The Mississippian

Period

I am Owo (Old Wise One). I am the chief of the Mississippian Period. This is the latest of the periods,

lasting from 700 A.D. to 1600 A.D.

My people lived in chiefdoms, which are small societies where one person, a chief, makes most of the decisions and controls the distribution of all goods. My people chose me to take on this responsibility.

The Mississippians were farmers, and planted crops such as maize (corn), beans, pumpkins, and squash.

We wore jewelry, tattoos, and headresses, much like the Woodlands did.

The Mississippians built mounds that served as burials and temples of worship.

These mounds were the center of village life.

Today, you can see some of our mounds in Georgia. They are called the Etowah Mounds.

My people were the first to come into contact with Europeans. We could not have known the consequences of this meeting.

Answer the review questions on the back of your sheet. Then work on the prompts

below: • Define the following:

– Clan:– Tribe:– Chiefdom:

• 2 reasons why people migrated:– 1:– 2:

• Write the prehistoric periods in chronological order. • Where did permanent settlements appear?• What was the result of the coming extinction of big

game animals?