The Southwest and the West

* Describe how the Pueblo peoples adapted to their environment.* Identify the lifeway of other people of the Southwest and West.

SouthwestPueblo People

Hopi - ArizonaZuni – New Mexico

Navajo - Four Corners AreaWest

Shoshone – Great BasinNez Perce – Columbia PlateauChumash – Southern California

The Native Americans that lived in this region had to adapt, or adjust, their ways of life to the land and climate.

Many of the Southwest peoples lived in pueblos built on mesas, or on the sides of steep canyons.

The Southwest

Adapting to the Southwest

Even in a dry environment, the Pueblo people were able to grow their own staple, or main foods – corn, beans, and squash.

They were able to collect water and store a surplus, or extra amount.

The South-west is very dry, and so people needed to be careful to get every last bit of water they could find. They learned to build systems of dams and stone cisterns to store water from melting snow up in the mountains. This was not just for drinking water, but also they needed water to irrigate their corn and beans and pumpkins so they would grow.

Navajo – hogans – cone shaped structures built by covering a wooden frame with mud or adobe.These structures were spaced farther apart. Unlike the Pueblo villages.

Pueblos – lived in houses, also known as pueblos, made of adobe – sun-dried bricks made of clay and straw

These structures were often built as a village.

What are some advantages and disadvantages of living each way?

How were Pueblo and Navajo shelters different?

Religion and GovernmentBoth the Pueblo and Navajo people honored their gods in special ceremonies

Religion had a strong role in the government of the Pueblo. Usually, a chief was also the religious leader. The chief made rules and carried out punishments. The Navajo were organized in groups, each with its own religious leader. The leaders met every few years to make decisions.

Groups to the WestShoshone – Great basin

hunted small animalsbuilt shelters with dry brushspent the rest of the year hunting buffalo in the mountains, Wyoming

Nez Perce – Columbia Plateau (Idaho, Oregon, Washington)relied on the many rivers and streamsmade long spears and nets to catch salmonbuilt moveable shelters to use while fishing.

Chumash – present day Californiavillages located near the Pacific Ocean, source of foodbuilt dome shaped shelters they covered with thick layers of tuleexpert traders and canoe builders.

Trading for Needed Goods

Native Americans in the Plateau, Great Basin, and California cultural regions depended on nearby natural resources to get goods they could not make or find themselves – so they formed large trade networks – these networks allowed them to get goods from far away places.

Traded with nearby villages.Those villages traded with other nearby villages.And so on….

This allowed foods and ideas to travel long distances.

SummaryThe people of the Southwest and west adapted to a variety of environments. They also traded for needed goods by forming trade networks.