Question

artists conception of the city of cahokia, near modern - day st. louis. at its peak around 1100 ce, cahokia had 20,000 residents. image credit: wikimedia commons
how were mississippian people similar to other native american groups in the pre - contact era?
choose 1 answer:
a the environment in which they lived influenced their societies and economies.
b they were largely nomadic, depending on horses to follow herds of animals.
c they had no religious practices or beliefs.
d they had an egalitarian social structure, where individuals were generally equal in status.

Explanation:

• Option B: Mississippian people were not largely nomadic; they had settled agricultural societies, and horses were introduced by Europeans, so this is incorrect.
• Option C: Most Native American groups had religious practices, so this is wrong.
• Option D: Mississippian societies (e.g., Cahokia) had social hierarchies, so this is incorrect.
• Option A: For all Native American groups, the environment (e.g., resources, climate) influenced their societies (like settlement patterns) and economies (like hunting, farming), so this is correct.

Answer:

A. The environment in which they lived influenced their societies and economies.