Mapping History

The Mesa Verde Environment

Use the following maps and images to learn more about the location and environment of Mesa Verde National Park. Working as a class, or in small groups, discuss and answer the questions below.

1. In which state is Mesa Verde located?
2. Do you think Mesa Verde would be an easy place to live, or a difficult place to live? Why?

 

Mesa Verde National Park is located very close to Four Corners. Four Corners is where the states of Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado all meet.

 

The Four Corners area is defined by forested mountains and mesas with large sagebrush plains inbetween.

 

Use the 360 image below to see what Mesa Verde looks like. The mesa tops are covered in a dense forest of pinyon and juniper trees. Pine nuts from pinyon trees are enjoyed by animals and people alike. The hard wood of juniper trees provide a strong material for building shelters.

In the summer time, Mesa Verde can be very hot, but regular thunderstorms bring cool weather and lots of rain. In the winter time, a blanket of snow covers the mesa.

 

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Life on the Mesa

The Ancestral Pueblo people lived on the mesa for over 700 years! That's over twice as long as the United States has been a country. Use the illustrations below to learn about life on the mesa long ago and to answer the following questions.

3. What were the three main food crops Ancestral Pueblo people grew?
4. Over the 700 years the Ancestral Pueblo people lived on the mesa, how did their homes change?

 

Over 1000 years ago, around 550 CE, the Ancestral Pueblo people began farming and building permanent villages on the mesa. These early homes were constructed of wood and adobe and were built partly underground. Corn, beans, and squash were the three primary crops planted each spring and harvested in the fall. Over time, populations grew and new styles of homes were built. Large multi-story villages built of stone, called pueblos, soon became the most popular style of home.

 

By 1150 CE, cliff dwellings became a popular style of home on the Mesa and in the surrounding areas. These villages were built of stone in alcoves (shallow caves) located in the steep canyon walls. These cliffside homes may have offered additional protection and security. They were often built close to springs: places to get fresh water.

 

After building and living in Cliff Dwellings for 100 years, the Ancestral Pueblo people began to migrate away from the region. Some scientests point to long periods of drought that might have caused people to move. Whatever the circumstances, the Ancestral Pueblo people moved toward the south. Today, 21 Pueblo communities in New Mecixo, Arizona, and Texas trace their heritage back to Mesa Verde.