Why Didn't an Urban State-like Civilization Develop in the Americas Around the Mississippi and Amazon Rivers?

Often, questions about the development of ancient civilizations are answered with a simple 'they did'. This article delves into the history and characteristics of urbanized societies in the Mississippi and Amazon regions, revealing the intricacies behind their development and ultimate collapse.

The Mississippi Delta: The Mississippian Culture

Archaeological evidence proves beyond any doubt that urbanized agricultural societies existed in both the Mississippi delta and the Amazon basin long before European settlers arrived. Among the most well-documented of these is the Mississippian culture, a sophisticated society that thrived from around 800 to 1600 CE.

This culture was encountered by Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto, who led the first European expedition into the territory of the modern-day USA. The Mississippian culture was characterized by a range of advanced features:

Metallurgy and Ceramics: Remarkable metalworking skills and intricate ceramics adorned their communities. Agricultural System: Based primarily on large-scale maize farming, this society was highly developed agriculturally. Urban Settlements: They possessed permanent, large-scale urban settlements with hierarchical governance. Social Hierarchy: A complex social structure existed, with political and religious power concentrated in the hands of a few.

A significant feature of the Mississippian culture was their preference for communal buildings on top of man-made palisade-surrounded platform mounds, likely for defensive purposes. The largest known settlement, Cahokia, located in Illinois, had an estimated population of 40,000 at its peak, as shown in the image of Monk's Mound, the largest remaining mound in Cahokia.

The Amazon Basin: Unearthing Pre-Columbian Urbanization

More recent discoveries in the 21st century have shed light on urban societies in the Amazon. In 2008, anthropologists uncovered evidence of urban societies across a vast area of the Xingu River basin. This region, approximately 7,700 square miles (20,000 square kilometers) in size, supported up to 50,000 people across at least 28 settlements. Larger towns boasted defensive ditches reaching up to 10 feet (3 meters) deep and 33 feet (10 meters) wide, supported by wooden palisades.

The Xingu Indigenous Park, where these settlements were discovered with the help of the Kuikuro people, is now a focal point for further research. Features common across all these settlements include large plazas, often 150 meters wide, and a main street oriented northeast to southwest along the summer solstice axis, a hint at the religious significance for this culture.

These societies were interconnected by a network of roads, some of which were three miles (five kilometers) long with bridges and small canals, suggesting the transportation and movement of goods and people by canoe.

Economic and Cultural Aspects

The economy of these Amazon urban societies was based on agriculture and fish-farming. Primary crops were manioc and cassava, which were highly cultivated and consumed.

Discoveries since 2008 have provided further insights into other urban societies in the Amazon basin. A growing cohort of anthropologists now believes that the Amazon was extensively settled and managed by pre-Columbian cultures, which should not come as a great surprise to those familiar with early European explorers’ accounts. For example, Friar Gaspar de Carvajal, chronicler of the explorer Francisco de Orellana, described a town in 1542 that stretched for 15 miles without any space between houses, a marvel to behold. The land was fertile and appeared much like the Spain he knew.

The Deceptive Intellect Trap: Asking If Before Asking Why

Often, questions about the disappearance of these sophisticated urban societies are met with the old quip: 'Before asking why, ask if'. This means that before speculating on reasons for the collapse, it is essential to confirm the existence and nature of these societies. The urbanization of both the Mississippi delta and the Amazon basin was indeed real, as evidenced by extensive archaeological findings.

The collapse of these civilizations can largely be attributed to the arrival of European explorers in the 15th and 16th centuries. Old-world diseases, which the natives had no immunity to, swiftly decimated the population. This led to the rapid decline of these sophisticated urban societies and their eventual re-conquest by the dense rainforest.

In conclusion, the urban state-like civilizations of the Mississippi and Amazon regions were not just relics of history but active, vibrant communities that thrived for centuries before falling victim to the devastating impact of foreign diseases.