A century or two later, Hopewellian in the north of Illinois began to deteriorate and eventually broke up into a number of small subcultures, obviously closely related but still distinguishable archaeologically. The same disintegration of Hopewellian took place in southern Illinois a few centuries later, and by 400 or 450 B.C. Hopewellian had disappeared from all Illinois except possibly in Calhoun County in the west, while south of the Ohio River it still continued to spread and flourish in [Mississippi] and Louisiana for some centuries.
In Illinois a [period] of decadence set in for the next few centuries (possibly 250 to 1000 A.D.). The larger settlements or settlement clusters dwindled to mere hamlets, whose remains are scarcely distinguishable from the early [Woodland] [artifacts] except that the tobacco pipe is present. Though they must still have retained a tradition of [plant-raising], they seem to have avoided it and reverted to a pure hunting-collecting [economy]. Even in southern Illinois the storage of food seems to have played an insignificant role. Nevertheless throughout this cultural recession, certain trends occur in all the six Final Woodland subcultures which foreshadow later developments in the Middle ([Mississippi]) [Phase].
Fig. 38. The Stream of [Culture]. The archaeological cultures within Illinois are included within the two heavy lines, openings in which indicate cultural extensions beyond or intrusions into the state. Vertical positions indicate sequences in a general way. (Drawing by Jeanne McCarty.)
About 1000 A.D. or possibly a little earlier, the Final [Woodland] developed into an early Protomississippi ([Protomiss]) and, at last, (possibly 1000 to 1100 A.D.) into the full-blown [Middle Phase] [civilization]. The Cahokia [subculture] appears to be primarily, though not exclusively, Illinoisian while the [Cumberland] development in the southeast of the state was shared more generously with adjacent Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee. Judging by the distribution of [stone] box (cist) graves, the Cumberland subculture seems to have expanded westward at the expense of the Cahokia peoples to envelope most of the southern counties from Monroe to White. (Another interpretation might be that the grave type of their eastern Cumberland neighbors was adopted by the Cahokians.) The Crable Village, possibly a late Cahokian settlement, yields [artifacts] suggesting cultural influences brought in from Iowa, Missouri and possibly Arkansas. It is probable that the [culture] came to an end in Illinois by 1500 or 1550. This fact coupled with the pottery evidence makes it highly probable (though possibly not conclusive) that the disorganized Illini Confederacy embraced the tribes whose members were the descendants of the [people] of the great Middle Phase civilization in Illinois.
More or less contemporaneous with the [Middle Phase] [culture] were the so-called Upper [Phase] peoples of Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan and Indiana. These were represented in Illinois by the Fisher peoples of the Langford [subculture] known chiefly from sites along the Illinois, Kankakee and Des Plaines rivers in northeastern Illinois and (chiefly on a pottery basis) in northwestern Indiana and southern Michigan.
Beset by enemies on the east, south, north and northwest, with their traditions of former greatness fading, the demoralized Illini tribes welcomed the protection of French soldiers. Their own resourcefulness, courage, pride, and confidence in themselves and their [culture] continued to deteriorate, their numbers to diminish under the softening influence of alcohol and the persistent assaults of the ruder more aggressive Winnebago, Sauk, Fox, Potawatomi and Kickapoo tribes invading Illinois from the north until they were reduced by 1833 to a mere handful of a hundred odd men, women and children. The demands on the part of citizens of the United States for Illinois lands was brought to a head by the scare of the Black Hawk [War], and the Illini, their traditional Indian friends and enemies, were transferred to new territory west of the [Mississippi]. Thus ended the aboriginal occupation of Illinois that had endured for at least 10,000 years.
GLOSSARY
ADVANCED PHASE: The earliest pottery-making cultures of [Woodland] in southern Illinois. The peoples seem to have been storers of acorns and hickory nuts. It is sometimes called early Woodland.
AMERINDIAN: The American Indian of Mongolian racial stock so named to distinguish him from the Asiatic Indian who is of the white or Caucasian race.