​Location

​The Mississippian culture lived in the area around the Mississippi River. Their area included these states in the EAST: western New York, western Virginia, western Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Missouri, West Virginia, Iowa, northern Louisiana, western Georgia, western North Carolina, western South Carolina, and the Florida panhandle.

​Mound Builders

​The Mississippian Mound Builders constructed mounds of dirt for many purposes such as for ceremonies and burial. These mounds can be found all over the area where they lived.

​The Mississippian culture started along the banks of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers in southeast North America. They built homes called "wattle and daub" houses. They were made using a wooden framework covered in grass and mud. They built homes in rows around a central plaza. They were known for building mounds with piles of dirt. There were two mounds in their settlement, one for housing the chief and one for holding ceremonies.

​The Mississippian people were great farmers. They grew corn, beans, squash, and pumpkins. They developed food storage methods so that they had fresh food year round. They were very good at trading. They hunted for deer and rabbit. They also fished the rivers and ate wild plants. They traded stone for copper, clothing and food. They also created crafts from stone and shell.