64 pages • 2 hours read
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Essay Topics
What is the myth of the "noble savage"? From where did this myth originate? How does the story of Tisquantum affect our understanding of this myth?
What is the myth of the "pristine wilderness"? What positive and negative assumptions about native civilizations does this myth support?
The author identifies two patterns in encounter narratives: the first being densely-packed metropolises, and the second being a "pristine wilderness."How can these both be correct?
Mann emphasizes the "imperial" quality of the Inca repeatedly. What are the criteria Mann uses to make this judgment? How does this judgment affect our understanding of the Inca's history?
Many similarities existed between the downfall of the Inca and the downfall of the Aztec. What are some of the similarities in how these empires functioned, and what are some similarities between their respective downfalls?
What is the significance of the Clovis discovery? What theory did it help to support? Why was this explanation discredited, and what does it show about anthropology's pitfalls?
Archaeology shows that the wheel was invented in Mesoamerica, but never fully integrated into Mesoamerican society. What were some of the cultural and geographical factors that slowed the wheel's development in Mesoamerica that were not present in Eurasia?
What is the significance of maize to Mesoamerican history? In researching the origins of maize, what did genetic scientists discover?
Name three ways in which native civilizations effected large-scale changes on their environments. What are some notable examples of success and failure in regard to these changes?
Mann makes the claim that the relative egalitarianism of native society provided inspiration, if not direct influence to the new countries on the American continent. What are some of the strengths and weaknesses of this argument?
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