The Mystery of Easter Island Research Project
Total Possible Points: 60
THE INVESTIGATION: In the spirit of the Global Citizenship Project theme of the environment, you will work on a research project where you investigate the mystery behind the collapse of Easter Island. Ancient remains on the island provide evidence of a once successful and populous society, perhaps a chiefdom. However, when James Cook arrived on the island in 1774 he found only a few hundred individuals subsisting on limited resources. What do we know about this ancient Polynesian society? And, what caused its collapse?
THE RESEARCH: For your historical investigation you will need at least 5 scholarly sources (more is better). The sources can be books, documentaries, encyclopedia entries, journal articles, reputable news reports, and primary sources (i.e. letters, laws, personal testimonies, declarations, etc. that were created during the period you are studying). You will be able to find all you need through the Bankier Library. Do not do a general Internet search for resources. The Bankier Library has numerous databases and e-book collections that contain the resources you need to answer the questions. I will add a link on our Canvas page to Captain James Cook’s journals that can be utilized as your historical primary source. SEE THE ANNOTATED BIBLIORAPHY ASSIGNMENT FOR A LIST OF REQUIRED SOURCE TYPES.
These are helpful library databases:
1. Academic Search Premier
2. Nexis Uni
3. Ancient and Medieval History Online (username: brookdale, password: facts
4. Gale World History in Context
5. Jstor
6. New York Times Historical Database
Other useful sources:
1. World Civilizations I LibGuide (link on Canvas)
2. Any materials provided by the instructor on Canvas
3. Your textbook (secondary and primary sources)
THE PRESENTATION OF YOUR FINDINGS: You have three options to choose from for the presentation of your conclusions:
1. Research Essay (4-6 pages [at least 4 FULL pages], double spaced, 12 point font, one inch margins)
2. PowerPoint Presentation (12-15 slides)
3. Podcast (5-7 minute narrative, you must already have the knowledge and technology for this format)
BASIC REQUIREMENTS: No matter which presentation format you choose all projects must have these basic requirements.
• ONE primary source (a source that is of origin to the period you are studying; i.e. the Prophet Muhammad’s Last Sermon)
• ONE book (not the textbook, due to COVID-19 this will be an e-book)
• Works Cited page/bibliography page
• In-text citations
• Use MLA for citations and Works Cited page
• Submit final copy on Canvas