Final answer:
Tim Pauketat attributes the population increase in Cahokia around AD 1,100 to the emergence of a large urban center that became a hub for trade, political administration, and religious activities, attracting a large population.
Step-by-step explanation:
Tim Pauketat explains the sudden spike in the Cahokian population around AD 1,100 CE by examining the rise of the large urban center of Cahokia, which began to emerge around 1050, reaching its peak around 1250 before experiencing a gradual decline. Cahokia, being a prime settlement within the Mississippian culture, was characterized by large, complex urban settlements and was home to a large array of mounds, including a 100-foot-tall temple mound. It covered nearly four square miles, with a population as large as sixteen thousand people, and served as a hub of trade, political administration, and religious activities. The sharp rise in population may have been due to a combination of factors, including the centralization of political and religious power, economic prosperity through trade, and the agricultural productivity supported by the fertile Mississippi River Valley.