Middle Mississippian Culture History Essay
Answer any three out of the following five questions. You shouldn’t need more than three sentences or so.
Name 3 factors that made Cahokia a significant site.
Chapter 4 of the Turtle Island Liars’ Club book is called Ulvsgedi: The Wondrous. What is this concept of wonder, and why does it play an important role in Cherokee philosophy and thought?
In Cherokee culture, there are said to be seven directions. Identify what those directions are and give a short explanation of why they are significant.
According to Conversations with the High Priest of Coosa, what kind of creature is rabbit, and would humans want to emulate him? Why or why not?
What is the significance of the “container” in southeastern thought? Identify two references to this concept in the texts we have read.
Essay (73 points)
Choose two of the following questions. Write a short essay (3-5 paragraphs) as a response to each of the two you choose. (One essay for Q1 and one for Q3, for example):
Cherokee humor has been a prominent topic of discussion. Discuss the nature of Cherokee humor and how it is leveraged in society. What do Cherokees find funny? What might occasion the telling of jokes? Cite at least two examples from the texts we have read and/or viewed.
The Turtle Island Liars’ Club has a conversation about learning, saying “if you want to learn, you’ll learn.” What are the implications of this, and what exactly does it mean?
In Mississippian cultures generally, fire plays a central role. Explain that role and provide some reasons behind why it is significant.
Several Mississippian cultures share the idea of three worlds. Explain what these worlds are and why they are significant, as well as what role they play in categorizing animals.
Several times we have addressed the notion of contradictions in this class – what makes this such a common theme and what do we usually do when we encounter these in order to resolve them? Why is this significant?