North American Historical Archaeology

The Seminoles: History and Archaeology of an Unconquered People
The Seminole Indians have their origins in the Southeastern United States, but are currently spread out over several geographic regions. Descendants of many Native American tribes, including the Hitchiti, the Oconee, the Upper and Lower Creeks, the Yuchi, and the Yamasee, the Seminoles have a legacy of being fighters. Information concerning the rich history of the Seminole Indians will bring to light how factions of this tribe have been formed in Florida, Texas, Oklahoma, and Mexico. This lecture will also explore the history of the Black Seminoles and the Miccosukee Seminole Nation. The current status of the Seminole Indians and the numerous factions laying claim to the title of the Seminole Indians will be discussed. Finally, how we know what we do about the Seminole Indians will be touched upon, using the example of current archaeological excavations in Florida. Kristen Fellows

Archaeology of North America Part I: North America Before the Europeans

Diverse indigenous groups thrived in North America landscapes thousands of years before European imperialism. This lecture explores just how North America came to be populated and who the first Americans were by examining the archaeological traces that they left behind for us to interpret. Particular attention will be paid to the initial peopling of the Americas, conventional ways that archaeologists classify stages of pre-history in North America, cultural change through time, and the diversity of groups spanning the pre-historic North American landscape—ranging from fisher-hunter-gatherer societies to socially stratified mound-building cultures. This lecture surveys archaeological contexts from the initial peopling of the Americas up to the time of contact and colonialism. Craig Cipolla

Archaeology of North America Part II: After the Arrival of Europeans

European colonialism and imperialism meant great change for the people and landscapes of North America. As Native American peoples and colonists interacted each group was transformed—introduced items and concepts were imbued with new sets of meaning and integrated into traditional lifeways, resulting in complex colonial formations. This lecture highlights colonial processes, focusing on the ways in which indigenous peoples interacted with colonists. Particular attention will be placed on the importance of disease and demography during contact and early colonial encounters, material culture from this time period that bears evidence of forms of cultural hybridity, and the outcomes of the colonial legacy for contemporary Native American groups. Craig Cipolla

Articulating History Through Bone
As the saying goes, “you are what you eat.” Zooarchaeology is the study of animal bones recovered from archaeological sites. These remnants of past lifeways contain clues to what people ate, peoples’ relations with their environment, and much more. This lecture outlines the ways in which animal bones can be used to speak to each of these issues by examining several case studies from North America. I start by addressing a key controversy of North America’s deep past—the extinction of the mega-fauna—and continue from there into more contemporary case studies dealing with issues from historical archaeological contexts. Craig Cipolla

Archaeology and American History

When people think of history, it is usually as documentary history. However, archaeologists and historians are discovering the value of the artifacts from the past in telling the story of America. This slide lecture describes the relation of archaeology to American history, using the site of Landingford Plantation on the Chester Creek as an example. The Landingford Plantation houses the oldest continuous standing house in southeastern Pennsylvania. It was built by a friend of William Penn, and then passed through a series of owners from the time of the Enlightenment to the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, the latter exemplified by Crozer, the founder of the Crozer Mills
in Upland, PA. Dr. Mitchell S. Rothman

The End of the Rainbow: The Story of the Alaskan Gold Rush!

"GOLD! GOLD! GOLD! GOLD!" screamed the July 17th extra edition of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, "68 rich men on the steamer, Portland. STACKS OF YELLOW METAL!" The news of the strike in Alaska caught the nation in the grip of a feverish obsession. By the end of the week scores of inexperienced and ill-prepared people left their jobs, sold their possessions and set out to prospect for gold in the Yukon. In the end 100,000 people, many outfitted for everything except what they would need, were caught in a stampede. This talk illustrated by period photographs, will tell the story of the Alaskan Gold Rush. It will show how the press and the general frustrations and obsessions of the period contributed to one of the strangest events in our history. Ms. Ann Guinan

Architectural Treasures from the Keystone State
Every building has a story to tell. The rich architectural heritage of Pennsylvania is explained with slides of banks, barns, churches and houses from all over the state. Learn to look for the special features and styles that make old buildings worth preserving. Mr. Steve Abrams