When we learn about American History, we are not taught anything about the historical city of Cahokia. This former city is located within 30 miles of where St. Louis is located in Illinois. This city thrived by 1250 AD, and at around that time, the city had 20,000 residents. This was the largest city in the America's at the time, and was larger than major European cities such as London. It would not be until 1800 that Philadelphia would have a population that reached the height of Cahokia. However, this ancient city had a downfall by 1350 and this can be attributed to an increase in warfare and natural resource depletion. Cahokia expanded and ultimately became too powerful. As the city grew, the more trees were cut. The age of Cahokia was famous for mound building in which the Native Americans would carry by hand soil in a bucket to build up these mounds. More than 120 mounds were located in Cahokia, however the earth was shifted by these mounds.
The depletion of natural resources in Cahokia led to its collapse, and by 1400 AD it was completely dead and abandoned. We are not taught about this city in school, and is a quiet subject in universities because there are very few written records. However, it is time that the American government and media recognizes the rise and fall of this once prosperous city and realizes that society collapsed due to resource depletion in Cahokia. We are not doing enough today, letting big corporations mine coal in destructive ways, freely drilling for oil in the Gulf of Mexico, and depleting the United States of it hardwood trees.
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