For what purpose did the Mound Builder cultures use earthen mounds

When the people that became known as the Mound Builders first arrived in Ohio, they already had their religious beliefs firmly entrenched in their daily lives. Where they came from is not completely certain. We do know that archeological evidence indicates they migrated up the Mississippi River and then spread out through it's tributaries.

In the early 19th Century a singular conical mound was excavated. This mound happened to be located on the farm of Thomas Worthington, one of Ohio's early governors. It is located just west of Chillicothe. Although his estate was originally named Mount Prospect Hill, he changed the name in 1811 to Adena after he came across that name while reading an ancient history book. That excavated mound became known as the Adena Mound. Over time more burial mounds were studied and it became apparent that those who built the burial mound on Thomas Worthington's property also built many 1000 more mounds across the state and that these mounds were the first mounds built in Ohio.

The Adena Culture was widespread throughout the state. Many of these singular burial mounds can still be seen. Some tools and recovered pottery remnants suggest they had developed some farming skills to supplement hunting skills.  It is believed that the late Adena Culture was most likely responsible for constructing the Great Serpent Mound in southern Ohio.

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The first mounds studied were found on land owned by W.C. Clark in the 1820s and was known as Clark's Works. However, towards the end of the 19th Century Ohio Historians and Archeologists wanted to make a definitive presentation at the 1892 World Columbian Exposition in Chicago. To illustrate this exhibit, it was decided an extensive study be made of one of Ohio's major earthworks. Clark's Works was selected. However, at the time of this study, the land had changed hands and was then owned by Mordecai Cloud Hopewell. Hence, the name Hopewell was given to this cultural group.

The Hopewell Culture was more robust in their mound building than the older Adena Culture. They continued in part building burial mounds, but they also began expanding their constructions by building massive earthwork complexes. There seems to have been some common design elements used in these earthworks which was primarily a very large circular structure attached to an even larger rectangular embankment. These massive embankments were not used for burial purposes although there were often burial mounds inside the enclosures as well as outside the walls.

Within the burial mounds there was increasingly more and more artifacts placed alongside the honored leader. These artifacts included pottery, carvings that displayed increasingly complex forms and craftsmanship. The Hopewell Culture also expanded the farming practices the Adena Culture had begun to develop. This allowed for larger communities not dependent solely on hunting. A type of maize was also beginning to be found in some sites, but it was not widespread. Sunflower and natural grasses were being cultivated.

The remains of multiple large earthworks were common in some areas separated by just a mile or so. There was also evidence to suggest that the Hopewell Culture carried on extensive trading with other people across North America.

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Sometime around 1000 AD we begin to see another dramatic shift in the Mound Builders. They stop building their typical circular / square enclosures and start constructing what appears to be irregular walled perimeters on high plateaus overlooking navigable waterways. Mortuary practices have mostly disappeared compared to the Hopewell, but there were some small burial mounds found inside the perimeter walls. Those sites where exhumations have been conducted indicate that the elaborate burial rituals were mostly gone as were the inclusion of artifacts that were once included with honored dead.

This period lasted a few hundred years or so and became known as the Fort Ancient Culture. The Fort Ancient Culture was primarily located in southern Ohio. The first of these structures was identified as Fort Ancient. Since then a number of these irregular structures have been discovered. This was the last of the Mound Building Cultures.

QuestionAnswer Define Potlatch. A ceremonial feast used to display rank and prosperity in some Northwest Coast tribes of Native Americans. What was the most important resource for the peoples of the Northwest? Why? The most important resource was the ocean for the peoples of the Northwest because they hunted whales in canoes and they got many resources from the sea, the coastal forest provided plentiful food. How did environment affect the development of the cultures of the Southwest The cruel, dry desert lands of the Southwest was not has forgiving. Although it was difficult to manage, the tribes used irrigation to produce harvests of corn, beans, and squash, making farming a center of the community. For what purpose did the Mound Builder cultures use earthen mounds? The Mound Builder cultures use earthen mounds to bury their dead. The mounds held the bodies of tribal leaders often were filled with gifts, such as finely crafted cropper and stone objects. Why did the tribes of upper New York form a political alliance? Chief hiawatha helped to create this league. His goal was to promote joint defense and cooperation among the tribes. This is important because North Eastern Tribes often fought with each other. To protect each other, cooperation through trade Why might the people of the Northwest consider the potlach to be a good way to signal social standing and wealth? This is because the Northwest Coast tribes developed societies in which differences in wealth created social classes. The potlach was a ceremony based off of prosperity. Wealth usually showed power and the ceremonies helped them to show off their power. Why might the location have been important to the power and wealth of the Mississippian culture? Their wealth and economy was based on farming and trade so they needed fertile land and trade routes to be successful. In what ways did the peoples of North America share similar cultural patterns? Tribes were often very family oriented and used totems as symbols of great events. Their religion was similar, believing that spirits guided them. All tribes traded to be self-sufficient and have a growing economy. Define Anasazi. An early Native American people who lived in the American Southwest. Define Tikal. A spectacular city the Mayan people built that became a major center of trade and religion in northern Guatemala How do the characteristics of Maya civilization compare with the characteristics of a typical civilization? Like many societies such as the Sumerians, the ancient Greeks, and the ancient Romans, the Mayans built their civilization on agriculture and religion. Although the science of the Maya civilization was very unique. What was the basis of Mayan life? The Mayan religion and agriculture was at the center of their society. Why was the calender important for the Mayan religion? They felt like it was important to know which god controlled each day. They believed in many gods, including one for each day. The actions of the day’s god could be predicted by following a calendar. What three explanations have been given for the collapse of the Maya civilization? Warfare, overuse of natural resources due to overpopulation, lost faith in their leader. Why was trade important to the Maya civilization? Trade linked these cities together How important do you think the development of advanced mathematics was in the creation of the Mayan calendar? The development of advanced mathematics was very important in the creation of the Mayan calendar because they used concepts from mathematics and applied it to their calendars. They were able to grasp large numbers and understand lunar years Which of the causes for the fall of the Maya do you think was most important? Mayans losing their faith in their leader was most important Why was the Valley of Mexico a good place for people to settle? it has lakes and fertile soil After the Teotihuacan, who were the next people to dominate the area? Toltecs What was the Aztec Empire based on? military conquest and collecting tribute from conquered peoples. Why were priests so important to the Aztec societies? Priests made the sacrifice of human blood to make sure that the sun god was happy, and so the sun rise every day. Why did the Aztecs become war-like peoples? They needed people to sacrifice to the their sun god. Where did the Inca civilization develop? In the Andes Mountains of South America. How did the Inca empire grow? Through military conquests What did the Incas build that helped unite the empire? Roads What invention of the Incas was similar to one of the Mayans? Day and night calendars for information about their gods Who were the two most important Incan gods? The creator god and the sun god

What are the three main cultures of the Mound Builders?

What cultures are part of the mound building culture?

Why did the tribes of Upper New York form a political alliance?

Which remarkable thing was made by the Mound Builders?