#RMS_043

A pervasive narrative in historical accounts of North America suggests that prior to European contact, the continent was sparsely populated by nomadic tribes living in harmony with an uncultivated wilderness. However, archaeological evidence challenges this simplistic view by revealing the existence of sophisticated urban centers that rivaled contemporary European cities in size and complexity. One prominent example is Cahokia, located near present-day St. Louis, which flourished between AD 1050 and 1350. At its zenith, Cahokia supported a population estimated at tens of thousands, making it larger than London during the same period. The city featured colossal earthen mounds, notably Monks Mound, and an intricate layout indicative of centralized planning and social stratification. Far from being a pristine, empty landscape, the region was a hub of extensive trade networks and intensive agriculture. The existence of such sites compels historians to reconstruct their understanding of pre-Columbian civilization, acknowledging that the landscape was, in many places, highly engineered and densely inhabited. What is the main purpose of the text?