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Casa Grande Ruins National MonumentThe Cactus Wren is the Arizona state bird.
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Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
What is Trade?
Trade occurs when one thing is exchanged for another. Today, we trade money for things. We earn money by trading our time and effort for a paycheck. Then we trade the paycheck for money and the money for things like food and clothing.
 
Hohokam trade routes.
The Hohokam established extensive trade routes.
 

What was exchanged?

The Hohokam didn’t have money. Instead, they used items they had created or collected to trade for things they didn’t have. Many things were unavailable in the Sonoran Desert, so the Hohokam traded extensively throughout the Southwest. From the west, they acquired seashells, either from the Pacific Ocean or the Gulf of California. From the North, they traded for raw materials like obsidian for making arrowheads. And from the south, where Mexico is now located, they traded for copper bells, macaws, parrots, and seeds for their crops.

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Artificats found during excavations at Casa Grande Ruins.  

Did You Know?
The Casa Grande Ruins were extensively excavated and studied by Dr. Jesse Fewkes in 1906. Previously, visitors removed artifacts and took pieces of the walls and roofs as souvenirs.

Last Updated: August 21, 2006 at 14:14 EST