Just a quick reminder that the Maya were not a South American empire, but ruled a number of competing city states in the Mexico-Guatemala area.

A quick reminder: Central America is geographically North America and is therefore technically a North American region. The Aztec Empire, Teotihuacan, Mixtec states, Maya states, and other Mesoamerican empires and states are all North American.

There was the Mississippian culture that built a great urban settlement of Cahokia near St. Louis. It was an extensive civilization with earth work fortifications and urban settlements, but with no known language and rudimentary metallurgy (no smelting).

The Powhatan confederacy in the tidewater area of Virginia was empirical in a way.

Powhatan began his reign woth only 7 tribes under him but ended it 23. When he was looking to expand into another area he would send his warriors in and they would kill all the men and then resettle all the women and children to other areas. This left the way open for him to resettle it with those loyal to him.

But also the lack of concentrated population centers was difficult to control large groups or areas.