Long, long ago, before America was even called America, there were some special people who lived in a place called the Southwest. These people are called the ancient pueblo peoples. They built homes and cities that were really different from anything we see today.
The ancient pueblo peoples were some of the first people to settle down in one place and grow food. They were farmers, and they learned how to grow crops like corn, beans, and squash. They would use these foods to make yummy meals to share with their family and friends.
To stay safe and protect their families, the ancient pueblo peoples built their homes in big cliffs, mountains, and canyons that were hard to get to. They used natural materials like rocks, adobe, and clay to build their homes. They made the walls thick so that it would be hard for enemies to break in.
The homes were built really close together and sometimes even on top of each other! This was because the ancient pueblo peoples had a lot of family and friends who would live together in one place. They liked to share everything they had and help each other out.
The ancient pueblo peoples were really creative, and they made beautiful things like pottery and jewelry. They would decorate their homes with paintings and carvings that showed pictures of animals, nature, and their daily lives.
Today, we can still learn a lot from the ancient pueblo peoples. We can see how they lived, what they ate, and even what they believed in. They were a really special group of people who left behind amazing stories and traditions for us to remember.