Chapter 10 Lesson 3
Resources in the Southwest
Page 328-333
Rio Grande River – one of the longest rivers in North America; border between
United States and Mexico
rio grande – large river
Southwest people use the more arid, or dry land for ranching and the more fertile
land for farming.
Arid – dry
Ranches:
*Spanish brought cattle and sheep to the Southwest and started the region’s first
ranches
*Ranchers hired cowhands to move herds of cattle to market
*1800s railroads came to the region and made ranching more profitable
*Trains gave ranchers an easier and quicker way to get their cattle to market
Migrant Workers:
*Migrant workers do temporary work
*Migrant workers – someone who moves from place to place doing one job after
another
Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta began to work for rights of migrant workers,
improving the lives of migrant workers.
Commercial oil – oil that was to be sold
Conflicts – disagreements
Compromise – people on each side of a conflict agree to give up something
Cooperate – work together. When people cooperate there are fewer conflicts
Chapter 10 Lesson 3
Page 2
Oil:
*Oklahoma produced the first commercial oil sold
*Oil discovered at Spindletop, Texas
*New Mexico produces oil too
*Frank Phillips started an oil company that became a worldwide company
*Cities grew because of the oil industry
Rio Grande:
*Rio Grande has been a major source of water for people in the Southwest and
Mexico
*Forms the border between Texas and Mexico before emptying into the Gulf of
Mexico
*People use the water of Rio Grande causing the water to become scarce (less)
*Water shortage led to conflicts between United States and Mexico
Conflicts settled with compromise:
*United States agreed to build a dam that allows a certain amount of water to
flow to Mexico each month
*Mexico agreed to give up some of that water during periods of drought in the
United States
United States and Mexico have learned to cooperate on usage of water, cleaning
up the Rio Grande, and passed laws to prevent pollution in the river.
Resolve - settle