Mounds of History
Elizabeth Kibler
1Looking at the Etowah Indian Mounds Historic Site in Georgia is like taking a trip into history. Huge, green mounds sprout up from the grassy earth. The impressive mounds give visitors a feeling of mystery.
2The Etowah Indian Mounds Historic Site in Georgia is one of the most well preserved examples of Native American society in the United States. This historic site is 54 acres of what was once a Native American town.
The Mounds
3The Etowah Indian Mounds Historic Site, located near the Etowah River, has six mounds. Three of the mounds—called A, B, and C—are the most famous features of the site. Native Americans built the mounds beside two, open plazas. The mounds have four sides and flat tops. Native Americans used steps to get to the tops of the mounds. They also built a ditch that served as a protective barrier around the mounds.
4Native Americans built the mounds for several reasons. They used the mounds as platforms for building, burial grounds, and areas for religious activities. The main mounds served as the center of the town. The other members of the town lived scattered for many miles around the mounds.
Scientific Research
5Scientists who study ancient cultures discovered much information about the mounds. They believe that Mound A at Etowah was reserved for the chief of the area. The chief of the town had his home on the mound. The other citizens of the town lived around this mound. The closer a person lived to Mound A, the more significant he or she was in the society. Mound A reaches about 60 feet high. It is also more than 300 square feet wide at its base. Some scientists believe that every time a chief died, a new layer was added to mound. Then, a new house was built on the top.
6The only Etowah mound to be fully dug up and researched is Mound C. Mound C was used as a burial mound. Inside Mound C, scientists found jewelry, clothing, and other important relics.
Mississippian Culture
7The Etowah Native American Mounds are remnants of an interesting society. The builders of these mounds were part of the Mississippian culture. This group of Native Americans lived in parts of North America from 800 A.D. until the arrival of European explorers. People of the Mississippian culture built these mounds between 1000 B.C. and 1550 A.D.
8The Mississippians living in and around Georgia first encountered European explorers in the 1500s. Unfortunately, the Native Americans were not protected against the ailments brought by these strangers. Illness put the already-declining population on dangerous ground. In time, the populations got much smaller. Later, some of the remaining members of the Mississippian culture formed the Creek and Cherokee tribes.
The Mounds Today
The Etowah mounds give scientists a wonderful view of life in America before recorded history. The state of Georgia currently owns the historic site, which many visitors enjoy each year. Future research at the mounds may uncover even more information about American history.
Question
What is the central idea of this article?
Responses
A discovering historydiscovering history
B locating historic siteslocating historic sites
C studying early explorersstudying early explorers
D building defensive ditches