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Sample Exam Questions
Anthropology 3618 Ancient Cultures of Middle America
Optional Essay Sample Exam
11 May 2008
Answer FOUR (only 4) [on the midsemester, 6 on the final] of the following 13 questions.
[On the midsemester exam you need to answer only 4
of 13 questions. For the final exam you will need to answer 6 of 18 or 20. One of the questions in each exam can be the optional take-home question.]
Keep in mind that there is more than one approach you can take in answering
these questions. Total possible points for each of the questions is 100.
Follow these guidelines:
- Organize your answer before you begin.
- Be sure to state:
- What or who something is
- Where it occurred or is located
- Why it is important
- When it occurred
- How it happened or how it works
- State YOUR position or approach clearly.
- Cite specific examples or references to support your statements.
- Mention problem areas or other relevant materials which you would
like to consider further in a more thorough statement.
- Summarize your argument or discussion.
- Wherever appropriate use materials from more than one region
of the world.
- Remember that each of your responses should have a beginning,
a middle, and an end.
- Do not discuss any topic at length in more than one question.
- Coe devotes a chapter in Mexico to X. Describe X and its
importance in Mesoamerica.
or something like
Ch. X of Mexico discusses "Z" [where Z = items listed
in the "Contents" sections of the texts]. Describe Z and discuss its
importance in Mesoamerican prehistory and history.
- Discuss the X people (or culture). As part of your answer include
some discussion on how they were like, and how they were unlike the
Y.
- Identify 5 (only 5) of the following things / ideas in three
or four sentences each (20 points each):
- Compare and Contrast any two of the following sites,
but do not choose any which you may have discussed in another question:
- Compare and contrast any two of the following individuals:
- It has often been said that modern Mesoamerica can only be understood
in terms of its past. A major aspect of the modern day people of Mesoamerica
is their X, which has its base in the "high civilizations" of ancient
Mesoamerica. These civilizations, they point out, developed independent
of cultures in the Old World and were among the most advanced of the
world. Discuss X and indicate what you think the relevance of this
might be to modern-day Mesoamerica.
- Discuss the X Stage as it was manifested in the Mesoamerican
culture area. You may include in your answer comparisons with the
cultures of North or South America, but do not include materials you
might have discussed in another question.
- Describe the prehistoric developments from the Preclassic to
the Post Classic in one of the following areas. Do not select any
site or area you have focused on as part of any other question.
- Discuss the main aspects of modern theory on X in Mesoamerica.
Include in your discussion the ideas, mechanism, results, etc., of
X as presently understood.
- Coe uses the word/term "X." For example, a section of The
Maya is called "X." Discuss the concept of "X" as Coe uses it
in The Maya and Mexico. Be sure to include examples
in your discussion.
- This last section of Chapter 5 of Mexico ("The Preclassic
Period: Early Civilizations") reviews this Stela, and images
of it have appeared a couple of times in class.
- A. Discuss this discovery and its importance and significance
to studies of Prehistoric Mesoamerica.
- B. Discuss the importance of this discovery to world
archaeology.
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Photo by STANISLAW IWANISZEWSKI
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- The following discovery was announced last week, and was
covered as a feature of the Texas A & M Anthropology
in the News
WebPage. Assuming everything in the story is true, (A.) how does
this discovery relate to the "Early Hunters" discussed by
Coe and Koontz in Mexico, and "The Earliest Maya"
discussed by Coe in The Maya? (B.) Will this discovery likely
change anything in prehistoric Mesoamerican studies?
[If a question like this is included, an abstract
or short version of the article will be provided.]
optional take-home question
NOTE: Essentially you may make up ONE question total. You may either do that as a take-home and bring it to class with you, or you may do that in class the day of the exam.. If you elect to do the optional take-home exam and bring it with you to class, then you must choose three (3) additional of the remaining questions presented on the actual exam, as they are presented on the exam.
- If you do not like these questions, make up and
answer a question of your own choice relating to a topic having to do with Ancient Middle America which you
have not considered in your other answers. (If you think these questions
are fantastic but simply prefer to make up one of your own, go ahead.)
Answers should contain specific information supporting your position.
Both your question and your answer will be evaluated.
If you elect to make up and answer
a question, you may prepare your question and answer in advance
and bring them with you to the exam. If you prepare your question
and answer in advance you only need to answer three midterm
exam questions [five final exam questions] in class.
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- 2008 Timothy G. Roufs
