Part 5/10:
The book delves into the realities of early urban centers such as Cahokia and Teotihuacan, which thrived in the Americas long before European contact. These civilizations displayed monumental achievements in architecture and society but also faced significant upheaval. Wengrow discusses how Cahokia—at its peak, a sprawling community comparable in size to modern cities—collapsed, perhaps not from external forces but due to the conscious choices of its inhabitants in response to social hierarchies and inequality.