292 Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters. 



tic and the Pacific coast. The second will be those found in the 

 Mississippi valley which are generally known by the name of the 

 Mound Builders works. The third, those found in the Great 

 Plateau of the West, known as the Puebloes. The fourth class 

 are those which belonged to the civilized races of Mexico and 

 Central j^merica. We might, indeed, also examine the works of 

 the different geographical localities, and compare them, and so 

 endeavor to ascertain whether there was any connection between 

 them ; that is to say, whether there was any development of one 

 into the other. '"|If the development is continental instead of local, 

 it should be recognized. The transition from one to the other 

 is so abrupt, that it is difficult to trace any connection. 

 The architectural forms follow different types, and the whole 

 character of the pre-historic works, in the separate localities, show 

 a development so distinct that we can hardly find anything in 

 common. 



I. We shall consider first, then, the House Architecture, and, 

 afterward, the Military Works, which are known to belong to the 

 various Indian tribes. 



In considering the works of this class, however, we shall exam- 

 ine them in all localities, wherever the Indian tribes are known 

 to have prevailed, and so compare them with the works of each 

 locality. 



We shall not, then, in this paper, undertake to trace any com- 

 mon type through the different geographical localities, but shall 

 refer to those which are characteristic of the separate localities, 

 and shall, by this means, undertake to show what different grades 

 of architecture have appeared in the different portions of this 

 continent. 



We may see, also, that these different grades are associated 

 with the different states of society ; the first, with the hunter life; 

 the second, with the agricultural ; the third, with the village 

 life; the fourth, with the civilized state. 



In taking this position, we do not deny but that these different 

 states of society and the corresponding architecture prevailed to a 

 certain extent outside of the particular localities to which they 



