I am an anthropological archaeologist whose research investigates the effects of major sociopolitical and environmental changes on indigenous societies of the Americas. Examples of these changes include incipient urbanization, slave raiding, culture contact, and drought. I use plant remains to provide novel insights into human decision making under uncertain conditions in many locales, with particular focus on Mesoamerica, the Southeastern/Midwestern United States, and Peru. I employ a bottom-up theoretical approach that analyzes food production to identify inter-household social relationships.