Learning Activity

Background to the assignment: Studying the past is like excavating an archaeological site, such as opening up an ancient tomb. That’s one way of thinking of what we’re doing in this course: excavating the past and trying to understand what it means for us today. For this learning activity, I want you to think of yourself as an archaeologist. Specifically, I want you to read the original National Geographic article about Howard Carter’s discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamen in 1922. The article is available at:

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/1923/05/tut-discovery/williams-text

Description of the assignment: Imagine that you were Howard Carter. Consider the following questions in a two-paragraph essay. How would you feel as you stood before the sealed door, ready to open King Tut’s tomb? What would you most want to discover and understand about the past? As you entered the room that had been sealed for over 3000 years, what would you be looking for? How would you begin trying to make sense of what you found? Your answer should demonstrate knowledge of the article and the textbook, and be between 250-300 words. (Include your word count.) Value = 50 points.