Monday, August 31, 2015

Mississippians: Mound Builders

We spent the last blog looking at impressive feats of architecture and human ingenuity via the Aztecs. This week we will spend some time looking at an impressive culture much closer to us.

Near St. Louis, MO, about 1,000 years ago, the Mississippians built series of "mound settlements" that became little/mid-sized cities. The most well known of these sites was Cahokia, which grew to 20,000 people. These settlements were centers of trade, agriculture and entertainment for the natives.

Watch this video and read this article about Cahokia and the Mississippians. Do you see any similarities and/or differences between the Mississippians and Aztecs? What was the most interesting thing you learned?

30 comments:

  1. The Cahokia was a very central located group by the Mississippi River ,that has now become a vanished culture . These people built mounds and some were the size of three football fields by two football fields . They used them as burial grounds but the archeologist found some mounds to be empty . These people were great traders and they also were farmers , merchants , and ect. The leaders of this settlement lived in luxury but the people lived in not so nice of places . The mounds were not all very tall . I fact most of them were short . The archeologist have found lots of things .

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  2. The Mississippians were very much like the Aztecs as they were quite smart and built many things. They worked for many years to build mounds that were used to bury their dead. Items that were found to be buried with the dead included copper tools that they developed. The Mississippian community that developed all over the Southeast and Mid-West United States were very large with many people. The largest was Cahokia with 20,000 people. It was the largest settlement until the 1800’s. The most interesting thing that I read about was that these mounds were as big as 3 football fields that took many years to build. 105 words

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  3. I found lots of things to be the same with the Aztecs and the Mississippians. They both were good traders and even traded food. Mississippians traded with people in the Gulf of Mexico and people in the Great Lakes Region. They both grew crops such as corn,beans,and other foods. Both of these tribes were great at mound building. The Mississippian could make a two foot wide and 3 football fields long. The mounds were mostly used to make burial grounds for the death of people in the tribe. People now find toys,clothes,and bones left from the people buried there. The most interesting thing I learned is about the mound building.



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  4. The Mississipians and the Aztecs had many similarities, but also many differences. They were both very smart people groups who had accomplished many things. The Mississipians were big in trading and farming. They traded a stone thats was native to them, and in return, they got copper, food, pipes, clothing, headdresses, and masks. Some plants they grew included corn, beans, squash and many other vegetables. Something the Mississipians are the most famous for are their dirt mounds. They built giant mounds made of hard compact dirt; Some were as large as one thousand feet long and 700 feet wide. thats 3 1/3 football fields long and over two football fields wide. Although the Aztecs didnt build dirt mounds, they also had huge builds around that size. Both groups of poeple were huge, excellent builders, intelligent, and inventors. Theses things are what bring the two groups together.

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  5. The Mississippians were similar to the Aztecs in some areas.Both civilizations built large cities though they went about it in different ways.The Aztecs used stone and such while the Mississippians built mounds.Within these mounds,they buried their dead.Archeologists have found things such as toys,clothing and bones.Some of the mounds contain nothing ,which is odd because no one knows what purpose these empty mounds served.The mounds that the Mississipians built are a defining feature of the people.Another thing that the Aztecs and Mississippians have in common is trade.Both tribes traded often with surrounding areas. (102)

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  6. The Mississippians and the Aztecs were very similar. For one thing, they were both very advanced. The Aztecs were able to develop a calendar, and while the Mississippians didn't do anything like that, they did build huge mounds. Considering that they didn't have the building supplies that we have today, these mounds must have been extremely hard to build. They had to be planned very carefully, otherwise the entire thing would be screwed up. Also, both civilizations were very skilled at trading. Tenochtitlán, which was the Aztec capital, was the center of trade, and even though the Mississipians didn't have a huge city like that, they were still very skilled traders.
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  7. The Mississippians are an ancient civilization that has been extinct for a very long time. They used to live along the Mississippi River ,and they built mounds for ceremonial purposes and also Built these mounds for purposes such as trading. These great big mounds where also used for farmers, Hunters, and merchants. They traded with people all the way from the Great Lakes region to the Gulf of Mexico region. They traded a stone that was common in there region that was useful for other native groups to make weapons. They would receive other items in exchange these would most likely have been copper, Food, clothing, pipes, headdress, and masks.(110)

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  8. The Mississippians were very similar to the Aztecs in a few ways. For one, they were the center of trade for their area, stretching their fingers from the Gulf Coast to the Great Lakes. Secondly, the Mississippians were the creators of magnificent structures, though they were made out of earth, instead of the stone that the Aztecs used. However, they were also different from the Aztecs in some ways.
    First, like I mentioned before, they used dirt to build their massive temples, trade centers, and whatnot, as opposed to the stone of the Aztecs. Also, the Mississippians were located by a river, which they used as a massive trade network. Lastly, The Mississippians lived in solid houses, whereas the Aztecs weren't even stationary enough to have a prison. (128 words)

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  9. I think the Mississippians and Aztecs were very similar as in they both ate some of the same foods, but they were also different Mississippians were know as the mound builders. Some of their mounds were three football fields long , and two football fields wide, but most of them were not very tall. Both the Aztecs and te Mississippians were both very good traders. They also both planted the same food maize, corn, beans, and squash. Some scholars even believe that the Mississippians visited the Aztecs. It sometimes took the Mississippians two hundred years or more to build only one mound.
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  10. The Aztec and Missisippians were very similar in various ways! For example, they both vanished, and they were both very large empires! They also believed in worshipping their gods, and built mounds, and certain structures for them. Some people believed that the Mississippians visited the Aztec in the olden days because they might have gotten their ideas from them. Both tribes were very good builders. Yet they were also different. One group was very war like and demanding, while another was quite and only fought when needing. One like to hunt and another farmed and gathered. One thing interesting I learned was that the Mississippians built a mound that would cover 3 football fields long and 2 football fields wide. (120)

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  11. I found many differences and similarities between the Mississippians and the Aztecs. The first and most clear is the types of drawings that have been found where both cultures lived. Both sites contain drawings of bright, colorful, Indians; among other things like snakes and spiders. The main difference is the type of buildings these two cultures constructed. While both built massive structures, the Aztecs made theirs out of mainly stone while the Mississippians stuck to dirt mounds. Religion is another connection between these two cultures. Both cultures worshipped the sun among other pagan gods that controlled everything and it's mom. As you can see, it appears that the early Mexican Indian culture greatly influenced the late Indian tribes in America.

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  12. I believe the Mississippians and the Aztecs very similar, with a few differences. the Mississippians also worshiped the sun god, traded, farmed, and also made jewelry and pottery. The differences they between them were simple. The Aztecs were very violent, loved war, played lots of games,and did human sacrifices. The Mississippians were more peaceful. They would only kill if to protect their own lives, built mounds for burials, and i'm guessing that they didn't play many games. The one thing that stood out the most, from the Mississippians were the mounds. They took so much time and a lot of effort to building these mounds that were up to 70 feet tall, and some even larger. It would've taken 200 hundred years to make them. I just thought the Mississippians were hard working.



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  13. The Mississippians had quite a few similarities to the Aztecs. One of the most prominent similarities I noticed was religion. Both of these cultures were involved in religion. Another thing I noticed is that Aztecs and Mississippians both built dirt-related things. The Mississippians build mounds, and the Aztecs built houses. Both of these cultures were farming cultures, rather than nomadic hunting/gathering cultures. Thus, they both had a steady supply of food, therefore having the ability to have a more stable society. Both societies were also prominent traders. Although, the Mississippians happen to be a known center for trading, the Aztecs still traded many things.

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  14. Well the Aztecs and Mississippians were similar. The Mississippians seemed to be very strict and just they seemed to be nice like. They both were smart and created some great things as well as some inventions. Also they both traded and surprisingly they traded food which i thought was very interesting. They both did trade with surrounding areas. The fact that they made mounds that was as big as 3 football fields. Mounds were used to bury people back in that time. Religion was the same between the cultures they both worshiped a sun god. So they had some differences and some similarities. (103)

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  15. History blog / Differences and Similarities on the Aztecs and the Mississippians:

    There are quite a few differences in the Aztec civilization than the Mississippian Civilization. The Mississippian civilization is banished and gone however they still have similarities to the Aztec culture. The Aztecs farmed and ate beans and maize just like the Mississippian culture. Both of these civilizations eventually became extinct and were no longer alive. However, the Mississippians lived in different areas than the Aztecs. There were quite a few interesting parts about the video and the website with information, along with the fact that there was also a lot of similarities and differences. Some of them i named and others i didn't. I think one of my favorite parts was how in Cahokia the had over twenty thousand residents.
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  16. The Mississippians were like the Aztecs in some ways. The Mississippi lived in homes. They were mound builders. The drawings were similar in their color and design. Both of the cultures worshiped a sun god. Both of them disappeared. They both ate crops. The Aztecs were more into war when the Mississippians were not. Both of them traded things. The cultures were both big in size of their population. The Aztecs were in Mexico when the Mississippians were in North America near the Mississippi River. They both built dirt mounds.

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  17. The Mississippians and the Aztecs are two different people groups but the they are also similar in some ways to. For example they built houses they have not been built the same but they were still houses. The way they did things was very similar ,but different because of the way they survived because of the way they had to adapt the their environment. If it was not for this they would be very similar. But if they did not they would be very different for example the Aztecs believed in human sacrifice unlike the Mississippians who just thought that every thing had a spirit. Any ways the point is i think there are some differences but they are also pretty similar as well. So in conclusion they are both similar and different.

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  18. In a few ways, the Mississippians were similar to the Aztecs. They both were get intelligent and advanced civilizations; many people from both civilizations lived in luxury. They built many strong and large cities. Trading and religion were very important thing to the Mississippians and the Aztecs.
    But, unlike the Aztecs, the Mississippians are known for the large mounds that they built and are often referred to as the mound builders. Many scholars believe the mounds were used for burial grounds although some mounds were just dirt. Even though many mounds were very long and wide, only a few were tall; most mounds were around three feet tall. The Aztecs and Mississippians were alike in a few ways but they were also very different.
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  19. After watching the video and reading the article, I found many more differences than similarities. One similarity I did find is that they both worshipped a sun god. These sun gods were very different though. The Mississippians sun god said that stealing things, lying, and killing for no reason are all wrong. While on the other hand, the Aztecs sun god required human sacrifices just to keep it moving. Actually, this is a little ironic since in fact the sun does not actually move, we do. So probably the biggest difference between these two cultures is that the Aztecs were violent while the Mississippians were only supposed to fight and kill during war. One similarity they did have was, they both highly respected (or feared) their leaders. I mean, why would you build a huge palace for each of them to live if you did not respect (or fear) them. All the other differences that the Aztecs were known for was their great big city, Tenochtitlan, while the Mississippians were known for their 1,000 feet long and 700 feet wide mounds of dirt that they built. These were huge. One last Similarity is that they both were very advanced people for the time being. I mean, if you think about it they were both in some amazing form of architecture with no technology.
    Probably the most interesting fact I read was when it said, “They traded a stone that was native to their area. Natives in other parts of the country used this this stone to make weapons. In exchange they received a variety of goods including copper, food, clothing, pipes, headdresses, and masks.” This is really interesting because we do it today. We buy and trade rare stones and rocks too. We may not trade the things that they did back then, but we do buy sell and buy rare rocks like they did. The only difference is that they used it for weapons while we use it for jewelry. Who would have thought that buying stones and rocks started a thousand years ago and still lives on today.

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  20. These people where nothing alike. The only way they where alike was by the way they built their houses. I did find a lot of different things about these people and their way of life. They where different in so many ways other than how the ways of how they built their houses. But they were also very much so alike.

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  21. They were also just people so they where going to things in common and some differences. In the way of living just like regular nice people compared to gang people on the streets everyone is different . The end!😂

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  22. The Mississippians/mound builders were very similar to the Aztecs. They had a trading system that was very successful and the also farmed and grew crops such as: corn and beans. People wonder why they were call mound builders and there son is that they built huge dirt mounds that scholars believe we're used for burial grounds. They spent not a few years working on mounds but spent two hundred years on just one mound. They say that the were the length of three football fields and the with of two football fields. Scholars believe that the only reason that they spent that much time on one mound is because their ruler was very strict and very bossy. They are also a very interesting culture.


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  23. The mississipians were very advanced. They were the city of the sun. They worshiped the sun and the king was also the pope. They dominated the heart of the continent. They were known as the mound builders because they built so many Mounds that still exist today. Some people believe that the reason they built so many mounds was for burial purposes. They had real homes that they built. The king was located at the top of a man made mountain 10 stories high, 16 acre base.

    The Aztecs were also a very advanced group but not as advanced as the Mississipians were. They both were very popular groups.

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  24. Second Hour:
    First Post-Megan Long
    Best Post-Gonzo

    Third Hour:
    First Post-Ella Heyworth
    Best Post-Holley Fulgham

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  25. Yes I do see a similarity. The only similarity that I see is that the Mississippians were mound builders as well and they would build huge mounds. Some interesting things that I found were that the mounds were used as a burial ground. Also that the mounds would cover over 3 football fields and over 2 football fields wide. But most of the mounds were not even 3 feet tall. But some would even be 70 feet tall. Also some could be 1,000 feet long and 700 feet wide. They were known as great traders and scholars believe that they may have even visited the Aztecs. They were known as great traders and they would receive copper, food, clothing, pipes, headdresses, and masks.

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  26. The Mississippians and the Aztecs were both similar and different from each other. The similarities between the Mississippians and the Aztecs are they both grew their own foods. They were both great warriors and farmers. The differences between the Mississippians and the Aztecs are the Mississippians were mound builders they lived on the banks of the Mississippi River they are a vanished culture. The Aztecs however lived in Mexico they were located around Lake Texcoco and the Mississippians were great traders and they were mound builders. The most interesting thing I learned was the Mississippians may have visited the Aztecs.
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