Toltec, Zapotec, Mixtec, Mixica, Inca civilization
Skills:
- read and write at a college level
- apply an understanding of archaeological theories and methods
- use and evaluate sources of information accurately