UMass Boston

Course Overview

Description

Material Life in New England draws on both archaeological and non-archaeological sources (particularly vernacular architecture and material culture studies) to familiarize students with the analysis of material remains from the period between European colonization and the mid- 19th century in New England. Focusing on houses and households (rather than on institutions or industry), the course follows a roughly chronological framework to examine New England's most important archaeological sites and the questions being addressed by archaeologists in the region such as the forms of early settlements, the consumer revolution and rise of gentility in the 18th century, and the transformation of urban and rural life (through industry, reform ideologies,and trade) in the 19th century. Special attention will be paid to differences within New England (urban vs. rural; one region vs. another) and to distinct aspects of New England's material life (compared to other regions of the country).