Geography of the Southwest

The Southern Region: Part 2
Learners can: 

• identify the common features of the Southwestern region of the United States

• explain how the physical characteristics of the Southwestern region impact the people living there

​The Southwest is a very hot and dry region with very little rainfall throughout the year. People need a reliable or available water source to live there. To get water, people have learned to direct water to where it is needed. They use major rivers, like the Colorado River, that flow through the region. 

But, depending on the season, the water in this region would flood areas or completely dry up. In the 1930s, one of the world's largest dams, the Hoover Dam, was built along the Colorado River. A dam is a structure built across streams or rivers in order to control the flow of water.
The massive dam serves the Southwestern region in many ways:

• It directs water to places where water is needed.

• It creates electricity for nearby towns and cities.

• It serves as a major tourist attraction for people visiting the area.

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​Deserts

The Chihuahua Desert and the Sonoran Desert both cover parts of the Southwest.

The Chihuahua Desert is mainly in Mexico, but it also covers parts of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.

The Sonoran Desert is located in the Southwestern part of Arizona.

​Plateaus

In the Southwestern region, the Colorado Plateau covers the northwestern part of New Mexico and the northern part of Arizona.

It is a large area of land with flat mountains and deep river canyons.

​Rivers and Canyons

The Colorado River twists and turns through the Colorado Plateau, carving out important land features such as the Grand Canyon in northern Arizona.

​Mesas and Buttes

Mesas and buttes can also be found in Arizona and New Mexico.

Mesas have steep sides with flat tops like plateaus, but they are much smaller in size. The word mesa means “table" in the Spanish language.

Buttes are like mesas, but they are even smaller

​Plains

The plains of this region provide flat, grassy land.

The High Plains, the Southern portion of the Great Plains, covers Northern Texas and Northeastern New Mexico.

The Gulf Coastal Plains are in Texas along the Gulf of Mexico.

​Natural Resources

In the Southwestern region, water is scarce or in short supply.

The hot climate and dry soil make it difficult to grow crops regularly, as in other regions of the United States.

​Turquoise, copper, and other materials are mined in the desert area. The land is also perfect for farming and oil and natural gas.

​Climate

Most of the Southwest is dry and hot. There is very little rain most of the year.

However, because of their higher elevations, the mountains in the region can be cold and snowy.
Desert Wildlife

The desert environment provides a home to many different kinds of plants and animals, including cacti, mountain lions, coyotes, and jackrabbits.

Ducks and geese migrate from Canada to spend their winters in the Southwest.
Mountain Wildlife

Forests grow in the mountains and provide homes to plants such as pine, spruce, and aspen trees.

The animals that live in the forests are black bears, bobcats, coyotes, and cougars.

​Native Americans of the Southwest

The first Native Americans in the Southwest were from the Pueblo tribe. They are one of the oldest Native American cultures in the United States.
Long ago, they settled in the canyons of New Mexico and built cities carved into the cliffs.

Today, people still live in some of the sandstone houses that were built in Arizona by the Hopi, another group of Pueblo people.
After the Pueblo people established their nation, the Navajo and the Apache Native American people migrated to the Southwest from the Arctic for food.

The Southwest's dry and hot climate made it difficult to grow crops. As a result, the Native American tribes planted crops in small valleys that sometimes got water. They also learned to grow different kinds of corn that could survive in the dry weather.
The established tribes in the Southwest had different skills, such as farming, hunting, trading, and building. They used the resources from the environment of the Southwest region to live and survive.

Artifacts, such as buildings, pottery, and jewelry from Southwestern Native Americans, like the Anasazi, remain in protected National Parks in New Mexico.

Many Native American groups still live in the Southwest.
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​Oil Drilling

Many people in the Southwest will work at an oil well on land, or an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma are leading states for oil production.
Agriculture

Some people work on farms. In this dry region, farmers use canals to bring water to their fields. The Southwest grows crops such as lettuce, grapes, rice, and cotton.

Many people also work on ranches, raising cattle, sheep, and pigs. Some people also work on fishing boats on the Gulf Coast. Texas is the largest producer of shrimp in the United States.
Tourism

Tourism is when people travel to tour, or visit, other places for fun. When tourists visit the Southwest, they stay in hotels, eat at restaurants, and follow tour guides around the National Parks. Tourism provides many jobs for the people who live in the Southwest.
Mining

Many people in the Southwest work in mines that produce metals, minerals, and other materials. Arizona is the leading state in copper and turquoise production. The Southwest is also rich in minerals such as coal and silver.
Advanced Technologies

Many people work in advanced technologies like aerospace, computers, and energy. Texas is home to over 2,000 aerospace industries, including airplanes and spacecraft.

Word Cloud

How do the physical characteristics of the Southwestern region impact the people living there?

Today, you learned about the Southwestern region of the United States.

It is known for its hot and dry climate.

The hot climate and dry soil make it a difficult place to live.

However, people have found ways to adapt to the environment. They have built dams and canals to provide a reliable water source.

Its eye-catching landforms like the Grand Canyon bring many people to visit the region.

Great job today!