Cahokia

Cahokia was a pre-Columbian Native American city located near present-day St. Louis, Missouri. It flourished from about 600 to 1400 CE and was the largest urban center in North America before European contact. The city is known for its massive earthen mounds, the most famous being Monks Mound, which served religious and ceremonial purposes. Cahokia's complex society engaged in extensive trade, agriculture, and cultural practices. At its peak, it may have had tens of thousands of residents, reflecting the sophisticated community and advanced social structure of its time before its decline, likely due to environmental and social factors.