Plants in the Life of New World Cultures: Past and Present Perspectives

3 units

This course looks at the diverse ways in which past cultures in the New World domesticated, processed, consumed, and ritualized plants. Looking at pre-Columbian societies, we will study how certain plants native to the New World were used in daily and sacred activities, and how some are featured in myths and creation stories. We look at the period after the Columbian exchange to understand how colonialism in the New World and the introduction of Old World plants impacted societies in the New World. We will also consider how some of these New World plants shape the world we live in today. We will study both archaeological and historical perspectives, and learn to evaluate archaeologic evidence that relates to the plant world in the Americas.