Mounds are scattered all over the United States as far west as the Rocky Mountains. Some, especially in Illinois and the Mississippi region, are very impressive, reaching as much as 100 feet high and covering sixteen square acres. Likewise, there are many very small mounds that are often mistaken for natural geographical features. Mounds have been classified by scholars into three major categories: effigy mounds, burial mounds, and temple mounds. Effigy mounds are most common in the northern part of the United States near the Great Lakes and as far up as the Canadian Shield. These cleverly designed effigies are remarkable in geometric precision and very impressive, especially since it is so far unexplained how they were constructed. The purpose for the creation of these amazing earthen artworks is also obscured, hidden somewhere in the far past, but it can be assumed,

The lifestyle of the Mound Builders reflected their geographical orientation. Since they were mainly concentrated near major waterways and tributaries supplied by the Mississippi, they were able to travel by canoe and trade with other cities. Objects cherished by these people included shark and alligator teeth, pearls, conchs, feathers, and copper. They would use the pearls and other beautiful natural treasures to decorate the interiors of temples and of the homes of the chief. Also, these precious items were used as gifts that were exchanged among chiefs and lords of separate villages at times of alliance, treaties, and other such meetings. Because of this unity among the higher powers, the traditions and customs of commoners were diverse while the customs of the elite had more uniformity.

The period when the Mound Builders ruled the Mississippi valley and the central and eastern United States is actually divided into three epochs. The Mound Building cultures can be dated as far back as 1500 BC, and that time until around 700 BC archeologist identify as the Poverty Point Culture. The Hopwellian period spans from 500 BC to 400 AD, and the last period begins in the year 700 AD and ends in 1550. The Poverty Point Culture and the Hopwellian period remain mysterious, but researchers were able to gather a relatively large, however wanting, amount of information from the Mississippian era simply because it was not yet ended when the conquistadors and adventurers came to North America. When Hernando de Soto journeyed through Florida (then a name given to basically any region where Mound Builders resided) his chroniclers repeatedly remarked on the density of the population and the abundance of maize. Maize became a staple crop around 800 AD, around the same time that the Mississippian Era began. Another feature that distinguishes the Mississippian from the other earlier eras was their use of bows and arrows to strike down game. Prior to the use of this tool, Mound Builders used the atlatl (a type of spear) for hunting.

The northern mounds bear the least resemblance to the Mexican temples, and the cone shape mounds in the middle regions seem to be a compromise between the northern and southern styles. For this reason, many theorist believe that the mounds are a clue to the migration pattern of the mound builders. Two theories have developed from these patterns: one states that the mound builders began in the north, and as they slowly made their migration southward they became more skilled at mound building until they reached the point of elaboration that was near to that of the Maya. In that way the ancient civilization was not lost, they just became known in later times as the Aztecs. The second theory suggests that the Mound Builders had their origins in Mexico, and then a portion of the Mexican civilization broke away and migrated northward. The reasoning behind this theory is that the Mound Builders gradually lost their old customs as they traveled, and developed their own style.

In addition to their mounds, the Mound Builders also left behind large enclosures. Enclosures found at the tops of mounds are thought to have been used for military and de

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Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page double spaced)