America Unearthed:

SECRET BLUEPRINT OF AMERICA

PROGRAMME LENGTH1 hour

SCREENING DETAILSMonday 12 September at 9.30am EST/ NZ

This is Episode 7 of a series in which Scott Wolter, described as a forensic geologist, presents an alternative “History” of America. In what is part “bad archaeology” and part conspiracy theory he suggests that much of what Americans are taught about their History is “lies”. Instead he relates a “hidden history” of America.

This program concentrates on the design and layout of the USA capital Washington DC, suggesting that it has evidence of something more than normal urban planning at its core. The program is structured to suggest a series of linear discoveries but is obviously based on a previously published “History”.

Handled with care, this program could be used to great effect with older students in a course that includes the study of archaeology. It offers an ideal opportunity for older students to experience why it is important to be historically conscious; why it is imperative that they learn to “read” the History, both mainstream and alternative that is put before them in the media. They will need to keep an open mind but also to be alert for the use and mis-use of evidence in the thesis and hypothesis put forward in this program.

Dr Denis Mootz

NBB: PREVIEWING ESSENTIAL: Presentation of alternative historical “theories” throughout.

References to female genitalia.

DATA CAPTURE.

Stop the video programs at the end of each section. Allow students to share and discuss answers to the questions below.

Introduction.

Note the opening comments from Scott Wolter. Implications?What artifacts and signs is he going to “investigate”? Implications?

Part 1.

What did Alan Butler claim to have found in Washington DC?Note details of the National Mall.What does the “chevron” connecting important landmarks in the city suggest? Why?What is a “megalithic yard”?How was it “discovered”? Implications? Result?What is meant by “goddess worship”?What is the significance of the number 366? Implications?How does Alan Butler prove the megalithic unit is still in use in Washington DC? Implications?Why were women “special” in prehistoric societies? Result?Note Alan Butler’s explanation of why “Goddess” worshippers worked secretly. Implications?What does Butler now show on the map of Washington DC?Why are “diamond” shapes “very important”? Implications?Note the “shape” of Washington DC. Implications?Note Scott Wolter’s comments on “borderline explosive”. Implications?

Part 2.

Note what Wolter is planning to do next.Note the explanation of why USA needed a capital city.How was the decision made? Result? Implications?Why was the original “square” design stretched at one corner? Result? Implications?Note the original “boundary” stones and the shape they made.Who chose the original 100 square mile area they bounded? Implications?Note Wolter’s examination of the sand stone block.Note the connection between the “founding fathers” and Freemasonry. Implications? Result?What reasons did George Washington have for including Alexandria in the new city?What supposedly links “Goddess worship” and Freemasonry?Note details of Pierre L’Enfant.How was the street design of the new city decided?What is “sacred geometry”? Implications?Note the reaction and response to this “theory” from historian Fergus Bordewich.Note Wolter’s reaction to Bordewich’s dismissal of his theory. Implications? Result?What “secret agenda” does Wolter claim informed the design of Washington DC?

Part 3.

Note how Wolter’s language changes here from supposition to positive statements.What “clues” did Alan Butler identify at the Washington monument?How accurately are the measurements made? Implications?Why don’t modern people see these shapes or understand what these shapes mean? What is the “Vesica Piscis”? Implications? Result?How effectively does this prove the use of the “megalithic yard”?What connection “undoubtedly” ties Washington DC to the symbol of Freemasonry?Who was the goddess Columbia? Implications?Why is talking to a Free Mason the “only” next step?Why does Wolter choose the “Scottish Rite” temple of Freemasonry?Note the response of Akram Elias. Implications?

Part 4.

What are Akram Elias’s qualifications to claim expertise on this subject?Note what Elias explains about the symbols of Freemasonry. Implications?Note how Wolter responds to Elias’s denial of a “conspiracy”.Note Elias’s description of the use of numbers and of geometry in Freemasonry.Note the description of the major symbol of Freemasonry. Implications?Do Free Masons worship the “Goddess”?In what sense does the design of Washington DC represent the female element of Freemasonry?

Part 5.

Note the new “discovery” made by Alan Butler. Implications?What was Wolter’s previous connection to the Pentagon?Why was the site chosen? By whom?What connects the Pentagon and Stonehenge? Implications?Note Franklin D. Roosevelt’s connection to Freemasonry. Implications?What is the significance of the number 33? Implications?What proves that the “megalithic yard” was used at the Pentagon?Note Wolter’s statements of what he now “believes”.

EXTENSIONS.Useful, interesting, challenging, materials can be found at the websites below.These will supplement and complement the History presented in the video program.Both the data collected here and above should be used in the notemaking exercise that follows.

Megaliths: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megalithhttp://www.robertlomas.com/osf/megpres/*http://primarysources.newsvine.com/_news/2007/01/11/515398-was-megalithic-culture-earths-first-empire*Treat with care…teacher previewing required.http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/notes/history-notes/megalithic-period-megalithic-culture-in-north-and-western-europe/41960/https://selfstudyhistory.com/2015/01/22/megalithic-culture/“Goddess worship”: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Goddess_hypothesishttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marija_Gimbutashttp://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/world-history/the-eternal-female-worship-of-the-mother-goddess-1607599.htmlhttp://www.leaderu.com/orgs/probe/docs/goddess.htmlhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goddess_movementhttp://www.religioustolerance.org/goddess.htm“Megalithic yard": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megalithic_Yardhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Thomhttp://www.ancient-wisdom.com/sacredgeometry.htmhttp://www.robertlomas.com/megyard/http://www.ancient-wisdom.com/megalithicyard.htmhttp://www.washingtondcschamberofsecrets.com/megalithic-measurements.htmlPseudoarchaeology: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudoarchaeologyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudosciencehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ley_linehttp://www.badarchaeology.net/sitemap.phphttp://www.jasoncolavito.comhttps://badarchaeology.wordpress.com/tag/celts/http://www.heritagedaily.com/2011/10/abusing-the-past-bad-archaeology/11488http://blogs.berkeley.edu/2012/06/07/good-science-big-hype-bad-archaeology/Washington DC: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boundary_Markers_of_the_Original_District_of_Columbiahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%27Enfant_Planhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Charles_L%27Enfanthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Ellicotthttp://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/a-brief-history-of-pierre-lenfant-and-washington-dc-39487784/?no-isthttps://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/tri001.htmlhttp://xroads.virginia.edu/~cap/citybeautiful/plan.htmlhttps://www.bnl.gov/bera/activities/globe/banneker.htmhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mythology_and_legacy_of_Benjamin_Bannekerhttp://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Washington,_D.C._street_design_conspiracy_theoryhttp://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Pareidoliahttp://dc.curbed.com/2014/8/13/10061100/facts-and-myths-about-dcs-street-systemFreemasonry: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freemasonryhttp://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Freemasonhttp://rationalwiki.org/wiki/IlluminatiPentagon: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pentagonhttp://www.washingtondcschamberofsecrets.com/the-mysterious-pentagon.htmlhttp://www.viewzone.com/onstott44.htmlScott Wolter: https://archyfantasies.com/tag/scott-wolter/http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Creator/ScottWolterThe “pyramid” inch: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyramidology

NOTEMAKING.

This is the collation stage of the activity. Encourage students to compose the suggested summaries and to organise the field of information and begin to explore its context. This activity could be done in teams, groups, or by individuals, or as a class with teacher direction.

1. Draw up a timeline / chronological chart of the events described and discussed in this program.

2. Note details of the origin and concept of the “megalithic yard”.

3. Note details of the career and qualifications of Scott Wolter.

4. Note details of the sources that inform Wolter’s investigation.

5. Note details of the stages in the planning of the city of Washington DC.

6. Note details of “sacred geometry”.

7. Note details of “Goddess worship”.

8. Note details of Freemasonry.

9. Note details of “pseudoarchaeology” and “pseudoscience”.

ISSUES & INQUIRY.

Address and discuss the key issues and questions that have been raised by the video at this stage.Some are suggested below. Students will probably raise others.

1. Does the experiment with the pint of beer prove the existence of the “megalithic yard”? If so, does it prove that the architects of Washington DC used this “ancient” unit of length? Why was 1/10 chosen as the unit of the “megalithic yard”? The world that used inches and yards was not “metric”, not based on units of 1/10. It was based on units of 1/12?

2. When was a 366-day calendar year used? What culture in the past had a year with 366 days?

PROBLEMS of EVIDENCE.

It is necessary always to address questions of reliability and validity of the perspectives, evidence and sources presented in the documentary and other sources. These need to be considered, tested and researched. Some are suggested below. Students will probably raise others.

1. We live in a symmetrical world. What shape is the room you are sitting in? The desk you work at? The screen you are watching? Are they all recognisable symmetrical or geometric shapes?Is it possible to create “shapes” or symbols by drawing lines between landmarks in other cities? Try it on a map of Sydney? Choose Town Hall, Australian Museum, GPO, etc? Results? Could you choose landmarks that create a circle? The Sydney “City Circle” railway is a “circle”. A circle once symbolised the Sun; is that evidence that Sydney was built by secret sun-worshippers?

2. What evidence does Scott Wolter use when he dismisses the objections to his theory about the design of Washington DC from both the local historian and the Freemasonry spokesman?

REPORTING.

Use the key issues and inquiry questions as topics for debate, essay writing, reports, historical recount and explanation.

Be imaginative. A report, or debate notes, could be a digital “essay” of slides and text…or any other IT application available.

1. Write a REPORT on “sacred geometry”.

2. Prepare notes (both sides) for a DEBATE of the proposition that

A theory that ignores contrary evidence is of little value.

3. What is meant by “pseudoarchaeology” and “pseudoscience”?