Anthropology 3
Final Essay Question
Stuart T. Smith

Deadline: Tuesday, March 16, Noon, 1003 HSSB

Answer ONE of the following questions:

  1. The search for the origins of agriculture, pastoralism and settled life forms one of the central themes of anthropological archaeology.   This development occurred after the end of the last ice age at various times, beginning in the Middle East and North Africa and over the next several thousand years taking place around the world.   Some argue that population pressure drove people to begin producing food, others argue for a kind of co-evolution or risk management strategy where slow experimentation resulted in domestication, and finally some suggest that social pressures to produce food for feasting and other activities that would enhance an individual's prestige drove the process.   For this paper compare and contrast two areas where this revolutionary shift in human society happened.   Make sure to include a discussion of the logic behind each model, and consider how well each applies to each region.   Compare and contrast ONE set of two areas from the following options:
    1. Mesopotamia (the "fertile crescent") vs. Mesoamerica (Basin of Mexico).
    2. The Andes vs. China.

  2. Pristine states were characterized by highly centralized and integrated governments.   The masses were led or ruled by a very small minority within society.   Examine how elites managed and manipulated economic, coercive, ideological sources to gain political power.   For this paper, compare and contrast two early states with respect to the presence and use of each of the sources of power.   Particular states may have emphasized some sources over others.   Why do you think they did so?   Make sure to include discussions of each source of power: economic, military, ideological, and political.   You may also want to discuss and compare the concept of political economy in each of the two states.   Compare and contrast one set of two states from the following options:

    1. Egypt vs. the Aztec OR the Inka
    2. The Maya vs. Mesopotamia OR China

 

Answer the question completely in a well developed 7-8 page essay.   You will need to combine lectures, the readings, and outside sources to adequately address the questions, and you should cite at least 5 references regularly within the text and prepare a bibliography of references cited.   Dr. Fagan's texts should serve as an excellent introduction and guide to the issues involved in the questions, but only the World Prehistory textbook can count as one of the five sources.   The other four should be taken from books and/or articles that you find in the library (web pages do NOT count as a source).   You should use the "guide to further reading" section below to begin to identify appropriate additional sources. Begin researching and developing your essay very soon and consult your TA immediately if you have any difficulties.

Read the questions carefully and be sure that your paper addresses all of the issues raised in the question. Consult the Study Guide’s Appendix for style, and be sure to include the Cover Sheet from the Study Guide.

The standard anthropological format for references within the text is as follows (Silverman 1997:10-20) = (Name Year:Pages). You can treat the lectures as a personal communication = (Stuart Smith, pers. comm., 1999), although they do NOT count as one of your sources. A References section should appear at the end of the paper, with entries formatted like this:

Kemp, Barry
1989 Ancient Egypt. Anatomy of a Civilization. London: Routledge.

Guide to Further Reading

Scarre, Chris and Brian Fagan, Ancient Civilizations
Wenke, Robert, Patterns in Prehistory (RESERVED)
Coe, Michael, The Maya (RESERVED)
Schele, Linda and Freidel, A Forest of Kings
Townsend, R., The Aztecs (RESERVED)
Smith, M., The Aztecs
Moseley, The Inca and their Ancestors (RESERVED)
Aldred, C., The Egyptians
Shaw, Ian, The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt
Whitfield, Roderick and Wang Tao, Exploring China's Past
Chang, Kwang-chih, The archaeology of ancient China (RESERVED)

The books indicated will be placed on 2-hour reserve at the library.

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