Where in North America?
• The Grand Canyon lies in the State of
Arizona on the
Western side of the
United States, as figure 2 shows.
Figure 2

1890
Erosion
The first five pictures of this presentation are of the same rock, just in different time periods. Pay attention to the dates on the side of the pictures and see what the water did to this rock.

1910
Erosion
Still the same rock.

1920
Erosion
Still the same rock.

1970
Erosion
Still the same rock.

1990
Erosion
Still the same rock, but where did it go?

Here is another picture of what erosion caused.

The ground has been washed away by water. That is erosion.

Why are the roots of this tree so visible? What made this happen?

Plants can help prevent erosion! Look at the roots on these grasses.
Roots help hold the soil in place so that it doesn’t wash away.
Plant roots

The Grand Canyon was formed by erosion.
Over millions of years, the Grand Canyon was formed. With the help of rain and a few other sources, the Colorado River eroded the land to form the Grand Canyon.
That’s so
cool!!!
MUCH more info.

Reason 1: Awesome Landscape!
• The Grand Canyon is one of the best examples of erosion anywhere in the World. It is 277 miles long,
18 miles wide and 1 mile deep!

Reason 2: Rampaging River!
The Colorado river, all 277 miles of it, winds its way through the Grand Canyon. It continues to erode the steep sides as it moves. It is great for activities like white water rafting.

Reason 3: All those rocks!
All three rock types can be found here, igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary. They were formed as a result of glaciation, tectonic action and river process.

 The Canyon is 4,000 feet deep and 277 miles long
 The Colorado River runs threw the Grand Canyon.
Grand Canyon Colorado river

 The Canyon is 4,000 feet deep and 277 miles long
 The Colorado River runs threw the Grand Canyon.
Grand Canyon Colorado river

• Early Native Americans encountered varied environments, including forests, deserts, and fertile land.
• In each region, different kinds of societies developed. For example:
• The Hohokam people farmed with irrigation systems in the Southwest.
• The Anasazi , ancestors of today’s
Pueblo Indians, built adobe dwellings called pueblos in the Southwest.

• Havasupai means people of the bluegreen waters. The spectacular waterfalls and isolated community within the
Havasupai Indian Reservation attract thousands of visitors each year. The
Havasupai are intimately connected to the water and the land. This blue- green water is sacred to the Havasupai. It flows not only across the land, but also through each tribal member. When you enter their land, you enter their home, their place of origin.

"Ancient Ones"

The Anasazi made their homes out of
Adobe bricks. Adobe is a mixture of mud, grasses, clay and water. They would use these materials because wood was not available.

Mesa
• The Anasazi lived near mesas.
• They planted crops on the tops of the mesa.
• A mesa is a landform that is made of rock.
• Mesas look like a table.
• Mesas have a flat top.

• The Anasazi were good basket makers.
• The baskets looked like little round bowls that were weaved.
• They were used for carrying water, storing grain and even cooking.
• They were made to hold water by lining them with pitch.
• They were used for cooking by dropping heated stones in the water.
• The finest Anasazi baskets were used before they learned how to make pottery.

• The Anasazi made pots, bowls, canteens, and mugs.
• They used them for cooking and storage.
• Some pottery was used for ceremonial purposes.
• Most pottery was made by women.
• Designs were passed down from mothers to daughters.

• The Anasazi houses were very tall.
• Many family members lived in the same house.
• The houses were carved out of rocks.
• Houses were made under a cliff.

?1510-1554
Spanish soldier and explorer
First European to explore America’s
Southwest
Searched for the legendary “Seven
Cities of Cibolia ”
(gold)



Best known for being first European to see the Grand Canyon
Traveled with Coronado —Cibola 1540:
First European to set eyes on GC: Capt
García López de Cárdenas. Sent by
Francisco Vásquez de Coronado to find the fabled Seven Cities of Gold, Cíbola.

John Wesley Powell
Chief of the U.S. Geological Survey

 In May 1869, accompanied by nine men, the scientific explorer John Wesley Powell left on the first expedition by boat through the Grand
Canyon to collect scientific data.
 Powell named it the “Grand
Canyon”

 In 1903,Theodore
Roosevelt visited the Grand
Canyon. He wanted to preserve its beauty for generations to come. In1919 part of the Grand
Canyon became a National Park.
35

• The Grand Canyon became a national park in
1919. The park boundaries were set in 1975.
The Grand Canyon was named a World
Heritage Site in 1979 in recognition of the world wide value of its exceptional natural resources.
The Grand Canyon became a national park because of the thick amount of many kinds of ancient rocks that are preserved and exposed in the most beautiful way inside the walls of the
Grand Canyon.