ANT E105 Chapter Notes - Chapter 7: Lewis H. Morgan, Carl Linnaeus
Document Summary
Race is a folk concept: a culturally constructed concept that tells us about the views of people who constructed it. Origins of race article and american history. Race = seen as natural (we construct writing, politics, kings, race is constructed) Race important for understanding people who hold those views. Race important because orders world and explains and rationalizes behavior. Slavery and need to classify africans as less than europeans. Linnaeus 1758 class to be able to think it is acceptable. The atlantic slave trade free labor trade. How could you treat people like this slaves? = you rationalize. Social evolution: a 19th century theory of societies. Attempt to understand the diversity of people in the world. Key players: herbert spencer, sociologist, lewis henry morgan, anthropologist. Principles of social evolution theory: social forms change, simple societies complex societies. Societies are rankable: civilization = top [morally superior, barbarism = middle, savagery = bottom [morally inferior]
