The Ancient Americas

In our society, leaders like the President make some decisions for all of us. But not all societies are like this.

Hunter-gatherers and farmers in the Americas made community decisions in various ways. Often groups of elders or other household representatives made community decisions by consensus—giving every family a voice.

In some societies, this changed. Families came to play a smaller role in community decisions. In certain matters, they gave the authority to make decisions to a specific person or small group. Central-decision makers often were more effective than groups at organizing large amounts of labor, managing resources, and directing wars.

To explore some societies in which central leaders took power, select from the following:

	Overview Get the full story on why and how people began transferring power to leaders and discover the benefits these societies gained. You'll learn about the three common attributes shared among some famous ancient American cultures.
	Featured Cultures Meet three fascinating cultures—the Tairona, Hopewell, and Mississippian societies—and find out how centralized leadership worked in their communities. You'll discover how leaders helped these people build monumental architecture and establish exchange networks that brought in exotic imported goods.
	Image Gallery View spectacular jewelry and artifacts made of precious metals and stone that tell us about life in ancient American cultures led by powerful chiefs.
	Featured Scientist Meet Dr. Antonio Curet, a Field Museum anthropologist and Associate Curator of Circum-Caribbean Archaeology, and learn about the Taino people, an ancient society that transitioned from communal decision-making to appointed leadership in what is today Puerto Rico.

Continue to the Overview. >>