What was the largest city in the America's at the time of Columbus?

by jagodown
retarredroof

This is a bit out of my lane, but perhaps I can give you some leads that are worth your time.

While early population estimates have been argued for decades, it is generally accepted that Tenochtitlan, currently the site of Mexico City, was the largest new world metropolis with a population somewhere between 200,000 and 300,000 people. Tenochtitlan fell to Cortes in 1519 following a 75 day siege. Cortes razed the city, or at least a large part of it.

Many cultures in the new world had cities that exceeded 10,000 residents. Population centers that have drawn the attention of anthropologists and historians were inhabited by the Inca in northwest South America particularly the putative "Inca capital" of Cusco, Puebloan settlements in the Desert Southwest of North America and Mississippian period settlements in the Eastern Woodlands of North America.

Mississippean period cities are thought to have held tens of thousands. And Cahokia (near present day St.Louis, probably held 50,000 (Cahokia was abandoned prior to contact). For a discussion of the the Mississippean sites, I recommend this post by u/Reedstilt.

For a discussion of Puebloan material culture I recommend this post by u/RioAbajo. Puebloan cities incorporated adobe and stone architecture in "apartment style" arrangements. You might find more using our FAQs.

Most of this information is available in the very accessible 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus Paperback – 2006. Charles C. Mann, and from the discussions linked.