1. The Southwest

2. First, let’s review the states of the Southwest.
Oklahoma
Arizona
New
Mexico
Texas

3. Deserts
Most of the area of the Southwest is desert. This means there are unique landforms, resources, plant life and animal life.
Many people think that deserts are always hot. The true definition of a desert is an area of little rainfall. Some deserts are actually cold! Deserts are cold at night because there few clouds that hold heat.

4. Desert Plants
Cactus plants are able to survive in the desert because they are able to store water. These plants are often home to desert animals.
Mesquite trees survive in this environment because they have long roots to reach the underground water sources.

5. Desert Animals
Most desert animals are cold-blooded. This means that their bodies match the temperature of the air around them. Most of these animals are nocturnal so that they can avoid the heat of the day. They search for food and are more active at night.

6. Natural Resources
Petroleum – used to make oil and gasoline
Copper – gathered by using open-pit mining
Coal – to make steel and electricity
Water – very valuable resource that must be conserved

7. Grand Canyon
This geographic feature was created by erosion by the Colorado River.
Over millions of years, the river wore away the rock on the banks of the river.

8. The Painted Desert
The name of this desert refers to the colors of the minerals found in the rock formations. It is found in Arizona.

9. The Rio Grande
This river forms the border between the United States and Mexico.

10. The History of the Southwestern States The Pueblo Indians
The Pueblo Indians were the first people to live in the area we call the southwest. There were able to live in this desert area because of the way they built their shelter. The made their homes out of a sun-dried brick called adobe. The houses were designed to keep out the heat and their enemies.
They discovered a type of corn that would grow well in the desert and this became their main source of food.

11. The Spanish
In the 1500’s, Spain controlled Mexico. The Spanish leaders had heard that there were Seven Cities of Gold in the north. They sent Francisco Coronado, a Spanish conquistador to find the citied and claim them for Spain.
Though the Seven Cities of Gold were never found, Spain claimed the land that is now Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. They called this are New Mexico.

12. Missions
Once Spain had claimed the land and called it New Mexico, they forced the Pueblo Indians to become like them. They brought missionaries to make the Pueblo follow the religion of the Spanish. They built missions and forced the Indians to work for them. The Indians were treated very unfairly by the Spanish.

13. Mexico
At this time, the people of Mexico became tired of being ruled by the Spanish. The Mexicans fought for their independence and won. This meant that the land of New Mexico now belonged to the Mexicans.
Many pioneers were settling in Texas. The Mexicans became upset that the Texans appeared to be more American, than Mexican. The Mexican government tried to stop people from setting in Texas.

14. The Alamo
The Texans decided they wanted to be independent. They fought the Mexicans at a mission called The Alamo. After a battle that lasted 2 weeks, all of the Texans were dead.
After the Alamo, more Texans joined the army. They defeated the Mexicans and became their own country. Ten years later, Texas became part of the United States.