Thursday, April 10, 2008

RECAP OF THE SYLLABUS FOR THE REST OF THE TERM: FINAL TERM PAPER INSTEAD OF FINAL EXAM

After this week is over, we only have four more weeks of instruction to go in this semester!

It's time to look at where we are at in class, what's coming up and important dates... recapping the syllabus--- with the changes that we agreed upon in class!!!

Note the changes... important dates include April 29 (turn in your first draft of the term paper) and May 13 (turn in your final term paper-- no late papers will be accepted).

WEEK TWELVE

Apr. 8 T Lessons from Archaeology: “Collapse”: Easter Island and the Polynesians
(The class discussion was good. We watched the video "Archaeology: Riddles of the Monument Builders," the second segment, "Mysteries of Easter Island.")
Reading assignment for next class: Diamond, “Part Two: Past Societies”: “Chapter 4: The Ancient Ones: The Anasazi and Their Neighbors” (pp. 136-156) and “Chapter 5: The Maya Collapses” (pp. 157-177).

Apr. 10 Th Lessons from Archaeology: “Collapse”: The Anasazi and the Maya
Reading assignment for next class: Diamond, “Part Two: Past Societies”: “Chapter 6: The Viking Prelude and Fugues” (pp. 178-210) and “Chapter 7: Norse Greenland’s Flowering” (pp. 211-247).

WEEK THIRTEEN

Apr. 15 T Lessons from Archaeology: “Collapse”: The Vikings, Part I
Reading assignment for next class: Diamond, “Part Two: Past Societies”: “Chapter 8: Norse Greenland’s End” (pp. 248-276) and “Chapter 9: Opposite Paths to Success” (pp. 277-308.

Apr. 17 Th Lessons from Archaeology: “Collapse”: The Vikings, Part II
Reading assignment for next class: Diamond, “Part Three: Modern Societies”: “Chapter 10: Malthus in Africa: Rwanda’s Genocide” (pp. 311-328) and “Chapter 11: One Island, Two Peoples, Two Histories: The Dominican Republic and Haiti” (pp. 329-357).

WEEK FOURTEEN

Apr. 22 T Lessons from Archaeology: “Collapse”: Modern Societies: Africa and the Caribbean
Reading assignment for next class: Diamond, “Part Three: Modern Societies”: “Chapter 12: China, Lurching Giant” (pp. 358-377) and “Chapter 13: ‘Mining’ Australia” (pp. 378-416.

Apr. 24 Th Lessons from Archaeology: “Collapse”: Modern Societies: Asia and the Pacific
Reading assignment for next class: Diamond, “Practical Lessons”: “Chapter 14: Why Do Some Societies Make Disastrous Decisions?” (pp. 419-440) and “Chapter 15: Big Businesses and the Environment: Different Conditions, Different Outcomes” (pp. 441-485).

WEEK FIFTEEN

(Apr. 28 M LAST DAY TO WITHDRAW FROM CLASS)

Apr. 29 T Lessons from Archaeology: “Collapse”: Practical Lessons: Societies, Businesses and the Environment
DRAFT OF FINAL TERM PAPER DUE I will review them, make corrections, and return them to you in 1 week.
Reading assignment for next class: Diamond, “Practical Lessons”: “Chapter 16: The World as a Polder: What Does It All Mean to Us Today?” (pp. 486-525).

May 1 Th Lessons from Archaeology: “Collapse”: Practical Lessons: “What Does It All Mean to Us Today?”
(Short research paper originally due today is cancelled, along with the final; instead both will be combined as the final research paper due next week!)

WEEK SIXTEEN

May 6 T Fieldtrip to Montana Historical Society, Archaeological Collections, and State Historic Preservation Office
I RETURN YOUR DRAFT TERM PAPERS FOR REVISION You will have 1 week to revise them according to my comments and turn them back in for the final grade.

May 8 Th Last Class: Guest Speaker

WEEK SEVENTEEN (FINAL EXAM WEEK)

May 13, Tuesday: No lecture-- TURN IN FINAL TERM PAPERS AT BEGINNING OF CLASS! No late papers accepted.

FINAL EXAM:
According to the Final Exam schedule, the final exam for our class would start at 3:10 on Thursday, May 15. Since we are doing a final term paper in lieu of the exam, we don't need to worry about that.

GRADING CLARIFICATION:
Since the final paper is substituting for the short paper on Collapse (20 points) and the Final (30 points), the Final Term Paper is worth 50 points, half of your grade (the first test was 30 points, the first paper was 10 points, and class participation is 10 points). If you attended class regularly and participated (I do pay attention to that), that will count, remember...

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Big Timber Archaeological Field School, Summer 2008


Posted by request of Ellen Baumler at the Montana Historical Society:

Dear Colleagues,

Chris Merritt, a Ph.D. student in anthropology at U of M, is recruiting for a field school for credit at Big Timber, May 25-June 14. Chris is a very capable, energetic young man who is an experienced archaeologist. I can personally vouch for his credentials as I am serving on his dissertation committee. My daughter took his field school, under the directorship of Dr. Kelly Dixon, last year and it was a tremendous learning experience. Chris is doing some very exciting, groundbreaking work on the Chinese in Montana . The site in Big Timber promises to be very interesting and rich in artifacts.

Please pass the attached flyer along to anyone interested in Montana history or archaeology. It is a great opportunity.

Thanks for your time!

Ellen Baumler, Ph.D.
Montana Historical Society
406-444-1687

ARCHAEOLOGICAL
FIELD SCHOOL
In partnership with local private property owners, the University of
Montana is holding a field school to excavate the remnants of Big
Timber’s largely forgotten Chinese district. Chinese came to Big
Timber while working on the Northern Pacific Railroad in the
1880s. After completion of the railroad dozens of Chinese immi-
grants called Big Timber home, and started a variety of businesses
to service the townspeople of the town and travelers of the rail-
road, including four restaurants and numerous laundries. Today,
all that remains of the Big Timber Chinese community are stories,
and the buried archaeological deposits of a laundry/restaurant
located on private property. Field school participants will be re-
quired to camp in primitive conditions for three, five-day weeks.
Students enrolled in this course will learn surveying and excava-
tion techniques.
Dates: May 25-June 14, 2008; 4 credits
Requirements
♦ No Previous Experience Necessary!
♦ Personal Camping Gear
♦ All Food and Travel Provided during work
Phone: 406-243-2450
Fax: 406.243.4918
E-mail: christopher.merritt@umontana.edu
Interested?
BIG TIMBER CHINATOWN
Please Submit a Curriculum Vitae (or Resume), and an
unofficial copy of your university transcripts to:

Christopher Merritt, Ph.D. Student
University of Montana
Department of Anthropology
Missoula, MT 59812

Total Cost ($765 Lab Fee included):
*Undergraduate: Resident: $1645.60 Non-Resident: $3646.40
*Graduate: Resident: $1690.00 Non-Resident: $3764.60