A long time ago, there was a massive civilization in Illinois, way before Europeans ever arrived. It was called Cahokia, and at its peak, around 20,000 people lived there—making it bigger than London at the time! They built giant mounds, some as tall as a ten-story building, and had a complex society with trade, religion, and even sports. But then, something mysterious happened, and by the 1400s, the city was abandoned. Some say it was climate change, others think war or disease played a role, but no one knows for sure. Today, the mounds are still there, keeping the secrets of this lost civilization buried beneath them.

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