Introduction to Dig This!

Do you know a real archeological artifact when you see one? Can you look at a reconstructed dig and recreate the life of its original inhabitants? Archaeology is the study of the past through found objects.  Together with the written record (history), we can get a more complex picture of the past.  History is about more than reading primary source (old!) documents. It is an opportunity to evaluate evidence and decide for yourself what happened.

By taking a closer look at some crucial episodes in the development of North America, you can hone your skills as an historian and archaeologist. You can begin to understand the dynamic interactions that took place between native peoples and European newcomers and how those encounters continue to shape America to this day.

Using the collections at the Academy’s Robert S. Peabody Museum of Archaeology, together with extensive library and internet materials, students will actively explore a series of case studies.  The complexity of America’s history unfolds from the early native settlements along the Merrimack River to the English colony at Plymouth, from the witch trials at Salem to the Indian raids at Deerfield, from the wars in the west between the plains tribes and the United States army to the current controversy over Kennewick Man.  Field trips to Plymouth, Deerfield, and Salem will bring these stories alive.  Character studies of key figures in these stories will help students understand the minds and strategies of important individuals including Sitting Bull and George Armstrong Custer.  Seeing the peace medal that President Ulysses S. Grant gave to Red Cloud, or a tomahawk picked up at the Battle of the Little Bighorn, can make the past real.

In this course students will develop their critical thinking, reading, and writing skills to interpret the past using a combination of traditional written sources, electronic sources, and the archaeological record. This is a unique opportunity to witness history.