Lesson 1
The climate of the SW is characterized by which main conditions?
Dry and hot in desert regions
Cold and snow in mountain regions
Who was the famous Spanish conqueror who searched for the seven cities of gold?
Coronado
Why were there so many cowboys in the SW?
Cattle became a huge industry (business) in the SW. (It still is today.) Cowboys are the ones who worked (and still work) with the cattle.
Name the famous highway that connects Chicago all the way to Los Angeles and runs through the SW.
Route 66
What makes the SW a perfect place to view and study the stars?
The dry climate and wide-open spaces, the desert where there are no lights
Name all four states in the SW.
Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas
What were the main two goals of the Spanish missions in the SW?
-To convert Native Americans to Catholics
-To claim land and power in the the SW
Fifteen years after Mexico won their independence, Texas decided to do what?
Texas rebelled against Mexican control and fought to become its own country. (The Texas Revolution)
How do SW cities control the use of water in their region, to ensure water is used wisely and not wasted?
Cities encourage people to use plants in their yards that require little water. Businesses must follow laws that limit the amount of water they can use. Pricing of water use is higher depending on the availability of water from season to season.
Which space center in Texas is the center of NASA operations?
Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX
What is a mesa and how does it form?
A mesa is a steep mountain with a flat top and straight sides. It is formed from years of wind and rain.
Why did the Pueblo people fight back against the Spanish so hard?
They wanted control of their land back, they wanted the Spanish to leave. They wanted to live their lifestyle again without any trouble. They were tired of being mistreated.
In 1848, the war between the US and Mexico ended. What was the main result?
The US gained land that makes up most of the SW.
Name three Native American groups in the SW.
Pueblo, Hopi, Navajo, Hohokam, etc.
What are the goals of the International Space Center?
It allows researchers to live in space and conduct experiments that could not be done anywhere else.
What are some ways the people of the SW control water flow and water sourcing in a region that gets little rain fall.
These use canals and irrigation to water crops. They build dams to store up water and to make hydroelectric power.
What important event happened for Mexico in 1821?
The Mexican War for Independence won Mexico its freedom from Spain.
Name two of the five US territories that exist today.
Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico
What are at least two recreational activities to do in the SW?
-hiking
-biking
-rafting
-camping
-national parks
-festivals
-museums
What is Biosphere 2 and what are some features of its design?
Biosphere 2 was a project that looked into establishing colonies in space. It features three main sections, it has a desert, rainforest, grassland, wetland, and ocean. There are two large domes that provide air for the done and a 200,000-gallon water tank for water. It is totally closed off from the outside world.
Which desert of the SW has the largest variety of plants of any desert in the world?
The Sonoran Desert
Why were ranchos important for the Mexican people?
The land that Spain used for missions was given to Mexicans after they won their independence. They used the land to build ranchos, or ranches. They raised animals and grew crops. This was important for their survival.
Explain how Native American tribal citizenship works. Make sure to tell what sovereign means.
Native Americans have citizenship in the tribe that they come from. These tribes are sovereign, meaning they have their own governments and make their own decisions for their people.
Native Americans are also citizens of the United States.
Name at least three things you can study (and try) from the SW culture.
1. Spicy foods
2. Native American art--geometric patterns, pottery, weaving, kachina dolls
3. Music--mariachi, guitar-based music
4. Rodeos
What did the four men and women in the Biosphere 2 spend their time doing?
Growing food and tending animals
Keeping detailed records on food and oxygen levels
Studying their physical and emotional/mental health in the dome