Missouri Early History

First Early Inhabitants

Early history examines the archaeological record that tells the story of the first inhabitants of Missouri. Learn about the history and culture of the first inhabitants, and what lessons it might teach us about the early history of Missouri.

• 12,000 years ago - Nomadic hunters were present in the area
• 10,000 to 3,000 years ago - Hunters used woven baskets and highly specialized stone tools
• 1300's - Mound builders: Largest mound built was Cahokia. This civilization spread over both sides of the Mississippi River.
• AD 800 - Southeastern Missouri contains many artifacts and relics of the culture called Mississippians or Mound Builders

Nomadic hunters were present in the area we now call Missouri perhaps as early as 12,000 years ago. Divided into small bands, they ranged widely over the land, hunting many now-extinct animals. The next period, called Archaic, lasted from about 10,000 to 3,000 years ago. In this period, these hunters used woven baskets and highly specialized stone tools. Later on, the Woodland culture saw the introduction of pottery and agriculture. Southeastern Missouri contains many artifacts and relics of the culture called Mississippians or Mound Builders, a village society that started about AD 800.

The peoples who inhabited the area during the era of exploration and settlement were semi-nomads who were attracted by the forests and prairies in the lower part of the Missouri River valley, which abounded with game. They lived about half the year in villages, growing crops. Most powerful and numerous were the Osage, who lived along the Osage River. North of the Missouri lived the Oto, and a village of the Missouria people was located at the confluence of the Grand and Missouri rivers. The name of the village was applied to the people, the river, and finally the state. The Iowa and, later, the united Sac (Sauk) and Fox drove out the other groups by the early 19th century. The Spanish moved some Shawnee and Delaware to Missouri temporarily, but all of the Native Americans had been forced out of the state by 1837.