Final Exam High Stakes Q's

Question 1

Identify and discuss what you believe to be the five (5) most important turning points in human cultural development. Make sure you identify when each development occurred, where (if applicable), and why you think it was/is a critical turning point for humanity.

Answer 1

1. Neolithic Revolution: (10,000 BCE) shift from hunter-gatherer to agriculture base; establishment of social classes; domestication of plants and animals; separation of work by men and women; women’s status declined as men took lead in most areas; warfare increased
2. behavioral modernity: (Upper Paleolithic)certain behaviors that distinguish Homo sapiens from anatomically modern humans, hominins, and other primates; evidence includes burials, fishing, cave paintings, blade technology, bone tools, etc;
3. Fire: (.2-1.7 MYA)helped develop the muscular dominance of Homo erectus, as the protein of meat was cooked over fire (making the protein easier to digest); gave Homo erectus stamina, muscular superiority, etc.
4. Globalization: (almost forever)the process of international integration arising from the interchange of world views, products, ideas, and other aspects of culture; Silk Road, McDonald’s, Google, the Internet
5. Colonialism: (15th century) the establishment of a colony in a territory by a political power from another territory; Americas, Africa, Australia, Philippines, Caribbean
6. Technology: (Last 30 years or so)
7. Industrial Revolution– How did this affect humans culturally

Question 2

27. Draw a diagram that explains the basic trajectory of hominin biological evolution between 5,000,000 and 120,000 years before the present. Be sure to discuss specific species and address key developments in hominin biological evolution.

Answer 2

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Question 3

Compare and contrast the effects of the Neolithic Revolution and the Industrial Revolution on human societies. In what ways were they similar? In what ways were they different? How do these transformations demonstrate the links between biology and culture?

Answer 3

1. Neolithic Revolution: (10,000 BCE) shift from hunter-gatherer to agriculture base; establishment of social classes; domestication of plants and animals; separation of work by men and women; women’s status declined as men took lead in most areas; warfare increased
2. Industrial Revolution: (from 19th century until now) The transition from a society primarily dependent on hand tools produced by individual craftsmen to one with machine and power tools developed through large-scale industrial production;the most drastic and long lasting results of this revolution was the creation of inequality between and within nations; other results include 19th century colonialism and anthropology

Similarities:
Separate the work of men and women
Shift of production
Introduce new tools
Both demonstrate the link between biology and culture. The Neolithic Revolution began the establishment of social classes. This was a cultural development that rose due to the biological need for mass-produced, steady food. The Industrial Revolution introduced a dependence on power tools. This was a cultural development that rose due to the biological need for safety and high level food production.
Differences- …? That’s what the definitions are for..

Question 4

You are a cultural anthropologist preparing to conduct fieldwork. Pick a field site and define an anthropological question that you are interested in exploring. Define a hypothesis. Describe the methods that you plan to use and why you would choose those methods to answer your question.

Answer 4

Current research includes:
Livelihood decision making in Madagascar
Adaptation to climate change in Ceara, Brazil
Conservation of native landrace plants and livestock in the American South
Water security and the policy of decentralization in Mexico
Water and food security in Chad
Methods:
Surveys and questionnaires
participant -observation
Conversation and interviewing
Genealogical approach
Life histories
Problem-oriented ethnography
Long-term study
Team research
Multi-sited research
Example of an answer simplified:
Field site- down town Athens
Hypothesis- if it is 2am then people will go home. Why?
Methods of study- survey, participant observation, interviewing
Would this be acceptable? (In a very simplified way)
This is acceptable, although you may want to put it in paragraph form. For the methods, you want to describe how you will be using each of the methods. You may also want to go into detail on your hypothesis by saying something like:
“It is noticed that the Athens dwellers go home after 2 am, and this is a repeated act every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night. I will perform a cultural anthropological field study that uses surveys, participant observation, and interviewing to determine the most popular reason for the leaving of these people.” (then go into the uses of the methods to find the answer)