Colombian Exchange.
Food in the Roman World.
Harrari – Chapter 3 “A Day in the Life of Adam and Eve” and Chapter 5 “History’s Biggest Fraud”.
Cuisine and Empire- “Maize Cuisines of Mesoamerica”.
How does Belasco define “cuisine”? Give one example of a national cuisine and describe it in-depth using this definition.
2. How can one define “culture”? Can you give examples of what constitutes culture, using this definition?
3. According the Yuval Harari, the agricultural revolution is “history’s biggest fraud”. Debate arguments for and against this statement. Give examples to support your answer.
4. Define any three of the following five terms. Make sure you provide examples to support/illustrate your definition. – Identity -Imagined community – Orientalism – Columbian Exchange – Luxury Trap.
5. In the Belasco article, an Oreo Cookie is “read” to analyze some of the cultural messages carried by a food product (page 23). Can you similarly analyze a food product of your choice for its cultural messaging?
6. How is food be an agent or expression of group power in societies? Give two concrete examples of the cultural power of food from either Ancient Roman, Aztec or Post-Columbus eras cuisine to support your reasoning.
