When most people think of the American Southwest, they picture majestic canyons, red rocky outcroppings, vast deserts, cactus, and Native American cultures. This region has a striking, otherworldly look and a very different feel from other parts of the continental United States. Along with its striking geography, the Southwest also has a unique cultural history. View the video below to understand some of this area's rich and colorful history.
The Great Southwest
The American Southwest is known for its stunning scenery and natural wonders, as well as its
vibrant culture and history.
The area that makes up the Southwest includes Utah, Nevada, New Mexico, and Arizona. Some
definitions of this region also include some parts of Colorado, Southern California, Oklahoma,
and Texas.
The Southwest's distinctive culture owes to its mix of Native American, Spanish, Mexican, and
Anglo-American influences. These backgrounds combined to create the unique traditions,
languages, foods, and architecture you see today.
The original hunter gatherers arrived in the Southwest around 11,000 years ago. By 1000 A.D., a
highly developed Ancestral Pueblan culture began to spread throughout the southwest region.
Due to 50 year drought from 1130 to 1180, exacerbated by deforestation, the Ancestral Pueblan
culture suffered total collapse in 1150. 500 years ago, marauding Athabaskan tribes (Navajo and
Apache) migrated from Canada and began to raid unprotected farming communities. Some of
these communities relocated to tops of mesas where they could hold the high ground. Other
communities adapted by building homes into the sheer walls of canyons that could be more
easily defended.
In the 1500s, Spanish explorers arrived. They established settlements throughout the region and
claimed much of the territory for Spain. They brought with them European customs and beliefs
that had a cultural and religious impact on the native people.
Three centuries later, a large portion of the area was granted to Mexico when it achieved
independence from Spain. However, Mexico culture continued to have a strong influence on the
people of the region.
Finally, in the mid-1800s, American settlers made their way to this region. Over the next 100
years, territories were formed, lands were annexed, treaties were signed, and states were
eventually carved out into the configurations we're familiar with today.
Because of the diverse peoples that converged on this region, the Southwest developed a unique
culture and vitality that blended elements of each different era and nationality.
The Southwest is now home to some of the nation's best-known national parks and protected
spaces, including the Grand Canyon.
Today, millions of people come to visit the Southwest every year to soak up its atmosphere, to
explore its history, and to view its beautiful vistas.
