This course introduces students to the most compelling native cultures—Aztecs, Incas, Maya, Puebloans and more—in North and South America prior to 16th century European colonization. The goal is to understand how native peoples went from small nomadic groups to complex chiefdoms, states and empires with massive cities, abundant food resources and spectacular arts.

A survey of Native American cultures of North America. Emphasis is placed on exploring how Native American cultures changed through time, with particular emphasis on the impact of European exploration, colonization and settlement from 1500 to 1900. Students will also explore the high degree of cultural diversity represented among the thousands of Native American societies that inhabited the North American continent at the time of European contact. The status and condition of Native Americans in the modern world is also discussed.