Cahokia

Photograph. n.d. Britannica. https://cdn.britannica.com/55/66455-050-4CD7C423/Cahokia-Michael-Hampshire-painting-1150.jpg.

Native Trade in North America

During the pre-Columbian period, Cahokia was the largest city north of Mexico. The size and location of Cahokia allowed for it to become the focal point of trade in Ancient Mississippian territory, reaching as far as the Gulf of Mexico. Cahokians often traded shells, animal hides and pelts, as well as tools for building weapons.

Photograph. n.d. Cahokia Mounds. https://cahokiamounds.org/wpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Cahokia-Arial-1500x630.jpg.

A History Mystery

While Cahokia was once the largest city in North America, it was eventually abandoned for an unknown reason. The mysterious desertion of Cahokia is a topic of great interest among scholars and researchers alike. Theories range from disease wiping out the population to environmental changes forcing people to migrate.

Photograph. n.d. History. https://www.history.com/.image/ar_1:1%2Cc_fill%2Ccs_srgb%2Cfl_progressive%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_1200/MTY4NTgyMjQ2Mzk4MTc0OTk4/cahokia_mounds_isemingerpainting300dpi-20x13.jpg.

Cahokia and Wisconsin

The Cahokians are relatives of the same people who inhabited early Wisconsin - the Ancient Mississippians. One of Cahokia's main colonies, Aztalan, is located in southern Wisconsin. The people of Aztalan and Cahokia regularly traded and interacted with each other.

The Site

Located near St. Louis, Cahokia today features the remnants of the city it once was. Monk's Mound, Cahokia's largest mound, is at the heart of the site and provides context for how the city was laid out. Stairs allow for visitors to reach the top of the mound and overlook the landscape that once was Cahokia. The site also features Woodhenges, which served as an ancient calendar.

Sources -

“Native Americans:Prehistoric:Mississippian:Economy:Trade.” MuseumLink Illinois. Illinois State Museum, 2000. http://www.museum.state.il.us/muslink/nat_amer/pre/htmls/m_trade.html.

“Woodhenge.” Cahokia Mounds. Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site. Accessed May 14, 2021. https://cahokiamounds.org/explore/#tab-id-4.

Header Image -

Photograph. Definition. Good Free Photos, n.d. https://images.definition.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Cahokia_1.jpg?tr=w-450,dpr-3,c-at_max.

Site Images (top to bottom) -

Photograph. n.d. World History Encyclopedia. https://www.worldhistory.org/img/c/p/1200x627/2595.jpg.

Photograph. n.d. Southwest Ledger News. https://www.southwestledger.news/sites/southwestledger.etypegoogle7.com/files/styles/article_420/public/2020-12/GRIFFIN%20Woodhenge%20at%20Cahokia%20Mounds%20State%20Historic%20Site._0.jpg?itok=w-oMq09s.

Photograph. n.d. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/f/19/f199afdf-e9da-5b79-be6a-b268c7a3d87d/4d265b0a881fb.image.jpg.

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