Environmental History of the Southwest

Study Guide for Exam #2–Prehistoric Environments and Cultures

NOTE: The exam will be made up of multiple-choice, fill-in, true-false, and short-answer questions.

Early Humans of the SW

  1. When and where did humans first arrive in North America?
  2. What are some examples of Pleistocene megafauna?
  3. What happened to the North American megafauna at or near the Pleistocene/Holocene boundary?
  4. Discuss the pros and cons of the climate change and human impact hypotheses for the extinction of megafauna at the Pleistocene/Holocene boundary.
  5. Provide an example of a large mammal that survived this time period and discuss why it survived.
  6. Give an environmental argument for restoring to the Southwest an animal species that has been eradicated from the wild.

Pleistocene–Holocene Vegetation and Climate

  1. Describe the vegetation and climate for each of the following: Late Pleistocene, Early Holocene, Middle Holocene, and Late Holocene.
  2. Define and describe the use of alluvial stratigraphy in environmental studies in the Southwest.
  3. Define and describe the use of dendroclimatology in environmental studies of the Southwest.
  4. What defines climate of the SW over the past many thousands of years.

Anasazi: Chaco

  1. Differentiate between the Clovis and Archaic cultures.
  2. Describe the immigration of corn and other cultigens into the Southwest.
  3. What were the disadvantages and advantages of converting from a nomadic lifestyle to a sedentary farming lifestyle?
  4. Describe the Anasazi Chaco time line (human chronology) and unique characteristics (e.g., Great Kivas, etc.).
  5. Describe woodland resource usage at Chaco, both for structural beams and for fuelwood.
  6. When did the Chacoans leave their homeland?
  7. Differentiate between environmental and cultural reasons for the Chaco abandonment.
  8. Where might they have gone?
  9. Are environments stable? Can humans alter environments?

Anasazi: Mesa Verde and Kayenta

  1. Describe the human chronology (time line) for the Mesa Verde and Kayenta Anasazi.
  2. How were the farming techniques for these communities different?
  3. Compare and contrast drought vs. arroyo cutting issues for Mesa Verde and Kayenta.
  4. Where might they have gone?
  5. Are the Anasazi ancestors of the Navajo?

Hohokam

  1. Describe the human chronology for the Hohokam.
  2. Describe types of constructions unique to the Hohokam (e.g., ball courts, irrigation canals, etc.)
  3. Red-and-buff pottery.
  4. Differentiate three farming methods used by the Hohokam.
  5. Describe the environmental zonation concept of the Hohokam.
  6. Describe soil salinization in desert areas.
  7. Why did the Hohokam abandon their sites? Discuss pros and cons of alternative hypotheses.
  8. Where might they have gone?

Mogollon and Sinagua

  1. Discuss some differences (agricultural and subsistence) between the Sinagua and Mogollon cultures.
  2. Discuss the human chronology for the Mogollon cultures.
  3. When and why did they abandon their sites?
  4. Discuss the difference between the Northern and Southern Sinagua cultures.
  5. How was the most recent eruption of Sunset Crater dated?
  6. How did the Sunset Crater eruption affect the Northern Sinagua people living nearby?
  7. What "modern homework" would you suggest to better understand effects of volcanic eruptions on human society.
  8. Discuss the environmental advantages of living in an ecotone.
  9. Detail passive solar heating-cooling concepts at Montezuma Castle.

Transition Period

  1. Detail geographical traits of Pecos that made it a "crossroads" site.
  2. Describe the Law of Superposition as a dating tool.
  3. Describe lifeways of the people of Pecos.
  4. Pueblo vs. Basketmaker.
  5. What was the problem with dating at Paquimé, and how was it resolved?
  6. Compare and contrast lifeways of Paquimé with other cultural centers of the SW?
  7. How was Paquimé a "crossroads" site?

Spanish-Mexican Period

  1. Discuss the use of historical documents in researching past events.
  2. What were the dates of the major events of early Spanish contact in the Southwest?
  3. What did Europeans bring to the Southwest from the Old World?
  4. What did the Europeans learn or discover from the Native Americans?
  5. Why was it that Europeans effectively dominated Native Americans at their first contact in the New World?
  6. Give an example of "modern homework" to better understand the role of infectious disease on native Southwestern societies.

Navajo-Apache

  1. Discuss the origin and timing of early Athapaskans in the Southwest.
  2. What are the basics of glottochronology and how it has been applied to these SW cultures.
  3. Are Navajo direct descendants of Anasazi? Are Western Apache direct descendants of Mogollon?
  4. Discuss the hypothesis that Navajo pueblitos were built for defensive purposes after the Spanish reconquest of New Mexico.
  5. What dating technique was used to date Navajo pueblitos in the Southwest?
  6. List environmental reasons for the failure of the Navajo Bosque Redondo internment.
  7. Discuss the concept of carrying capacity with respect to Navajo sheep grazing.
  8. Describe notable features of the environmental lifeways the Apache used (i.e., hunting, farming, gathering).
  9. How might Apache farming be a model for late-Archaic adoption of agriculture.
  10. Describe some details of peeled trees and how they have been studied.
  11. Discuss the advantages of minimalist housing used by early Western Apache.

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Revised — October, 2007
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