I. ASCRC General Education Form
Group
X: Indigenous and Global Perspectives
Dept/Program
Anthropology
Course #
ANTH 354
Course Title
Prerequisite
3
Mesoamerican Prehistory
None
Credits
II. Endorsement/Approvals
Complete the form and obtain signatures before submitting to Faculty Senate Office
Please type / print name Signature
Date
John E. Douglas
9/15/08
4246
john.douglas@umontana.ed
u
Program Chair
John E. Douglas
9/15/08
Dean
Gerald Fetz
III. Description and purpose of the course: General Education courses must be introductory
and foundational. They must emphasize breadth, context, and connectedness; and relate course
content to students’ future lives: See Preamble:
http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/gened/GEPreamble_final.htm
Instructor
Phone / Email
For at least 15,000 years, Native Americans lived in “Mesoamerica” (In terms of modern
political boundaries, Central Mexico south and east to neighboring Central American countries,
including Belize, Guatemala, and parts of El Salvador and Honduras). This course covers the
era through the Spanish Conquest that began in A.D. 1519. The people in this region developed
into one of the two great centers of political, economic, and social complexity in the Americas
(the other is northwest South America). This means that the Aztecs, Mayans, their
predecessors, along with many less well-know cultures in the region, ultimately organized into
large political states, and, at times, huge empires, with incredible urban centers and their wellknown ceremonial precincts, impressively high population densities, a high degree of economic
specialization and stratified class society, and the requisite technologies for such systems to
exist, including highly productive agricultural systems. The are three ways to learn about these
substantial and consequential human experiences: (1) the stories of the Native American from
this region, including written histories from both before and after the Spanish Conquest—this is
the only area in the Americas with indigenous writing systems; (2) inferences from historical
and anthropological observations of Native Americans; and (3) the objects, structures, and
landscapes created by Native Americans from before the Conquest. Informed by the first two
methods, this is a course presenting the third, archaeological, approach to understanding
Mesoamerica before the Conquest. It is taught to a wide range of students—generally, it has
more non-anthropology majors than majors, and counts towards Latin American minor—and it
introduces what archaeologists can infer about the origins, development, causes, and patterns of
the “great tradition” of Mesoamerica. Clearly, the course explicitly addresses the
accomplishment of Native Americans and provides some comparisons with other “early
Civilizations” with the aim of understanding the originality and complexity of Native American
societies.
IV. Criteria: Briefly explain how this course meets the criteria for the group. See:
http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/ASCRCx/Adocuments/GE_Criteria5-1-08.htm
Indigenous and/or global courses will
familiarize students with the values, histories,
and institutions of two or more societies
through the uses of comparative approaches.
Indigenous perspective courses address the
longstanding tenure of a particular people in a
particular geographical region, their histories,
cultures, and ways of living as well as their
interaction with other groups, indigenous and
non-indigenous.
Global perspective courses adopt a broad focus
with respect to time, place, and subject matter
and one that is transnational and/or multicultural/ethnic in nature. Whether the cultures
or societies under study are primarily historical
or contemporary, courses investigate significant
linkages or interactions that range across time
and space.
By examining Mesoamerica from the first
“peopling” up to the historic period, students
gain a sense of how Native American
institutions originate, evolve and change.
The class is inherently comparative in two
senses. First, it examines the range of Native
American cultures in the area, from the
tropical lowlands of the Maya to the high
temperate valleys of Central Mexico where
the Aztecs and their ancestors lived. Students
learn about the tensions between the
“Mesoamerican World System”—the shared
aspects of the cultures and circulation of elite
goods— and local traditions, especially of
the gulf coast, lowland Maya, Oaxaca
region, and the Basin of Mexico (modern
Mexico City). Second, the class
contextualizes the region through some
comparison with other early cultures such as
ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, and highland
South America, as well as systematically
examining contact with Europeans and the
changes that occurred, so that global and
European contrasts are also made.
The course has an indigenous perspective,
and no other course at UM covers
prehispanic Native Americans in Latin
America in detail. Archaeology offers a
unique view: Native American culture
without the effects of the European
expansion. That is not to say eurocentric
ideas do not influence our interpretation—
those problems with archaeology are dealt
with explicitly— but the record itself
represents a unique window on Native
America.
V. Student Learning Goals: Briefly explain how this course will meet the applicable learning
goals. See: http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/ASCRCx/Adocuments/GE_Criteria5-1-08.htm
Most of the course is organized into a time
and space grid: a gross chronology is used
to define periods with broad similarities and
then cultural regions, especially the most
thoroughly studied ones, are introduced,
compared, and contrasted. Thus, there is a
strong sense of local development and
change through time. “Hinge-points” and
critical issues in the prehistoric record are
explored in detail: What conditions lead to
the adoption of agriculture? What are the
social conditions that lead to social ranking?
Why does “cycling” between great empires
and politically fragmented and often warring
small states occur? These kinds of questions
(see the syllabus) are dealt within specific
historical contexts and narratives.
Demonstrate an awareness of the diverse ways
This class is all about how Mesoamericans
humans structure their social, political, and
were different than others: the unique
cultural lives.
aspects of their agricultural systems, their
religious beliefs, their ceremonial centers,
and governance are all carefully considered,
while also grounding the shared
explanations and understandings that
archaeologists have developed to understand
early states and urban societies.
Analyze and compare the rights and
This class is often an eye-opener for
responsibilities of citizenship in the 21st century students and inherently comparative to
including those of their own societies and
“western civilization” for students, because
cultures.
of the echoes of the Victorian–era view that
placed Europeans at the pinnacle of human
existence still present in popular culture.
Few students have any idea that the
prehistoric Native Americans had cities that
rivaled and often exceeded the ancient
towns of Eurasia, sophisticated writing
systems, elaborate markets and
transportation systems, and one of the most
advanced astronomical and mathematical
systems in the ancient world.
VII. Syllabus: Paste syllabus below or attach and send digital copy with form. ⇓ The syllabus
should clearly describe how the above criteria are satisfied. For assistance on syllabus
preparation see: http://teaching.berkeley.edu/bgd/syllabus.html
Place human behavior and cultural ideas into a
wider (global/indigenous) framework, and
enhance their understanding of the complex
interdependence of nations and societies and
their physical environments.
MESOAMERICAN PREHISTORY, Anthro 354, Summer 2007
Professor: John Douglas; Office: Social Sciences 233; Office hours: Tuesday and Thursday,
10:00-11:00; Monday-Wednesday 1:30-2:30, or by appointment; Tel: 243-4246; E-mail:
John.Douglas@umontana.edu.
Purpose: Participants in this course will gain an appreciation of cultural developments within
Mesoamerica up to the Spanish conquest. "Mesoamerica" is a term used to identify an area
encompassing part or all of the modern nations of Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and
El Salvador, where some of the most complex Native American societies flourished. The
course takes a chronological approach, first focusing on the domestication of important crops
such as corn, beans, and squash. The process of creating larger settlements —first villages,
then ceremonial centers and towns, and, ultimately, cities—and the concurrent increasing social
and political complexity, are the themes for the remainder of the class. Developments that are
traced include: population growth, social inequalities, the intensification of agriculture,
changes in religious authority, specialization of craft production, the delineation of state art
styles, and the expansion of technical fields such as writing, mathematics, astronomy, and
calendrics. These trends, summarized on page 4 of this syllabus, using the terminology
employed during the course, were not linear, nor were they always region-wide. Therefore, we
will closely examine the causes and consequences of the development and collapse of separate
traditions, such as the Gulf Coast Olmec, the Classic Maya, and the Aztec.
Prerequisites: None
Required text: Hendon, Julia A., and Rosemary A. Joyce,
2003, Mesoamerican Archaeology. Blackwell Publishing,
Maldan, MA.
Text webpage:
http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/BSGA/mesoam/. You
will need to access the book study questions provided on this
site for the written assignment. The webpage has other useful
content, particularly political maps and a small set of
photographs. Also, the webpage includes links that provide
color photographs, sometimes movies, and additional info
covering many sites and cultures covered by the class.
Tests and assignments: There are three tests. Each test is
worth 100 points. A test follows each unit and covers the
lecture materials and readings. Tests consist of objective
questions (multiple choice, true-false), worth 3 points each and short answer and/or short essay
questions. An OPTIONAL comprehensive exam is given in the second hour of the final
period. This exam replaces a missing exam or one with a lower grade. It cannot lower your
grade.
Besides the tests, students must write a short written assignment, due July 23, judged on a 50point scale:
1) Open the webpage for the book and select “Study Questions” under Students area;”
2) Choose two (2) questions that you wish to write on from two different chapters;
3) Include the questions that you answer at the top of your paper;
3) Answer each question in two type-written or neatly handwritten double spaced pages
(no more than 500-600 words);
4) Cite the sources of your information (normally, the chapter associated with the
question) using any citation system you want; archaeologists normally use the authordate-page system modeled in the textbook. For example, (Sugiyama 2003:121) refers to
page 121 of your book, in the chapter written by Sugiyama. Clearly indicate any direct
quotes with quotation marks or, if long, by indentation (see an example of the latter on
page 250 of your book).
5) Please include a “references cited” page listing the chapters that you cited.
6) I urge all students to read and understand the plagiarism warning contained in the
general catalog. If you do not clearly indicate the source of sentences taken from the
chapters, you are committing “plagiarism,” an activity that, at a minimum, will result in
a zero for the paper and the notification of the Dean of Students.
Extra Credit: Due: July 25 in class.—No exceptions! Grading: There is a maximum of 10
points; papers will be graded on style/grammar/spelling, understanding of the reviewed
research, and creativity in reviewing the research implications. Assignment: select a peerreviewed archaeological journal article at least six pages long that focuses on an
archaeological site, artifact category, or other topic related to Mesoamerican archaeology as
defined in your text book. Make sure you are using a peer-reviewed journal, and check that you
have an article, not a book review, news short, or reply. I recommend Latin American
Antiquity, Journal of Field Archaeology, or Journal of World Prehistory; in our library, the first
two are electronic only journals and the latter is available electronically and on paper.
Questions: in preparing your paper, answer the following questions: (1) What is (are) the
central question(s) that the author(s) are trying to answer? (2) What information and approaches
do they use to answer those questions? (3) How successful do you think they were in answering
those questions? (4) Review what your textbook says about the relevant era/region. How does
the journal article you read add to your understanding of this period of Mesoamerican
archaeology? Mechanics: Papers must be typed, double-spaced, stapled, and no more than four
pages of text using standard fonts and margins. You must include a copy of the first page and
abstract for the article that you select in your assignment. Make sure you provide a full
citation of your article, and use the author-date system to cite quotes and specific facts in your
paper (see discussion under required assignment).
Graduate Student Papers: All graduate students must submit a 3,000 to 4,000 word (12-16
double space pages) original research paper on an approved aspect of Mesoamerican
archaeology with at least 10 references from professional sources. Graduate papers will be
judged on a 100-point scale, and are due on July 25.
Final Grades: Not including bonus points, there are 350 points possible in the class for
undergraduates, with 90% (315+ for undergraduates,) or more will receive an "A," etc. The +/system will NOT be used in this class.
A plea to the wireless crowd: Please turn off you cell phone or mute the ringer during class!
Disability Accommodations: When requested by the student, learning disabilities recognized
by Disability Student Services (DSS) will be ameliorated with any reasonable accommodation:
copies of notes, special testing environment, extended testing time, and special forms of the
tests.
Plagiarism and misconduct: All students must practice academic honesty. Students
unfamiliar with the Plagiarism Warning in the catalog are urged to read it. Plagiarism and
Academic misconduct is subject to an academic penalty by the instructor and/or a disciplinary
sanction by the University. All students need to be familiar with the Student Conduct Code.
The Code is available for review online at www.umt.edu/SA/VPSA/index.cfm/page/1321 .
Incompletes: An incomplete will be considered only when requested by the student. At the
discretion of the instructor, incompletes are given to students who missed a portion of the class
because of documented serious health or personal problems during the session. Students have
one year to complete the course; requirements are negotiated on a case-by-case basis.
lease note that June 29 (4:30 pm) is the last day to add or drop a course
Mesoamerican Prehistory Schedule
Date
Day
Topic
Readings
25-Jun M
Course Introduction/ /Geography
26-Jun T
History of Archaeology
Chapter 1
Peopling through the Transition to Food
27-Jun W
Production
28-Jun Th
The Early Formative
Chapter 2
2-Jul M
The Late Formative
Chapter 3
3-Jul T
TEST 1
4-Jul W
Holiday
5-Jul Th
The Classic Maya
Chapter 6
9-Jul M
The Classic Maya
Chapter 6
10-Jul T
The Classic Maya
Chapter 7
11-Jul W
Teotihuacan
Chapters 4 & 5
12-Jul Th
Oaxaca
Chapter 8
16-Jul M
Classic collapse
17-Jul T
TEST 2
18-Jul W
The Early Post-Classic
Chapter 10
19-Jul Th
The Late Post-Classic
Chapter 9
23-Jul M
The Late Post-Classic (papers due)
Chapter 11
24-Jul T
The Aztecs
Chapter 12
25-Jul W
The Aztecs
Chapter 12
26-Jul Th
Required TEST 3 and optional essay final (follows regular test)
*Please note: As an instructor of a general education course, you will be expected to provide
sample assessment items and corresponding responses to the Assessment Advisory Committee.