The folks living in the Americas before Columbus ran into Hispaniola were called Mound Builders since they had a propensity to pile dirt up and create huge mounds. Some of these mounds were in the shapes of animals while others were just huge hills. This construction took about a 5,000-year period. Scientists today say these mounds were for religious ceremonies or to inter their dead. A very few mounds were put in place so the elites could live high above everyone else.
The best known mounds are the Cahokia Mounds near East St. Louis, Illinois. This is the largest set of mounds in North America. The mound thought to be a temple measures nearly 100 feet high and 975 feet long.
Here are a few stories about these mounds found all over the country and what some people believe they might be used for.