STEM Connection: Land Conflict, Natural Resources & Environmental Consequences
This set of resources provides an excellent entry point for exploring how conflicts over land—like those seen in the Colfax County War—stem not only from politics and ownership, but also from the science and economics of natural resource access. Educators can use these events to help students investigate how land disputes in the 19th century were entangled with environmental exploitation, water access, and mineral extraction—issues still central today.
Geology & Mineral Rights: The Maxwell Land Grant, at the heart of the Colfax County War, covered over 1.7 million acres rich in timber, gold, coal, and grazing land. Students can study mineral rights laws, how surveying was used to stake claims, and how geological formations influenced where settlements and conflicts arose. A STEM extension might involve mapping known mineral belts in New Mexico and analyzing how those correspond with patterns of land acquisition or violence.
Environmental Science & Water Access: Cimarron sits at the foot of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, with vital water resources that were often the object of dispute. Educators can design lessons around watershed science, irrigation conflicts, and the environmental toll of cattle grazing and mining. Students might model runoff scenarios, explore how land management affects erosion, or assess long-term ecological damage from 19th-century industrial activity.
Math & Data Interpretation: Using historical maps and documents, students can analyze land parcel sizes, mineral yields, and population growth in Cimarron. Calculations involving resource extraction (e.g., tons of coal per acre) or land loss by Indigenous or settler communities offer practical applications of data literacy, unit conversion, and estimation.
Legal Systems & Land Use Planning: The conflict over the Maxwell Land Grant also provides a great opportunity to discuss early zoning laws, eminent domain, and how land use policy shapes society. Students could simulate land arbitration or propose alternative land-use models, drawing on current environmental ethics and urban planning best practices.
This topic not only ties directly into Land Shadows but also presents a localized, concrete case study where STEM and history collide—perfect for interdisciplinary project-based learning.