1. New Mexico History
“This session will be recorded for learning purposes. Learning purposes include: a lesson review for students who are absent, students who want to review for a test, etc.”

2. objectives
Identify and explain characteristics of Early and Modern New Mexican Native Americans

3. New Mexico – Native American
Before the Spanish or any other Europeans stepped foot in the lands of New Mexico…
Native Americans made the region their home for centuries.
They continued to live on the lands while the Spanish and other European cultures colonized the Americas
They have had to endure many political changes and discrimination over the centuries.
Less than half of the Native American people living in the Americas prior to colonization survived.
Throughout the Americas, some entire groups didn’t survive European settlement.
New Mexican lands are still inhabited by many Native Americans and many of their histories and cultural ways have been passed down to current generations
The US government has made some efforts to help preserve some of their lands and political independence

4. Early Native American people c. 200 BC to c. 1200 AD
Mogollon - They were farmers who built pueblos on the side of mountains and they were built on the rain side of the mountain for a water supply. They also hunted and gathered wild life and vegetation for survival
They lived in the southwest region of NM, in the Mogollon Mountain region
Historians think they probably joined the Ancestral Pueblo people or they moved to a different area
Unique pottery called Mimbres, baskets and remains of their homes have been found

5. Early Native Americans c. 200 BC to c. 1200 AD
Ancestral Puebloan or the Anasazi - Historians think they are the ancestors of some of the modern Pueblo Indians
They lived during the same time period as the Mogollon
Lived along the San Juan River and in the Four Corners region
Built effective irrigation systems – channeled the canyons’ runoff water and redirected to their fields
Built pueblo homes to support their growing population
Farmed, hunted, and gathered
Corn/maize – they ate it as a vegetable and also ground it up to make bread
Mystery – Drought, disease, crop failure, or war may have caused the people to not survive in large communities. The survivors may have scattered throughout the Rio Grande Valley

6. Chaco Canyon Chaco Canyon is in northwest NM in Nageezi, NM
The largest and most well known Ancestral Puebloan community (2,000-5,000 people lived there)
The largest pueblo is called Pueblo Bonito and there are other pueblos within the canyon which had 600 to 800 rooms.

7. The Great North Road
A road linking the Chaco Canyon pueblos to other pueblos outside of Chaco Canyon
Used for travel and trade – the artifacts found suggest that the road was at least 400 miles and reached other routes connected to the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico

8. Modern Native Americans
The Pueblo People
There are 19 Pueblos in New Mexico throughout the Rio Grande Valley.
Each of the Pueblos are united by culture and some similarities in language, but historically were separate.
Each Pueblo had it’s own government and leaders.
Built large multi-story adobe pueblos that housed many people
The people hunted animals such as deer, rabbits, and turkeys.
They farmed and depended on corn. Corn was eaten as a vegetable but also ground to make bread.
They learned to grow corn of all colors!

9. Modern Native Americans
Apache and Navajo
Called themselves Dine
Language - Athabascan
They both came to NM around 1200 AD from the Canadian region
Both warred with Pueblo people at times but also traded during peaceful times
Both hunted and gathered from the wilderness in their regions
It’s unknown why but they separated into two different groups – the Navajo and the Apache

10. Modern Native Americans
Navajo
Lived in the Four Corners Region, between the San Juan and Little Colorado Rivers
Today they are the second largest Native American group in the U.S. and their reservation, the Navajo Nation is located in NW NM and the Four Corners region
They traded with the Pueblo people
The Navajo built hogans or homes made of dirt and wood
The Navajo learned farming techniques from the Pueblo
They farmed corn, beans, and squash
When sheep were introduced to NM, they raised them for their meat and wool
They created religious sand paintings
Modern Native Americans

11. Modern Native Americans
Apache
Two main groups
Jicarilla –northern mountain NM, west of the Rio Grande River
Mescalero –south central NM between Rio Grande and Pecos River
They were nomadic and lived in temporary homes (teepees and wickiups)
They hunted deer, antelope, rabbit, and buffalo
They gathered berries, roots, cactus fruits, and seeds
They were not united in a single tribe – They divided into bands of smaller groups
Known for being fierce warriors and other Indians were afraid of them
When the Spanish introduced horses to them, they became reliant on horses.
Modern Native Americans

12. Modern Native Americans
Comanche
Great Plains Indians -They lived in eastern New Mexico, southeastern Colorado, southwestern Kansas, western Oklahoma, and most of northwest Texas.
The Comanche are recognized as the Comanche Nation.
They were nomadic and lived in semi- permanent homes, teepees
They were divided into bands
They hunted and gathered
They hunted all types of animals but especially buffalo
They gathered various vegetation (seeds, berries, roots, etc) throughout the large region they roamed
They also became dependent on horses to make long travels and to hunt

13. Modern Native Americans’ Regions
Navajo
Ancestral Puebloan
Jicarilla Apache
Pueblo People
Comanche
Mogollon
Mescalero Apache

15. Assignments due this week
2.2 War With Spain and the Rough Riders
2.3 The Path to Statehood for New Mexico
2.4 Native Americans in New Mexico