Take Home Final Exam

Hey folks – as we’ve talked about, your final exam is take home.  This will give you an opportunity to digest the things we’ve talked about, do some synthesis, and be a little more thoughtful about what you write than you might normally be able to do in a traditional exam. I’m looking for thoughtful and detailed essays that show you’ve absorbed the materials we’ve covered in class.  I’m particularly interested in seeing that you are able to synthesize that information. You also need to support your arguments with sources from your readings from throughout the semester.

For the exam, write an essay length response on any two of the following questions:

  1. Describe and discuss 4 sources of evidence that that supposedly support pre-columbian contact between the old world and the new world.  Discuss the factors that motivate the claims surrounding these sources of evidence.  Are they connected by similar themes?  If so, discussion these themes.
  2. Discuss and describe the historical development of the belief in Atlantis (as veritable history).  How does this historical narrative influence modern belief in Atlantis.  Be sure to provide detailed examples to support and illustrate your discussion.
  3. Discuss and describe the role that nationalism plays in pseudoarchaeological claims.  Be sure to provide detailed examples to support and illustrate your discussion.
  4. The Cardiff Giant and the Piltdown Man hoaxes were similar in that both related to archaeology and the study of human evolution and prehistory. However, they were quite different in terms of motives, the reasons for their success, and their impacts. Compare the motives for these two hoaxes. What were the goals of the hoaxers? Compare the reasons each was successful. Why did people want to believe them? Compare the impacts of the Cardiff Giant and Piltdown hoaxes on the scientific understanding of the human past.

The exam should me sent to me via email (as a PDF, not a Word document) on December 10th by 5pm. (after which it will be considered late and start incurring standard late penalties). The exam should have your name and PID on every page and be double spaced. In addition, be sure to note the question number at the beginning of each essay.