Peak, Cahokia Was the Largest and Most

¶ … peak, Cahokia was the largest and most influential settlement north of Mexico. Cahokia lies in St. Louis, Illinois and consists of about 109 earthen mounds supporting civic buildings and residential areas spread over more than five square miles. Originally, there were 120 mounds but only 109 have been recorded. The rest were destroyed or altered farming and urban construction. During its peak, the city covered about fifteen square miles and had a population of about 20,000 people. However, the city was abandoned by about 1300 A.D. For unknown reasons.

Although the city was abandoned so long ago, information about the people of Cahokia indicates that their lives were both similar and different to mine. Similarities and Differences The city of Cahokia was similar to my city as it was a major center of business, the arts, and religion. Just as my city has many suburbs and towns popping up around it, so did the city of Cahokia. These small suburbs and towns often were used for smaller businesses, such as hunting outposts and farms.

This, too, is similar to the outskirts of my city. While most of the neighboring tribes were hunters and gatherers, the people of Cahokia had a different way of life that is more similar to mine. They actually had a division of labor, in which every person had a specific job and contributed to society by trade. They made things like arrowheads, pottery and baskets, which were often traded for food. They had a government and working society that is similar to ours today.

The chiefs, who were the leaders, could spend their time taking care of the business of running a city. The people at Cahokia Mounds would pay their taxes in food, clothing, and with the articles they made. Because of this, the chiefs were able to live comfortably, as are the politicians of today. The houses of Cahokia were different than the ones we live in today. The houses and buildings were built using wooden poles covered with walls made of woven grass and the roofs were thatched with grass.

Today, we use concrete and steel, along with many other materials that the people of Cahokia did not have. However, there are some similarities between their housing system and ours. Some of their buildings were small houses that sheltered one family. Others housed multiple families. This is similar to the concept of housing today, where we have single-family homes and apartment buildings. The people of Cahokia also used public buildings to hold many people for ceremonies and meetings, just as we do today.

In Cahokia, the houses were arranged into rows around a central plaza, similar to my city's downtown area. In this large area, people built their temple and had their other important public buildings. The people of Cahokia held their religious ceremonies here and.