Geography and Culture

Question 1: Identify leading figures and analyze major events that shaped New Mexico’s social development.

Answer 1: Hundreds of people can claim some responsibility for shaping society in New Mexico. Social development in New Mexico began with the earliest settlements of native cultures that formed small villages around the cultivation corn, beans, and squash. Villages along the Rio Grande were some of America’s earliest societies. Exploration by the Spanish in the 1500s by individuals like Francisco Coronado (who led the first expedition) and Cabeza da Vaca planted the seeds for a new society. Juan de Onate is credited with creating the first Spanish settlement in 1598. Clashes with Indians throughout the 1600s made large settlements difficult to protect and grow, but as settlers began to establish New Mexico as a trading hub, societies in cities like Santa Fe and Albuquerque grew. After the Mexican-American war ultimately ceded these territories to America, these towns became a point of convergence for Natives, Americans, and the Spanish.

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Question 2: Recognize basic physical characteristics of New Mexico.

Answer 2: A portion of the Rocky Mountains cut through the state, bordering the Rio Grande River. Wheeler Peak, the highest point in the state, is a part of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, north of Taos. Plains throughout the state are broken up with ancient river basins and valleys. New Mexico is home both to bodies of water, including over 780 different lakes, and deserts, such as the White Sands in the Tularosa basin. While New Mexico is often viewed as an arid state, devoid of much plant and animal life, rugged forests cover much of the north of the state.

Question 3: Examine basic types of land use and development in New Mexico.

Answer 3: New Mexico contains over 43 million acres of farmland—over 55 of the total area of the state. While farmland and rangeland values are lower in New Mexico due to the rather dry climate, dairy products, cattle, and hay are produced in the state at a high volume. New Mexico is responsible for nearly a quarter of the pecans grown in the United States. Cropland thrives only in specific areas along the Rio, especially in Albuquerque—New Mexico’s only fully urbanized region. The southeastern portion of the state, especially the Permian and San Juan Basin regions, produces significant quantities of oil, natural gas, and natural gas products.

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