Oklahoma Academic Standard 1. The student will describe the state’s geography and the historic foundations laid by American Indian­­, European, and American cultures.

Objective 1.2  Summarize the accomplishments of pre-contact cultures including the Spiro Mound Builders.

In a Nutshell

Human habitation in present-day Oklahoma dates back thousands of years ago by cultures that engaged in hunting and gathering, resided in semi-permanent villages, and engaged in small scale agriculture. The Spiro Mound Culture is an excellent example of the complexity and advances of American Indian cultures in the region prior to European contact as evidenced by the presence of a continental trade network, highly stratified society, and sophisticated artistic productions.

Teacher Action 

Student Action 

• Aid students in assessing the significance and impact of individuals and groups throughout history by examining the presence and progression of early human societies in present-day Oklahoma. 

• Assist students to evaluate how multiple, complex events are shaped by unique circumstances of time and place, as well as broader historical contexts by exploring the relationship between climate and the progression of early human societies of Oklahoma. 

• Assess  the significance and impact of individuals and groups by creating parallel timelines that detail the technological advances, as well as the locations of the prehistoric cultures.

• Analyze information from visual, oral, digital, and interactive texts (e.g. maps, charts, images, political cartoons, videos) in order to draw conclusions and defend arguments exploring the extensive trade goods, architectural styles, artistic products, and social stratification systems of early societies. 

Key Concepts 

Misconceptions 

• Clovis and Folsom cultures, big-game hunting, hunter-gathering societies, 

• early agricultural endeavors, patterns of regional trade

• complex social stratification, artistic achievements, beliefs and rituals

• Students may be unaware of the steady progression of technological and social development that can be observed within prehistoric societies who thrived in present-day Oklahoma. In particular, the Spiro Mound Culture is culturally, economically, and politically connected to the larger Caddoan Mound Building culture that existed throughout the Mississippi River Valley and produced impressive architectural achievements in other regions of the country such as the Cahokia urban environment. 

Instructional Resources