The Cahokia were one of the main tribes of the
The Illiniwek (Illini) confederation, the others being
The Kaskaskia,
The Peoria,
The Tamaroa,
The Michigamea and
The Moingwena. They were to be found in central and southern Illinois especially around the
St Louis area and near the mouths of the
Illinois River and the
Missouri River.
Some have mistaken the tribe as being the builders of the Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site when in fact a large group (about 20,000) of "Woodland" culture individuals (the "Mississippians") constucted them between 700 and 1400 A.D. The Cahokia arrived in the area in the early-1600's.
The first contact with Europeans was in 1667 when French Pere (Father) Claude Allouez met them.
A semi-nomadic people, the tribe was forced into accepting refuge from the warring Iroquois at a French mission in 1698.
Their numbers continued to decline and by 1800, they were almost extinct. Since then, they have been consolidated with the Peoria.
