The Southwest

The peoples of the Southwest lived in some of the most extreme conditions in North America. The North American deserts were hot, dry, and offered little in the way of food and shelter.

Yet despite these difficult circumstances, the people of the Southwest were well adapted to their environments. They developed complex systems for irrigating their crops, including massive irrigation projects. They also creating unique methods for building villages.

One group of peoples in this region known as the Pueblo built their villages into the side of desert cliffs. These villages were made out of cement and stone, and often included buildings that could be several stories high. The ruins of many of these villages still exist to the present day, showing just how skilled these builders were.