Toward a Social History of Archaeology in the United States

A new edition to the CASE STUDIES IN ARCHAEOLOGY series, this inventive introductory text discusses the development of archaeology in the United States. Rather than presenting archaeology as an unfolding natural process, Professor Patterson discusses the traditional uses of archaeology in validating other fields as well as its function in shaping U.S. society. Features: * Introduces students to the problems encountered by archaeologists as they work to incorporate differences in class, gender, race and ethnicity. * Examines archaeological inquiry prior to its professionalization in the 1870s and 1880s, as well as the formation of museum-centred and driven archaeology in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. * Each chapter begins with an analysis of social and historical conditions that relate to archaeology. * Extensive bibliography provides additional references for students.