6. Myth: There Was No Native American Civilization North of Mexico
It’s a misconception that advanced civilizations only existed south of the U.S. border. North America was home to complex societies like the Ancestral Puebloans (Anasazi), who built vast cliff dwellings and ceremonial centers, and the Mississippian culture, which created urban hubs such as Cahokia. These civilizations boasted sophisticated trade routes, monumental architecture, and organized governance. As the Ancient History Encyclopedia describes, their achievements rivaled those of Mesoamerican societies and challenge the notion of a “civilization-less” North America.
