To overcome the challenge of farming in the dry Southwest, American settlers learned from Mexicanos how to:

build homes from sun-dried bricks called adobe.

use a grinding mill called an arrastra for mining.

construct dams and ditches to channel water to fields.

raise tough churro sheep that could survive in the desert.

Why was the irrigation system developed by Mexicanos so essential for new settlers in the Southwest?

It was needed to bring water to farms in a region with very little rainfall.

It helped drain away excess water from fields that flooded frequently.

It used special machinery to make farming faster than it was in the East.

It was the only method that worked for growing citrus fruits like oranges.

It separated gold flakes from river sand.

It pumped floodwater out of deep mines.

It crushed large pieces of quartz rock to get to the gold inside.

It helped transport heavy silver ore.

They decided to focus only on mining for gold and silver.

They taught Mexicanos how to build with wood and brick from the East.

They were able to establish successful farms and towns in a challenging, dry environment.

They quickly abandoned the Southwest because the climate was too difficult.