Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site

Definition

The Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site is a pre-Columbian Native American city (c. 600–1400 CE) directly across the Mississippi River from modern St. Louis, Missouri. This historic park lies in southern Illinois between East St. Louis and Collinsville.

Analogy

Think of the Cahokia Mounds as an ancient metropolis, like New York City before skyscrapers were invented. It was a bustling hub of activity with a complex social structure, just like NYC today.

Related terms

Mound Builders: These were various Pre-Columbian cultures that built earthen mounds for residential, ceremonial or burial purposes throughout North America.

Mississippian Culture: A mound-building Native American civilization that flourished in what is now the Midwestern, Eastern, and Southeastern United States from approximately 800 CE to 1600 CE, varying regionally.

Woodland Period: A period in North American pre-Columbian history marked by the development of pottery and the increase in reliance on agriculture.