Edited by Michelle Nickerson and Darren Dochuk
Interactive maps of the West
Interactive maps of the West are a fun way to gain historical context about what was happening in different time periods. Open the map and then explore the West from the following varied perspectives: Physical Environment, Political Boundaries, Commerce & Travel and Native Americans. Just click on the map types at the top and watch the map change.
Southwest Studies is an exciting, interdisciplinary field, with research tools often spanning many disciplines. For instance, a research topic dealing with water in the Southwest could reflect a wide variety of viewpoints, depending on the lens through which the researcher has chosen to look. Research, therefore, may need to be undertaken in a wide variety of disciplines, such as Environmental Science, History, Sociology or Anthropology.
This guide will help you get started! To navigate, follow the yellow tabs at the top of this guide.
Feel free to contact me personally, or sit down and have a one-on-one sesion with the librarian at the Reference Desk (located in the library lobby).
The word Southwest!
When seaching for information about the Southwest, remember that the word Southwest may not appear in the title or in the abstract of an article. Instead, you may need to be more specific, using:
- the specific name of the state (Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, etc) or the name of a territory (i.e. Louisiana Purchase).
- a variety of terms which are often used interchangably, like "Native Americans," "Indians of North American," even "First Peoples"
- Try the name of a specific group, such as Ute, Navajo, Hopi, etc.
If you searched only the term Southwest, you might miss valuable resources.