World History 101: Alternative-Orders - Cahokia and the Great Exit, When a Complex Society Deliberately Abandoned Hierarchy

? What this actually is

Cahokia and the 'Great Exit': When a Complex Society Deliberately Abandoned Hierarchy is a fascinating chapter in world history that challenges the conventional narrative of the rise and fall of civilizations. The story of Cahokia, a pre-Columbian city in what is now Illinois, USA, reveals that a complex society once deliberately abandoned its hierarchical structure, leaving behind a mystery that has puzzled historians and archaeologists for centuries. This event, known as the "Great Exit," has significant implications for our understanding of human history, social complexity, and the nature of power.

By re-examining the history of Cahokia, we can gain insights into the dynamics of social change, the role of power and inequality, and the resilience of human societies. This understanding can help us better navigate the complexities of our own world, where issues like inequality, climate change, and social unrest are pressing concerns.

The conventional narrative of Cahokia's history tells a story of a rising and falling civilization, with a focus on the city's impressive architecture, trade networks, and eventual decline. However, this narrative overlooks the intriguing evidence of a deliberate abandonment of the city's hierarchical structure, which challenges our understanding of the relationship between power and social complexity.

? Key ideas (from the scholars)

• The complexity without the state thesis: David Graeber and David Wengrow argue that complex societies can emerge without the presence of a centralized state. They cite evidence from Cahokia, where a complex network of trade and social relationships existed without a clear state apparatus.
  • Example: Graeber and Wengrow point to the lack of monumental architecture and the presence of decentralized decision-making processes in Cahokia, which suggests that the city's complexity was not driven by a centralized state.
• The importance of social memory: James C. Scott emphasizes the role of social memory in shaping human societies. He argues that the abandonment of Cahokia's hierarchical structure may have been driven by a deliberate effort to erase the city's social memory and create a new social order.
  • Example: Scott points to the lack of written records and the presence of deliberate destruction of Cahokia's monumental architecture, which suggests that the city's inhabitants may have been trying to erase their social memory and create a new identity.
• The role of climate change: Peter Turchin suggests that climate change may have played a role in the abandonment of Cahokia's hierarchical structure. He argues that changes in the climate may have disrupted the city's trade networks and social relationships, leading to a decline in social complexity.
  • Example: Turchin points to the evidence of drought and climate change in the region during the 14th century, which may have disrupted the city's trade networks and social relationships, leading to a decline in social complexity.

? Hidden rule nobody explains

One hidden rule that nobody explains is that large-scale societies often experience a decline in social complexity before abandoning their hierarchical structure. This is evident in the case of Cahokia, where a complex network of trade and social relationships existed without a clear state apparatus, but eventually gave way to a more decentralized and egalitarian social order.

This hidden rule challenges our conventional understanding of the relationship between power and social complexity, and highlights the importance of social memory and climate change in shaping human societies.

? The deeper story

The conventional version of Cahokia's history tells a story of a rising and falling civilization, with a focus on the city's impressive architecture, trade networks, and eventual decline. However, this narrative overlooks the intriguing evidence of a deliberate abandonment of the city's hierarchical structure.

The evidence suggests that Cahokia was a complex society that existed without a centralized state, with a network of trade and social relationships that stretched across the region. However, around the 14th century, the city's inhabitants began to abandon their hierarchical structure, leaving behind a mysterious and unexplained event known as the "Great Exit."

The evidence of this event includes the deliberate destruction of Cahokia's monumental architecture, the lack of written records, and the presence of a more decentralized and egalitarian social order. This suggests that the city's inhabitants may have been trying to erase their social memory and create a new social order.

? Why this still matters

Understanding the history of Cahokia and the "Great Exit" has significant implications for our understanding of human history, social complexity, and the nature of power. It challenges our conventional understanding of the relationship between power and social complexity, and highlights the importance of social memory and climate change in shaping human societies.

This understanding can help us better navigate the complexities of our own world, where issues like inequality, climate change, and social unrest are pressing concerns. It can also inform our approaches to social change, by highlighting the importance of creating more decentralized and egalitarian social orders.

? Your move today

Goal: Read a primary source excerpt from the Cahokia Mounds archaeological site.

Step-by-step:

1. Visit the Cahokia Mounds website and explore the archaeological site.
2. Read the primary source excerpt from the site, which describes the deliberate destruction of Cahokia's monumental architecture.
3. Reflect on the implications of this event for our understanding of human history and social complexity.
4. Write a one-paragraph summary of the "Great Exit" in your own words.

What to save: A tangible note or reflection on the implications of the "Great Exit" for our understanding of human history and social complexity.

? Resource asset for today

Timeline of Cahokia's History

Common misunderstandings & nuance

• Misunderstanding 1: The "Great Exit" was a sudden and catastrophic event that wiped out the city's inhabitants.
• Misunderstanding 2: The abandonment of Cahokia's hierarchical structure was driven by a centralized state or external force.
• Important nuance: The "Great Exit" was a complex and multifaceted event that involved the deliberate destruction of Cahokia's monumental architecture, the lack of written records, and the presence of a more decentralized and egalitarian social order.
• Sign you're understanding it correctly: You can explain in your own words why the "Great Exit" was a deliberate and complex event that challenges our conventional understanding of the relationship between power and social complexity.

? Completion check

"I can explain in my own words why the 'Great Exit' was a deliberate and complex event that challenges our conventional understanding of the relationship between power and social complexity."