Mississippian culture

MISSISSIPPIAN BURIAL PRACTICES: Mississippian Burial Practices and How Various Society’s Burial Practices Differ and Relate At the first description of the Mississippian cultures, specifically the Cahokian, my interest with these people grew. In both lectures from this course and my world civilizations course, descriptions of these people varied in terms of focus, but nevertheless caught my attention. And while my experience with North American cultures has been limited up until now, I am finding the people truly fascinating and can recognize the importance of researching this area of the world. In terms of civilizations, my interest has always lied with more ancient civilizations. And while their ideas and ways seem far off from our own,…

The Mississippian tribe was the last major tribe to appear in North America before Europeans arrived. They lived in most of Southeast and mid-America, spanning the states of Mississippi, Georgia, Arkansas, Missouri, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio, with some areas of Wisconsin and Minnesota and also expanding into the Great Plains of North America. Their main culture focus was growing crops, such as maize (corn), beans, squash, and others. Growing these crops caused growth in large…

Representation in Museums In 1910, the art of the Native American culture began to be displayed in art museums. The first was an art museum in Brooklyn, which presented Native American culture’s works as serious art. The curator, Stuart Culin, selected one tribe to represent the entire region of North America. Objects exhibited in the museum were organized based on their function. Very descriptive labels, photographs, small-scale models, and others means were used to attempt to portray the…

This was a typical outfit for a Native American during that time period. The chief has long dark hair but, it is mostly covered by his long feathered headpiece. The headdress is a very important part of the outfit and of the Native American culture. Typically it is made of beautiful bird feathers and it is more symbolic than anything else worn within their typical outfit (Shea). In his left hand the chief is holding a pipe that was typically used for smoking during that time period. There were…

Many know that the French and British were involved in the American Revolutionary War. What many do not know is that Native Americans also played a key role in the war. Specifically, the Chickasaw Native Americans because, they were a key ally to the British. The Chickasaws were a fierce group of Native Americans that did not fear war. As a result, this caused them to stand up to Spanish forces, to trade with the British, and to side with the British during many wars, including the…

They made objects like the canoes, ropes, and log bridges. Their inventions made great with the Spanish explorers in the area. Also, the Cahokia Indians quarried stone and carved them into weapons in the shape of an arrowhead. Corn reemerged into the Cahokia region and beans were farmed by the Indians. The Indians would also discover salt to use on their food. The Religious beliefs of the Cahokia Indians were like most hunter and gathers. According to Lost Civilizations book "Mound Builders &…

Since the assimilation of the native American tribes into white culture, there has been many cultures that have disappeared. Some cultures have been lost forever, but fortunately there has been an awakening and a willingness to preserve certain cultures and languages. One specific example is the Chickasaw culture. One way to reclaim their history and heritage is through the Chickasaw Cultural Center in Sulphur, Oklahoma. The cultural center is located on 109 acres of land and includes a museum,…

Burial traditions vary across time and space. Looking at societies in similar stages of development, trends in how individuals of various statuses are buried become visible. In looking at a few of the Mississippian cultures and the famous tombs of King Tutankhamen and The Death Pit at Ur, one can explore how these trends and differences appear. Additionally, these case studies can be used to examine larger issues within the field of archeology -- such as looting and preservation -- and to…

Culture of the Choctaw Indians The culture of the Choctaw Indians evolved across the centuries merging European-American influences, although relations with France, Spain, and England significantly influenced it as well. They were well known for their rapid modernization, developing a written language, changing to yeoman agricultural methods, and the lifestyles of European-American and African-Americans imposed on their way of life and their culture. The Choctaw society has its roots embedded…

The myth of the Ecological Indian, has influenced historians’ beliefs for centuries. The thought that Native American’s were a part of nature, never exploiting their resources, a primitive species, a peaceful people, is a stereotype that is proven wrong by the paramount chiefdom of Cahokia. The stratified community, of what was in its day, a powerful unprecedented empire in North America, calls into question who Native Americans were believed to be. Cahokia, a Mississippian culture, is one of…