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Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. Differentiate among various types of human societies ranging from small-scale communities to empires, and identify the kinds of patterns such societies produce in the archaeological record.
2. Compare and contrast sociopolitical development in the ancient world on a global scale.
3. Identify cultural changes and systems linked to early agriculture, including the emergence of early states.
4. Analyze the development of social complexity using important archaeological sites and discoveries.
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I. Archaeology and prehistory
II. Archaeological approaches to culture change
III. Evolution and human origins
IV. The spread of modern humans from Africa to around the globe
V. Hunting and gathering lifeways
VI. The transition to agriculture
A. Types of early plants domesticates, such as maize, rice, millet, and potato
B. Types of early faunal domesticates, such as dogs, pigs, sheep, goats, and cattle
C. Changes in technology associated with agriculture
VII. The first farmers, including a regional survey of early primary centers of domestication, such as Mesopotamia, Asia, Mesoamerica, North America, South America, and Sub-Saharan Africa
VIII. The concept of social complexity, such as spirituality, ritual practices, art, writing, status, wealth, and social hierarchy
IX. The origins of urban societies
X. Theoretical approaches of the emergence of the state
XI. Old World states and empires, such as the Sumerian, Egyptian, and Harappan civilizations
XII. New World states and empires, such as the Hawaiian Kingdom, the Maya, the Aztec, the Moche, the Wari, Inca, and Cahokia
XIII. Collapse of complex political systems
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1. Reading assignments (between 10-40 pages per class week).
2. Writing assignments may include several short-answer and essay responses (250-400 words each) based on homework reading. Students may also be expected to complete a 7-10 page (1,500-2,500 words) research paper on an archaeological topic or produce an academic poster (1500-2,000 words) and presentation on a related issue in archaeology and world prehistory.
3. Students will complete 1-3 exams, which can include multiple choice, true/false, matching items, map identification, short answer, and essay questions.
4. Optional assignments may include short 5-10 minute presentations on assigned readings or relevant topic and the completion of short map quizzes.
| Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing. | Writing
30 - 65% |
| Written homework, short answer exam questions and essays, research papers or posters | |
| Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills. | Problem Solving
0 - 0% |
| None | |
| Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams. | Skill Demonstrations
0 - 0% |
| None | |
| Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams. | Exams
30 - 65% |
| Multiple choice, true/false, matching items, maps, essays, short answers | |
| Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories. | Other Category
5 - 10% |
| Attendance and Participation | |
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The Human Past: World Prehistory and the Development of Human Societies (3rd Edition). Scarre, Chris (ed). Thames and Hudson: 2013.
The Past in Perspective (6th Edition). Feder, Kenneth L. Oxford University Press: U.S.A.: 2013.
People of the Earth: An Introduction to World Prehistory (14th Edition). Fagan, Brian M. Pearson: 2014.