Historical Background

When Spanish explorers came to the Southwest region of the United States in the 1600s, they found over 20,000 American Indians already living in the region. These American Indians were part of many different nations. They had their own languages and cultures, and they had developed ways to survive in the desert landscape.

Native Cultures and Practices

• Pueblo people lived in permanent villages made of adobe brick.
• The Hopi had fifty different ways to cook and eat corn.
• The Navajo created colorful pictures from sand, cornmeal, and pollen.

Modern Day Native Peoples

Many American Indians still live in the Southwest. They make traditional jewelry, use their native languages, and run tourism programs at the Grand Canyon.

Find out more about the history and culture of the native peoples of the Southwest.