Question

before cahokia’s rise, people were slowly hunting the local deer and bison toward extinction. meat was becoming scarcer, and farming couldn’t make up the difference. most crops, such as maygrass, had tiny seeds. it took a huge amount of seeds (and work) to feed a family. the people needed a new food source, and they found one.
although maize had been around for hundreds of years, the hopewell people hadn’t shown much interest in it. around ad 800, though, the hungry mississippians started cultivating maize in the flat plains along the river. maize fed the growing population of the area, and it also fed the growth of community institutions, such as storehouses for grain. organizing and supervising the building of storehouses is one way a central power could have emerged. from there it was a short step to building other community structures, such as the mounds and canals.
although maize helped cahokia rise, it also played a part in the city’s downfall. cahokia was the first time indians north of the río grande had tried to feed and shelter 15,000 people in one place, and they made beginner’s mistakes. to get wood
what is the cause and effect in this passage?
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Explanation:

To determine the cause and effect:

• Cause: Local deer and bison were moving toward extinction (meat became scarcer), and existing crops (like maygrass) had tiny seeds that required a huge amount of work to feed a family. This created a need for a new food source.
• Effect: The Mississippians started cultivating maize in the flat plains along the river. Maize fed the growing population, enabled organizing community institutions (like storehouses for grain), and led to the building of other community structures (mounds, canals). However, maize also played a part in Cahokia’s downfall as the people made mistakes (e.g., in feeding and sheltering 15,000 people, and in getting wood).

Answer:

• Cause: Local deer and bison neared extinction (meat scarcity), and existing crops were inefficient for feeding families.
• Effect: Mississippians cultivated maize, which supported population growth, community organization (e.g., storehouses), structure building, but also contributed to Cahokia’s downfall due to mismanagement.