2. Cahokia Mounds (Illinois)
Long before European settlers arrived, Cahokia flourished near present-day St. Louis as the largest pre-Columbian city north of Mexico. Between 1050 and 1350 CE, an estimated 20,000 people lived in this bustling metropolis, crafting complex earthen mounds, plazas, and woodhenges for social, religious, and political life. Its advanced society influenced trade, culture, and technology across the region. Today, Cahokia Mounds is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, yet its legacy is still overshadowed by later colonial narratives.
