DOCSLIB.ORG

Social Studies

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Social Studies SOCIAL STUDIES POVERTY POINT EARTHWORKS: GRADES 5-8 LOUISIANAS ANCIENT INHABITANTS (LESSON 2) GEORGE DURRETT TIME ALLOTMENT: STANDARDS: One 45-minute class periods United States History Standards for grades 5-12 This lesson can be used in conjunction withLesson http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/nchs/standards/ 1: Poverty Point Earthworks: Evolutionary worldera1.html Milestones of the Americas, or separately. If used http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/nchs/standards/ in conjunction with the first lesson, the Poverty Point worldera2.html film need not be shown again. The time allotment Standard 1A: Analyze how the natural environments would be one 45-minute class period. of the Tigris-Euphrates, Nile, and Indus valleys shaped the early development of civilization. OVERVIEW: Standard 1B: Analyze how the natural environments of the Tigris-Euphrates, Nile, and Indus valleys When we think of ancient cultures in the New World, shaped the early development of civilization. the Mayans, Aztecs, and Incas come to mind. Yet here Standard 2B: Compare the climate and geography of in Louisiana lies evidence of a culture that extends back the Huang He (Yellow River) valley with the as far as 1350 BC. The prehistoric people of Poverty natural environments of Mesopotamia, Egypt, Point created an earthen structure so immense that it and the Indus valley. was unrecognizable from the ground. In the 1950’s, an aerial photograph was discovered that pictured huge Louisiana Social Studies Content Standards earthen ridges and mounds that were not a product of http://www.doe.state.la.us/DOE/asps/home.asp natural geological formation. Geography: Physical and Cultural Systems Through the activities in this lesson, students will Students develop a spatial understanding of Earth’s examine the structures and artifacts of Poverty Point in surface and the processes that shape it, the order to understand the cultural aspects of North connections between people and places, and the American prehistoric people, their development in relationship between man and his environment. relationship to the world wide emergence of other Places and Regions cultures, and the role of archeologists in preserving our G-1B-M1: Explaining and analyzing both the physical past. With the use of web sites, film and text, the and human phenomena associated with students will compare and contrast our prehistoric culture specific places, including precipitation and with other familiar early cultures around the world. settlement patterns. G-1B-M4: Describing and explaining how personal SUBJECT MATTER: Social Studies, interests, culture, and technology affect History people’s perceptions and uses of places and regions. LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Environment and Safety The student will: G-1D-M1: Analyzing and evaluating the effects of • Compare and contrast the Poverty Point human actions upon the physical civilization’s emergence with that of other environment. early civilizations. Historical Thinking Skills • Construct a model of Poverty Point H-1A-M1: Describing chronological relationships and earthworks through an analysis of the site. patterns • Create artifacts and jewelry similar to that of H-1C-M1: Describing the earliest human the Poverty Point inhabitants. communities. Louisiana History H-1D-M1: Describing the contributions of people, events, movements and ideas that have been significant in the history of Louisiana. Louisiana Public Broadcasting • 7733 Perkins Rd • Baton Rouge, LA 70810 • 225.767.5660 • 800.272.8161 • www.lpb.org • [email protected] SOCIAL STUDIES MEDIA COMPONENTS: Video: Poverty Point Earthworks: Evolutionary Milestones of the Americas Web sites: Poverty Point Earthworks: Evolutionary Milestones of the Americas http://www.lpb.org/programs/povertypoint/pp_transcript.html This Web site examines the ancient earthworks of the Poverty Point Native Americans, a development that may have begun 6,500 years ago. Archeologists discuss where and why the mounds were developed, the artifacts found, and the possible lifestyle of these people. http://members.aol.com/Donnclass/indexlife.html This web site provides information on the ancient civilizations of Egypt, Greece, Rome, India, China, and the NW Pacific Coast Indians. It is an informative and amusing collection of facts, stories, and other information that is easily and quickly attainable to the middle school student. Hyperhistory http://www.hyperhistory.com This Web site offers timelines, maps, and links to cultures, their histories and photographs of these civilizations. MATERIALS: • Pencil and paper • Question and answer sheets for film viewing For each group of 4-5 students: • Long thin strip of paper for a time line (cash register rolls can be found at an office supply store) • Mexican clay or Playdough • Laminated maps of Poverty Point • World Map PREP FOR TEACHER: Prior to this lesson, bookmark the Web sites used in the lesson on each computer. View film and set it to the spot to be viewed. Prepare the hands-on element of the lesson by: 1. Making index cards with the names of early civilizations on each one (Egypt, Greece, Rome, India, China, and NW Pacific Indians). Instructions on the card will direct the student to: a. find the book marked site on the internet and print one picture of the assigned civilization. b. identify the time period of the civilization. c. compile a minimum of five facts illustrating that civilization’s individuality. d. place the picture and facts on the time line. 2. Prepare time line by marking off years beginning with 10,000 BC to 2000 AD mark 2000 AD as the present. Tape to wall or chalkboard. 3. Divide clay or play dough into enough for each group to make a small relief to recreate the Poverty Point mounds. 4. Laminate Poverty Point maps for clay relief work. 5. Divide clay in individual portions for each child in each group to make artifacts and jewelry. Louisiana Public Broadcasting • 7733 Perkins Rd • Baton Rouge, LA 70810 • 225.767.5660 • 800.272.8161 • www.lpb.org • [email protected] SOCIAL STUDIES INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY: If this lesson is done in conjunction with lesson one, the introductory activity can be deleted. Go to Activity #1and proceed. 1. Pass out xeroxed pictures of artifacts of ancient peoples. Ask your students to examine the pictures and offer suggestions on the items’ purpose, age, and location of the possible sites. Are these people hunters and gatherers, or have they progressed enough to establish villages? What kind of culture do you think they may have had? 2. Following this discussion, define what an archeologist, geoscientist, and historic site manager are and the purpose of their work. Introduce a picture of the Poverty Point site and the names of the archeologists and geoscientist that worked it. Poverty Point is a very large earthwork development formed by Louisiana Native Americas as far back as 6,500 years ago. The site was abandoned 3,300 years ago. It wasn’t until the 1840’s, about twenty years before the civil war, an explorer by the name of Jacob W alter was looking or lead ore and found the first reported Native American artifacts at Poverty Point. In the 1950’s an old aerial photograph was found that showed man-made earthen mounds. They were so big, no one standing on the ground could have seen that they formed a specific shape and purpose. Today we are going to hear from four professionals that have worked to understand the Poverty Point Site and its history. Two of the men are archeologists. These are people who scientifically study the life and culture of ancient peoples. Their names are Robert Connolly, Ph.D. and Jon Gibson, Ph.D. One professional, Robert Saucier, is a geoscientist studying the earth, how it was formed in northern Louisiana, and how that relates to the location of the Poverty Point mounds. The fourth individual in this team is Dennis LaBatt, an historic site manager. His job is to oversee the excavations and protect the site from harm. 3. The teacher will pass out the question forms that will be answered while watching the film and read over them with the students. The questions will include: • How old are the earthforms? • In what shape are the earthforms? • If the ridges were straightened and laid end to end, how long would they be? • What possible purpose did the thirty-seven acre plaza serve? • What explanation is there for the deep pits found on the western side of the plaza? • Where did the Poverty Point people get copper and stones? • Their houses were probably constructed from what materials? • What did the people eat? • What destroyed any evidence of housing? • What did they hunt with? • How was the food cooked? • What animal was symbolic for the Poverty Point culture? • What does a certain type of jewelry indicate in this culture? Corresponding answers are attached. 4. The students will view the film and answer questions. Feel free to stop the film at any time to make a significant point or to answer a student’s question. 5. The students will discuss the data gathered from the film. The Poverty Point Earthworks: Evolutionary Milestones of the Americas website will be provided on the Internet for exploration and review. The students are encouraged to check their answers and provide additional material. Louisiana Public Broadcasting • 7733 Perkins Rd • Baton Rouge, LA 70810 • 225.767.5660 • 800.272.8161 • www.lpb.org • [email protected] SOCIAL STUDIES CULMINATING ACTIVITIES: The teacher will explain the following activities to the groups. The groups are to take turns on the computer or computers researching the assigned civilization. If a computer lab is available, the students can individually research the material and plan the time line presentation in the classroom. The students that must wait for the computer will begin the Activity #2 and move on through the other activities until computer time is available.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • I. a Consideration of Tine and Labor Expenditurein the Constrijction Process at the Teotihuacan Pyramid of the Sun and the Pover
    I. A CONSIDERATION OF TINE AND LABOR EXPENDITURE IN THE CONSTRIJCTION PROCESS AT THE TEOTIHUACAN PYRAMID OF THE SUN AND THE POVERTY POINT MOUND Stephen Aaberg and Jay Bonsignore 40 II. A CONSIDERATION OF TIME AND LABOR EXPENDITURE IN THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS AT THE TEOTIHUACAN PYRAMID OF THE SUN AND THE POVERTY POINT 14)UND Stephen Aaberg and Jay Bonsignore INTRODUCT ION In considering the subject of prehistoric earthmoving and the construction of monuments associated with it, there are many variables for which some sort of control must be achieved before any feasible demographic features related to the labor involved in such construction can be derived. Many of the variables that must be considered can be given support only through certain fundamental assumptions based upon observations of related extant phenomena. Many of these observations are contained in the ethnographic record of aboriginal cultures of the world whose activities and subsistence patterns are more closely related to the prehistoric cultures of a particular area. In other instances, support can be gathered from observations of current manual labor related to earth moving since the prehistoric constructions were accomplished manually by a human labor force. The material herein will present alternative ways of arriving at the represented phenomena. What is inherently important in considering these data is the element of cultural organization involved in such activities. One need only look at sites such as the Valley of the Kings and the great pyramids of Egypt, Teotihuacan, La Venta and Chichen Itza in Mexico, the Cahokia mound group in Illinois, and other such sites to realize that considerable time, effort and organization were required.
    [Show full text]
  • Further Investigations Into the King George
    Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Master's Theses Graduate School 2010 Further investigations into the King George Island Mounds site (16LV22) Harry Gene Brignac Jr Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_theses Part of the Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons Recommended Citation Brignac Jr, Harry Gene, "Further investigations into the King George Island Mounds site (16LV22)" (2010). LSU Master's Theses. 2720. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_theses/2720 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Master's Theses by an authorized graduate school editor of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE KING GEORGE ISLAND MOUNDS SITE (16LV22) A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in The Department of Geography and Anthropology By Harry Gene Brignac Jr. B.A. Louisiana State University, 2003 May, 2010 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS First and foremost, I would like to give thanks to God for surrounding me with the people in my life who have guided and supported me in this and all of my endeavors. I have to express my greatest appreciation to Dr. Rebecca Saunders for her professional guidance during this entire process, and for her inspiration and constant motivation for me to become the best archaeologist I can be.
    [Show full text]
  • Indiana Archaeology
    INDIANA ARCHAEOLOGY Volume 6 Number 1 2011 Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology (DHPA) ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Indiana Department of Natural Resources Robert E. Carter, Jr., Director and State Historic Preservation Officer Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology (DHPA) James A. Glass, Ph.D., Director and Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer DHPA Archaeology Staff James R. Jones III, Ph.D., State Archaeologist Amy L. Johnson, Senior Archaeologist and Archaeology Outreach Coordinator Cathy L. Draeger-Williams, Archaeologist Wade T. Tharp, Archaeologist Rachel A. Sharkey, Records Check Coordinator Editors James R. Jones III, Ph.D. Amy L. Johnson Cathy A. Carson Editorial Assistance: Cathy Draeger-Williams Publication Layout: Amy L. Johnson Additional acknowledgments: The editors wish to thank the authors of the submitted articles, as well as all of those who participated in, and contributed to, the archaeological projects which are highlighted. The U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service is gratefully acknow- ledged for their support of Indiana archaeological research as well as this volume. Cover design: The images which are featured on the cover are from several of the individual articles included in this journal. This publication has been funded in part by a grant from the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service‘s Historic Preservation Fund administered by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology. In addition, the projects discussed in several of the articles received federal financial assistance from the Historic Preservation Fund Program for the identification, protection, and/or rehabilitation of historic properties and cultural resources in the State of Indiana.
    [Show full text]
  • Copy of Poverty Point Binder.Pdf
    1. Exhibit Information for Teachers Thanks for choosing to share this fascinating piece of Louisiana prehistory with your students! The new, revamped Poverty Point Classroom Exhibit is an updated and expanded version of the well-loved Poverty Point exhibit that has been in circulation since 1986. The exhibit includes one DVD and three books, as well as artifacts and activities to teach your class about the Poverty Point site and culture. The activities contained within the exhibit are designed to teach, but also to be fun. This section provides a preview of what's included, and is designed to help in planning the Poverty Point unit for your class. When the Poverty Point unit is complete, please return all items in the exhibit, including the clay. If you have any questions, please call us at the Division of Archaeology (225-342-8166). We hope you enjoy these activities, and welcome your comments and suggestions! Exhibit Contents The Suitcase Artifacts Many artifacts are included in the suitcase. A complete inventory of artifacts is in the table on the next page. The artifacts can be introduced using a discovery learning or presentation technique. The Artifact Investigation Worksheet in Section 4 and the Artifact Question Cards should be used with the discovery learning technique. The Artifact Caption Cards may be displayed when using a presentation technique, or at the conclusion of the discovery learning technique. Most of the artifacts in the suitcase are 3,500 years old. Students may examine and touch them, but please take care to avoid dropping or damaging the artifacts.
    [Show full text]
  • The Archaeology of North America
    ARCL 0079 THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF NORTH AMERICA 2018-2019 Term 2 THURSDAYS 4-6 PM ROOM 209 INSTITUTE OF ARCHAEOLOGY Coordinator: Katherine (Karen) Wright Additional teachers: Kevin Macdonald, Jose Oliver, Andrew Garrard, Patrick Quinn OVERVIEW OF MODULE CONTENT This module is an introduction to the archaeology of North America, from initial colonization by Eurasian hunter-gatherers, to the present day. Topics include the European encounter with the New World; physical and cultural geography of North America; colonization of the continent (ca. 20,000 BC); Palaeo-Indian hunter-gatherer societies and human ecology (20,000-8000 BC); the Archaic period (ca. 8000-1000 BC); the post-Archaic period (ca. 1000 BC – 1500 AD); early mound builders of the Middle and Late Archaic; sites of the Woodland-Adena-Hopewell cultures; the Mississippian culture; the emergence of pueblos in the American Southwest; the nature of social complexity in native North America, before European contact; the archaeology of European contact; Spanish and French colonization; British colonization; the archaeology of the early United States of America; the 19th century; the African diaspora, the archaeology of slavery, plantations, the Civil War, westward expansion of the United States; and issues in cultural heritage. 1 ARCL 0079 (previously 3099) ARCHAEOLOGY OF NORTH AMERICA 2018-19 Term 2, Thursdays 4-6 pm, Room 209 Institute of Archaeology Co-ordinator: Katherine (Karen) Wright ([email protected]), Room 101, IoA. Tel. 0207 679 4715 Additional teachers: Kevin MacDonald, Andrew Garrard, Jose Oliver, Patrick Quinn *Coordinator’s Office Hours: Tuesdays 2-5 pm; Wednesdays 4-6 pm; Fridays 4.15-5.30 pm.
    [Show full text]
  • Classroom Archaeology: an Archaeology Activity Guide For
    DOCUMENT RESUME ED 393 721 SO 025 292 AUTHOR Hawkins, Nancy W. TITLE Classroom Archaeology: An Archaeology ActivityGuide for Teachers. Third Edition. INSTITUTION Louisiana State Dept.of Culture, Recreation, and Tourism, Baton Rouge.Office of Cultural Development. SPONS AGENCY National Park Service(Dept. of Interior), Washington, D.C. PUB DATE 91 NOTE 117p. AVAILABLE FROMDivision of Archaeology, Office of Cultural Development, Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, State of Louisiana, P.O. Box 44247, Baton Rouge, LA 70804. PUB TYPE Guides Classroom Use Teaching Guides (For Teacher)(052) EDRS PRICE MFO1 /PC05 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Ancient History; Anthropology; *Archaeology; Community Characteristics; Cultural Background; Cultural Education; Elementary Secondary Education; *Heritage Education; Higher Education; *Local History; *Material Culture; Middle Schools; Social Studies ABSTRACT This guide describes archaeology activities appropriate for middle school students, but some activities can be used in intermediate and primary grades or high school and college classes. The activities range in length from less than one hour to 15 hours. A sequence of activities may be used together as a unit on archaeology, or individual activities may be used alone. The activities generally are arranged in the guide in order of increasing complexity. The guide is divided into five parts:(1) "Resources"; (2)"Short Activities";(3) "Games";(4) "Record a Site"; and (5) "Analyze a Site." (EH) ***********************************************************************
    [Show full text]
  • Social Studies
    SOCIAL STUDIES POVERTY POINT EARTHWORKS: GRADES 5-8 LOUISIANAS ANCIENT INHABITANTS (LESSON 1) GEORGE DURRETT TIME ALLOTMENT: STANDARDS: Two 45-minute class periods United States History Standards for grades 5-12 http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/nchs/standards/ OVERVIEW: worldera1.html http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/nchs/standards/ When we think of ancient cultures in the New worldera2.html World, the Mayans, Aztecs, and Incas come to mind. Standard 1A: Describe types of evidence and Yet here in Louisiana lies evidence of a culture that methods of investigation that extends back as far as 1350 BC. The prehistoric anthropologist, archaeologists, and other people of Poverty Point created an earthen structure scholars have used to reconstruct early so immense that it was unrecognizable from the human evolution and cultural development. ground. In the 1950’s, an aerial photograph was Standard 2B: Analyze differences between discovered that pictured huge earthen ridges and hunter-gatherer and agrarian communities mounds that were not a product of natural geological in economy, social organization, and formation. quality of living. Through the video and web activities in this lesson, students will examine the structures and Louisiana Social Studies Content Standards artifacts of Poverty Point in order to understand the http://www.doe.state.la.us/DOE/asps/home.asp cultural aspects of North American prehistoric people Geography: and the role of archeologists in preserving our past. Physical and Cultural Systems With the use of web site, film and text, analyze and Students develop a spatial understanding of Earth’s illustrate the roles of the people past and present that surface and the processes that shape it, the had an impact on this historic site.
    [Show full text]
  • A History Southeastern Archaeological Conference Its Seventy-Fifth Annual Meeting, 2018
    A History m of the M Southeastern Archaeological Conference m in celebration of M Its Seventy-Fifth Annual Meeting, 2018 Dedicated to Stephen Williams: SEAC Stalwart Charles H. McNutt 1928–2017 Copyright © 2018 by SEAC Printed by Borgo Publishing for the Southeastern Archaeological Conference Copy editing and layout by Kathy Cummins ii Contents Introduction .............................................................................................1 Ancestors ..................................................................................................5 Setting the Agenda:The National Research Council Conferences ....................................................................15 FERACWATVAWPA ............................................................................21 Founding Fathers ...................................................................................25 Let’s Confer !! .........................................................................................35 The Second Meeting ..............................................................................53 Blest Be the Tie That Binds ..................................................................57 The Other Pre-War Conferences .........................................................59 The Post-War Revival ............................................................................65 Vale Haag ................................................................................................73 The CHSA-SEAC Years (1960–1979)..................................................77
    [Show full text]
  • GRADE 3 SOCIAL STUDIES INSTRUCTIONAL TASK Poverty Point
    GRADE 3 SOCIAL STUDIES INSTRUCTIONAL TASK Poverty Point This instructional task contains a set of primary and authentic source documents about Poverty Point settlements in and around North Louisiana. Alignment This task addresses content related to the following grade-level expectations: GLE 47: Use information in a map, table, or graph to describe the past (H-1A-E3) GLE 52: Identify and describe early settlers in Louisiana (H-1C-E1) Contents This sample task contains the following sections: • Primary and Authentic Sources • Extended-Response Task • Scoring Rubric • Scoring Notes • Additional Resources for Teachers • Printable Student Version Task Directions • Teachers may choose to use or modify this sample as part of an instructional lesson or as a formative or summative assessment. • Teachers should provide students access to the printable student version of the task, which excludes GLE alignment and scoring information. • Students should then read or review the sources and answer the question. • For specifications about the task, please see the Assessment Guidance for grade 3. GRADE 3 SOCIAL STUDIES INSTRUCTIONAL TASK Primary and Authentic Sources Ask students to read and study the following sources about Poverty Point and take notes in the space next to the documents or on page 4 of the printable student version. Students should then use the documents to answer the extended-response question on page 5 of the printable student version. Source 1: Poverty Point Tables Tools Food Other Characteristics spears fish traded at length atlatles
    [Show full text]
  • Situating the Claiborne Soapstone Vessel Cache in the History of Poverty Point
    SITUATING THE CLAIBORNE SOAPSTONE VESSEL CACHE IN THE HISTORY OF POVERTY POINT Kenneth E. Sassaman and Samuel O. Brookes A cache of 12 soapstone vessels from the Claiborne site in Mississippi was recently repatriated to the state after being excavated in 1968 and removed to Ohio. As a locus of Poverty Point affiliation, Claiborne was positioned along a Gulf Coast route for the influx of soapstone into the lower Mississippi valley from quarries in the southern Appalachians, hundreds of kilometers to the east. Although residents of Claiborne were likely to have been active traders during the heyday of Poverty Point exchange, ca. 3600–3400 cal BP, new AMS assays on carbon deposits from seven of the soapstone vessels show that the cache was emplaced ∼200 years later, during or shortly before the abandonment of Poverty Point. Reported here are the results of AMS assays, observations on vessel form and function, and preliminary inferences about the significance of the cache in the context of environmental and cultural change after 3200 cal BP. Un depósito votivo de doce vasijas de esteatita, procedentes del sitio Claiborne en Misisipi, fue repatriado recientemente a su estado de origen después de haber sido excavado en 1968 y reubicado en el estado de Ohio. Siendo uno de los centros asociados con Poverty Point, Claiborne fue establecido en la ruta de la costa del Golfo de México para el ingreso y circulación de la esteatita en el Valle Bajo del Misisipi; dicho mineral proviene de los yacimientos ubicados al sur de los Apalaches, a cientos de kilómetros al este.
    [Show full text]
  • Table of Contents the Poverty Point People Were Pre-Agricultural Hunter
    4,200 – 2,700 BP Poverty Point: the earliest complex culture in North America Table of Contents 4,200 – 2,700 BP Poverty Point: the earliest complex culture in North America .................. 1 Trade ............................................................................................................................................... 3 Shamanism ...................................................................................................................................... 3 Artifacts........................................................................................................................................... 4 Lithic Art ......................................................................................................................................... 4 Government and Social Structure ................................................................................................... 8 The Poverty Point people were pre-agricultural hunter-gatherers who built large scale monuments in the Lower Mississippi Valley and imported raw material from a wide area of central North America for their fine stone work, which included stone cooking vessels and fishing net weights. Jewelers of the Poverty Point culture produced unique art including beads in the images of owls, dogs, locusts, and turkey vultures. The Poverty Point Culture stretched along almost 100 miles of the Mississippi River and Gulf Coast and included over 100 villages. 3,000 years ago, the Poverty Point site, with about 500 to 1,000 people, was the largest
    [Show full text]
  • A Constellation of Practice in the Experience of Sea-Level Rise
    A Constellation of Practice in the 9 Experience of Sea-Level Rise Kenneth E. Sassaman Registered in the archives of human history are moments when connec- tions among people with independent histories coalesced into broader institutions and structures of practice. We know well how this devel- oped over the past 500 years, as colonial and capital interests expanded outward to encapsulate and transform communities across the globe ( Wolf 1982). We know less about the circumstances of premodern times, when seemingly independent and varied communities coalesced around shared experience. Absent of the economic and political forces behind the globalization of modernity, the emergent structures of ancient times are traced by archaeologists to ideological or cosmological motives (e.g., Dillehay 2007; Pauketat 2013) or, in more prosaic terms, to a sociality of cooperation that promotes sustainability through pooled risk (e.g., Bettinger 1991; Braun and Plog 1982). In all such cases, practices that transcend local communities to form what Wenger (1998) calls “constel- lations of practice” can be expected to involve shared experiences, like globalization, of commensurate scale. For instance, climate change and its manifestations in drought, flooding, and sea-level rise can be experi- enced simultaneously by communities distributed across vast spaces (also Schoenbrun, this volume). How experiences among dispersed people in- form practice at larger social scales is a matter of considerable interest not only to the historians of ancient times but also to policy makers who hope to mitigate the impact of global climate change through transnational, cooperative action. About 3,500 years ago across the lower southeast United States, a constellation of practice coalesced around the experience of sea-level rise.
    [Show full text]