Cahokia people facts for kids
The Cahokia (pronounced kah-HOH-kee-ah) were a Native American tribe. They spoke a language from the Algonquian family. The Cahokia were part of a larger group called the Illinois Confederation. Their homeland was in what is now the central United States. This area includes parts of present-day Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Arkansas.
The Cahokia tribe was similar to other Illinois groups. They shared many cultural traditions, ways of life, and tools. When Europeans first arrived, they found huge earthwork mounds in southern Illinois. They named this site "Cahokia Mounds" after the tribe living nearby. However, experts believe the Cahokia tribe did not build these mounds. The mounds were built centuries before the Cahokia tribe lived there.
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Early European Contact
French missionaries came to the Cahokia lands to share their religion. They built two missions for the Cahokia people. One was the Tamaroa/Cahokia mission in 1699 CE. The other was the River L’Abbė mission in 1735 CE. Having multiple missions suggests the Cahokia tribe was large enough to need them.
Challenges and Changes
During the 1700s, the number of Cahokia people began to decrease. Several things caused this decline.
- Warfare: They faced conflicts with other tribes.
- Diseases: New illnesses brought by Europeans spread quickly. Native Americans had no natural protection against these diseases.
- Cultural Shifts: Changes like Christianization also affected their way of life. These changes disrupted their traditional society.
Later History and Legacy
Over time, the remaining Cahokia people joined other tribes. They merged with the Michigamea and then the Kaskaskia. Finally, they became part of the Peoria people. The Tamaroa tribe was also closely related to the Cahokia.
Relocation and Treaties
In the early 1800s, the U.S. government started a policy called Indian removal. This policy forced many Native American tribes to move from their lands. The Cahokia, along with other Illinois tribes, were moved to Kansas Territory. Later, they were moved again to Indian Territory, which is now Oklahoma.
In 1818, five Cahokia chiefs and leaders signed a treaty. This was the Treaty of Edwardsville in Illinois. Through this treaty, they gave up a large part of their land to the United States. This land was about half of what is now the state of Illinois.
Modern Day Connection
Even though the Cahokia tribe is no longer a separate group, their culture lives on. Their traditions continue through the Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma. This tribe is officially recognized by the U.S. government.
