Mound builders and pueblos 2

The Adenans were the first Native American group to build mounds in the U.S., starting around 600 B.C. These mounds likely served religious purposes and were often shaped like birds or serpents. They were absorbed by the Hopewellians, who were significant traders and had a cultural center in southern Ohio. The Hopewellians disappeared by around 500 A.D., paving the way for the Mississippians. Cahokia, a Mississippian city near Collinsville, Illinois, had a peak population of about 20,000 in the early 12th century, featuring a large earthen mound. The society was complex, practicing human sacrifice and slavery. In the southwest, the Anasazi began building stone and adobe pueblos around 900 A.D., with notable sites like Mesa Verde. The Pacific Northwest Native Americans thrived due to abundant resources, leading to permanent villages and extravagant potlatch gatherings.