500 Nations: Cahokia

In this hour, we will travel back in time to three stunning civilizations that flourished long before the arrival of Europeans. To the Anasazi of the Southwest, the mound builders of the Mississippi, and the great pyramid builders of the Maya.

The Ko-chan wanted to send a prayer to the sun. So, he called on his friend the bear. And the bear came, and he said, "Oh, I'm very honored to be asked to do this, but I can I can only take it to the top of the highest tree. But, I know someone who can.

So, let's call eagle. And so, eagle was called, and eagle said, "Yes, I can try." And so, eagle flew and flew and flew up up up and got to the sun and delivered the prayer. And the sun was so taken with this, said, "Give me one of your feathers." And so, the eagle plucked out a tail

feather and gave it to the sun, and the sun kissed that feather. Which is why, you know, eagle feathers are black on the end, and it's it's because the sun sings them there. Said, "Take this back, and forever this will be my recognition of my special people."

Along the Mississippi River, 6 miles from present-day St. Louis, Missouri, there stood a city that once had dominated the heart of the continent. At its center was a powerful leader. A great number of years ago, there appeared among us a man who came down from the sun. This man told us that he had seen from

on high that we did not govern ourselves well. That we had no master. That each of us had presumption enough to think himself capable of governing others. While he could not even conduct himself. A thousand years ago, the Great Sun, a leader who was both king and pope, lived atop a man-made royal mountain, 10