University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Fort Snelling, Minnesota: Intrasite variability at a nineteenth century military post

Clouse, Robert Alan

This item is only available for download by members of the University of Illinois community. Students, faculty, and staff at the U of I may log in with your NetID and password to view the item. If you are trying to access an Illinois-restricted dissertation or thesis, you can request a copy through your library's Inter-Library Loan office or purchase a copy directly from ProQuest.

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/19088

Description

Title
Fort Snelling, Minnesota: Intrasite variability at a nineteenth century military post
Author(s)
Clouse, Robert Alan
Issue Date
1996
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
Lewis, R. Barry
Department of Study
Anthropology
Discipline
Anthropology
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
  • Anthropology, Archaeology
  • History, United States
Language
eng
Abstract
  • "The construction of Fort Snelling, Minnesota (21HE99) began in 1820 at the junction of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers. Fort Snelling served as a military presence in securing the fur trade for American companies, preventing conflict between the Ojibwe and Dakota Indians, and keeping White settlement out of ""Indian land"" in the recently acquired Louisiana Territory. During its 125 years of active existence, the fort underwent a number of physical alterations due to changing army needs and repair and replacement of facilities. Historic maps, photographs and official records document buildings that served as living quarters, defensive structures, and support facilities. This thesis draws on this extraordinary record and examines the archaeological patterns by which the historically documented structure, events, and activities are expressed at Fort Snelling."
  • The military complex is in many ways a highly structured and regimented microcosm of the larger society which created it, with a well delineated division of labor and social boundaries well defined. The Fort Snelling archaeological collections and historical records offer an opportunity to examine the social and economic dimensions of life in a nineteenth century military post.
  • Produced over 27 seasons of extensive archaeological excavation, the artifact distribution patterns and the rich documentary record delineate patterns in the functional, social, and economic meaning assigned to different areas of the fort. The results help define functional distinctions within the military complex as elements of the social structure of the setting and enhance the anthropological understanding of economic and social status differentiation in nineteenth century military posts.
Type of Resource
text
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/2142/19088
Copyright and License Information
Copyright 1996 Clouse, Robert Alan

Owning Collections

Graduate Dissertations and Theses at Illinois PRIMARY
Graduate Theses and Dissertations at Illinois
Dissertations and Theses - Anthropology