And comes from the DVD
series, "Awesome Science"
00:00:04.43\00:00:09.27
[music playing]
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NOAH JUSTICE: In
the southwest part
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of the United States in an
area known as Four Corners,
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there lies three
different regions where
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ancient dwellings can be found.
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Known as Mesa Verde
National Park, Chaco ruins,
00:00:20.85\00:00:24.22
and the Aztec ruins,
these amazing archaeological
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locations can be toured and
explored by your whole family.
00:00:27.62\00:00:31.66
But as you view these
locations, questions arise.
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Who made them?
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Where did these
people come from?
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And where did they go?
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Biological evolution maintains
that humans evolved over
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several hundred thousand
years descending from apes.
00:00:44.47\00:00:47.54
And only about
5,000 to 10,000 years ago
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did civilizations arise where
cities like these were built.
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But there are big
challenges with this view.
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According to the
genealogies in the Bible,
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man was created by
God about 6,000 years ago.
00:01:01.96\00:01:05.79
Then, a global
flood wiped out everyone
00:01:05.89\00:01:08.76
except for Noah and his family.
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The earth was repopulated
over the last 4,350 years.
00:01:11.53\00:01:16.27
As the population
grew, it diversified
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into different people
groups that we observe today.
00:01:18.84\00:01:22.14
Evolutionists
like Darwin and Haeckel
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often claimed that some races
evolved at different speeds
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from others, and some
are more favored than others.
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This view has caused genocide of
millions in this century alone.
00:01:31.99\00:01:37.19
Plus, evolutionists
have a very difficult time
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explaining how the 7,000
different languages developed
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all over the world.
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Originally,
there was one language.
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But we also learned that
distinct languages came by God
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at the Tower of Babel
through a supernatural act
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of God's judgment.
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Which one is true,
and which one do we trust?
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All this and more
next on "Awesome Science."
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[music playing]
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"Awesome Science"
takes you on a field trip
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to some of the most amazing
geologic and historic sites
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around the world, where we
use the Bible as our history
00:02:16.80\00:02:20.27
guidebook to
interpret what we see,
00:02:20.37\00:02:22.27
that the Bible can be trusted
and empirical science falls
00:02:22.37\00:02:26.04
in line with the
biblical account of creation,
00:02:26.14\00:02:28.61
the fall, and the flood.
00:02:28.71\00:02:31.31
Science, it's awesome.
00:02:31.41\00:02:33.18
[music playing]
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In the southwest
part of the United
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States is an
incredible landscape
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of canyons, mountain
chains, and high plateaus.
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Among these
astounding geologic locations,
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remnants of past
civilizations can be discovered.
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One of these regions is
Mesa Verde National Park.
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Mesa Verde is located in
southwestern Colorado, midway
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between Cortez and
Mancos, off of us I-60.
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It occupies 52,485 acres
near the Four Corners region
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of Colorado, New
Mexico, Arizona, and Utah.
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It contains more than 4,000
sites and 600 cliff dwellings.
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It is the largest archaeological
preserve in the United States.
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Mesa Verde is
Spanish for green table.
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And looking around, it's easy to
see how the area got its name.
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Through much of
the year, the mesas
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are full of green
trees, brush, and flowers.
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The park is best
known for structures
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such as Cliff Palace,
thought to be the largest cliff
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dwelling in North America.
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In addition to
the cliff dwellings,
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there are many structures
on the plateau to explore.
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These habitations
are thought to have
00:04:02.04\00:04:03.91
been occupied by ancient
natives called the Anasazi about
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1,000 years ago.
00:04:08.24\00:04:09.78
But for some mysterious
reason, the people living
00:04:09.88\00:04:12.88
here left, never to return.
00:04:12.98\00:04:15.78
Perhaps they
discovered a nice beach
00:04:15.88\00:04:17.69
on the coast of California
and started a coffee shop.
00:04:17.79\00:04:20.96
Well, probably
not, but you never know.
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It wasn't until the
late 1800s that they
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were rediscovered by trappers.
00:04:26.70\00:04:28.96
Then, in 1906, the
National Park was established
00:04:29.06\00:04:32.47
by President Theodore Roosevelt.
The road through the park
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is very scenic, but it also has
sharp curves and steep grades.
00:04:36.34\00:04:41.31
The guided tours
are a fantastic way
00:04:41.41\00:04:43.78
to explore the cliff dwellings.
00:04:43.88\00:04:45.41
But keep in mind, they
may not be the best terrain
00:04:45.51\00:04:48.15
for little kids.
00:04:48.25\00:04:49.95
Still, there are plenty of
sights on the mesas to explore.
00:04:50.05\00:04:54.76
The park is open all year.
00:04:54.86\00:04:56.49
But the best times
are in the spring and fall
00:04:56.59\00:04:59.19
when the weather is cooler.
00:04:59.29\00:05:01.43
Mesa Verde was originally set up
as an archaeological preserve.
00:05:01.53\00:05:05.33
So hiking within the park
is restricted to the six marked
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and paved trails.
00:05:08.80\00:05:10.54
All the trails vary in
length and level of ability.
00:05:10.64\00:05:13.48
Some are seven miles
long, some are steep,
00:05:13.58\00:05:16.78
and some
require climbing ladders
00:05:16.88\00:05:18.85
to get into the dwellings.
00:05:18.95\00:05:20.68
Most of all, this park
offers some great insight
00:05:20.78\00:05:23.89
about early man's
expansion across the landscape
00:05:23.99\00:05:27.32
after the global flood.
00:05:27.42\00:05:28.69
There are about 600
cliff dwellings preserved
00:05:33.63\00:05:36.46
at Mesa Verde National Park.
00:05:36.56\00:05:38.60
Structures range in size
from one room storage units
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to villages of
more than 150 rooms.
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They're built near
springs, so the people
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living there
had access to water.
00:05:48.41\00:05:51.05
The
naturally-enclosed sites also
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offered protection against
both the elements and intruders.
00:05:53.18\00:05:57.32
Even though there
are 600 cliff dwellings,
00:05:57.42\00:06:00.32
only four are
accessible to the public.
00:06:00.42\00:06:03.76
On the southeast side of
the park is the Balcony House.
00:06:03.86\00:06:08.00
With 40 rooms, it is considered
a medium-sized cliff dwelling.
00:06:08.10\00:06:12.33
Only 10 sites in
the park have more.
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The Balcony
House is a good example
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of how room and passageway
construction in the alcove
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evolved through time as
residents worked to improve
00:06:21.68\00:06:24.91
their living quarters.
00:06:25.01\00:06:26.95
Today, the tunnel, passageways,
and modern 32-foot entrance
00:06:27.05\00:06:30.99
ladder are what makes it the
most adventurous cliff dwelling
00:06:31.09\00:06:34.09
tour in the park.
00:06:34.19\00:06:36.56
Another cliff dwelling you
can tour is the Long House.
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It is considered the second
largest dwelling in the park.
00:06:40.16\00:06:43.73
It can be reached by the
steep, winding road following
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the historic fire
trail for 12 miles.
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The Spruce Tree House is
the third largest cliff dwelling
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in the park.
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It was constructed
around AD 1211 and 1278.
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The dwelling contains
about 130 rooms and eight kivas,
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or ceremonial chambers, built
into a natural alcove measuring
00:07:03.79\00:07:07.99
216 feet at its greatest width
and 89 feet at its greatest
00:07:08.09\00:07:12.79
depth.
00:07:12.89\00:07:14.10
It is thought to have been
home for about 60 to 80 people.
00:07:14.20\00:07:18.40
This cliff dwelling
was discovered in 1888
00:07:18.50\00:07:21.70
when two local ranchers
chanced upon it while searching
00:07:21.80\00:07:24.71
for stray cattle.
00:07:24.81\00:07:26.34
A large tree, which they
identified as a Douglas spruce,
00:07:26.44\00:07:29.48
later called
Douglas fir, was found
00:07:29.58\00:07:31.48
growing from the front of
the dwelling to the mesa top.
00:07:31.58\00:07:34.78
The Step House is
unique because there
00:07:34.88\00:07:36.85
may be evidence of two separate
occupations in the same site.
00:07:36.95\00:07:41.49
A modified basket
maker site, dating to AD 626,
00:07:41.59\00:07:46.70
if this is to be trusted, is
situated between the old stone
00:07:46.80\00:07:50.07
steps on the south and the
large boulders on the north.
00:07:50.17\00:07:53.70
The rest of the
alcove contains a masonry
00:07:53.80\00:07:56.30
Pueblo, dating to
the classic Pueblo times,
00:07:56.40\00:07:59.37
dated at about AD 1226.
00:07:59.47\00:08:02.91
At over 6,000
feet, Cliff Palace is
00:08:03.01\00:08:05.41
one of the major
icons of Mesa Verde.
00:08:05.51\00:08:09.98
This is the largest
cliff dwelling in the park.
00:08:10.09\00:08:13.36
Recent studies show
Cliff Palace contained
00:08:13.46\00:08:15.89
150 rooms and 23
kivas and had a population
00:08:15.99\00:08:20.13
of approximately 100 people.
00:08:20.23\00:08:23.57
Out of the nearly
600 cliff dwellings
00:08:23.67\00:08:25.77
concentrated between
the boundaries of the park,
00:08:25.87\00:08:28.10
75% contain only
one to five rooms each,
00:08:28.20\00:08:31.57
and many are
single-room storage units.
00:08:31.67\00:08:34.71
If you visit
Cliff Palace, you will
00:08:34.81\00:08:36.78
enter an especially
large cliff dwelling
00:08:36.88\00:08:39.15
that may have had special
importance to its occupants.
00:08:39.25\00:08:42.28
It is thought
that Cliff Palace was
00:08:42.38\00:08:44.15
a social administrative
site with high ceremonial usage.
00:08:44.25\00:08:48.69
Sandstone,
mortar, and wooden beams
00:08:48.79\00:08:51.53
were the three
primary construction materials
00:08:51.63\00:08:53.90
for the cliff dwellings.
00:08:54.00\00:08:55.53
The Anasazis shaped
each sandstone block
00:08:55.63\00:08:58.13
using harder stones collected
from the nearby river beds.
00:08:58.23\00:09:01.67
The mortar between
the blocks is a mixture
00:09:01.77\00:09:03.71
of local soil, water, and ash.
00:09:03.81\00:09:06.91
Fitted in the
mortar are tiny pieces
00:09:07.01\00:09:09.08
of stone called chinking.
00:09:09.18\00:09:11.31
Chinking stones filled
the gaps within the mortar
00:09:11.41\00:09:13.88
and added structural
stability to the walls.
00:09:13.98\00:09:17.32
Even though the cliff
dwellings were their main living
00:09:17.42\00:09:19.55
quarters, the
people still continued
00:09:19.65\00:09:21.79
to farm on top of the mesa
and keep their above dwellings
00:09:21.89\00:09:24.83
in order for nearly a century.
00:09:24.93\00:09:26.53
As we study these
amazing cliff dwellings,
00:09:31.20\00:09:33.67
it's only natural to
wonder, who built them?
00:09:33.77\00:09:37.11
Archaeological
research has shown
00:09:37.21\00:09:39.07
they were made by
ancestral Puebloans, also called
00:09:39.17\00:09:42.31
the Anasazi.
00:09:42.41\00:09:43.88
Anasazi comes from
the Navajo language
00:09:43.98\00:09:46.31
and means the ancient
ones or enemy ancestors.
00:09:46.41\00:09:50.35
They have also been
called the Clovis People,
00:09:50.45\00:09:52.79
theorized to be some of
the first people to live in
00:09:52.89\00:09:55.72
North America.
00:09:55.82\00:09:56.73
Some
archaeologists have proposed
00:09:56.83\00:09:58.53
that these ancient
people migrated from Asia
00:09:58.63\00:10:01.26
during the time of Genghis Khan.
00:10:01.36\00:10:03.53
This may be the reason
why many of their cities
00:10:03.63\00:10:05.90
are walled, in fear
of these conquerors.
00:10:06.00\00:10:09.00
They inhabited Mesa
Verde for more than 700 years,
00:10:09.10\00:10:12.57
from 550 AD to 1300 AD.
00:10:12.67\00:10:16.44
It is thought they
primarily lived on the mesa tops
00:10:16.54\00:10:19.48
for a good portion of that
time before building the cliff
00:10:19.58\00:10:22.58
dwellings.
00:10:22.68\00:10:23.69
It was not until the
final 75 to 100 years
00:10:23.79\00:10:27.42
that they constructed and
lived in the cliff dwellings
00:10:27.52\00:10:29.96
for which Mesa Verde is known.
00:10:30.06\00:10:32.36
It was a tough
place to make a living.
00:10:32.46\00:10:34.76
Cold, snowy winters
gave way to hot, dry summers
00:10:34.86\00:10:38.20
with periods of
relatively abundant moisture.
00:10:38.30\00:10:41.57
But there appears to be
sporadic and sometimes long
00:10:41.67\00:10:45.31
periods of drought.
00:10:45.41\00:10:46.91
The occupants lived
in simple pit houses
00:10:47.01\00:10:49.81
with a hearth, fire
hole, and room for storage.
00:10:49.91\00:10:53.48
They usually entered through
the roof by the way of a ladder.
00:10:53.58\00:10:57.12
The fact that the house was
partially underground helped
00:10:57.22\00:11:00.12
keep it cool in the
summer and warm in the winter.
00:11:00.22\00:11:03.59
These people
came together in what
00:11:03.69\00:11:05.39
we call great
kivas, which are also
00:11:05.49\00:11:08.00
located partially underground.
00:11:08.10\00:11:10.43
These very round
structures seem to have
00:11:10.53\00:11:13.00
been used for public
gatherings, during which members
00:11:13.10\00:11:16.00
of the community
socialized, performed
00:11:16.10\00:11:18.17
ceremonies, or discussed
issues important to the group.
00:11:18.27\00:11:22.04
So what happened to the
ancient peoples living here?
00:11:22.14\00:11:25.78
Research shows that the
population peaked in 850 AD.
00:11:25.88\00:11:30.19
An event occurred which
evacuated the people in droves.
00:11:30.29\00:11:34.52
This appears to have happened
across the Mesa Verde region,
00:11:34.62\00:11:38.39
with the population
moving south to places
00:11:38.49\00:11:41.10
like Chaco Canyon in New Mexico.
00:11:41.20\00:11:43.77
Recent research suggests
that a change in climate
00:11:43.87\00:11:47.04
played a role in
this immigration.
00:11:47.14\00:11:49.47
Pollen remains
indicate that the weather,
00:11:49.57\00:11:51.64
in at least part of
the Mesa Verde region,
00:11:51.74\00:11:53.88
had become colder.
00:11:53.98\00:11:55.18
And dry winters
compounded this problem.
00:11:55.28\00:11:58.25
Then, the climate changed
again, and this area warmed up.
00:11:58.35\00:12:02.45
In about 930, people moved
back, but now with connection
00:12:02.55\00:12:06.69
to a vast trade
network and commerce.
00:12:06.79\00:12:09.99
We know this from
pottery found at these sites.
00:12:10.09\00:12:13.86
Finally, in the
late 1270s the population
00:12:13.96\00:12:16.73
started decreasing again.
00:12:16.83\00:12:18.90
The reasons are still a
mystery to anthropologists.
00:12:19.00\00:12:22.04
It is thought that a combination
of reasons, including
00:12:22.14\00:12:25.11
climate change, competition
for resources, population
00:12:25.21\00:12:28.88
growth, and conflict were
the reason for this exodus.
00:12:28.98\00:12:33.28
They migrated south into present
day New Mexico and Arizona.
00:12:33.38\00:12:37.99
By 1300, the Anasazi
occupation of Mesa Verde ended.
00:12:38.09\00:12:43.02
With the population shrinking,
the site fell into ruin.
00:12:43.12\00:12:47.40
It wasn't until 600
years later that it was
00:12:47.50\00:12:50.27
rediscovered by a prospector.
00:12:50.37\00:12:52.33
Then just a few decades later,
it was made a national park.
00:12:52.43\00:12:56.97
But the ruins at
Mesa Verde are not unique.
00:12:57.07\00:13:01.01
There are several
other large and more complex
00:13:01.11\00:13:03.61
sites where ancient people
once dominated the landscape,
00:13:03.71\00:13:07.48
but disappeared into obscurity.
00:13:07.58\00:13:09.38
This program is
brought to you by
00:13:15.82\00:13:18.46
An organization committed
to producing high quality
00:13:20.06\00:13:23.20
science-focused
television content
00:13:23.20\00:13:25.40
all from a Biblical worldview.
00:13:25.40\00:13:27.57
Awesome Science is our kids
series hosted by Noah Justice
00:13:27.57\00:13:31.54
In every episode, Noah
visits the national parks
00:13:31.54\00:13:34.48
and historical sites
to help you understand
00:13:34.48\00:13:37.28
earth's history
using a Biblical worldview.
00:13:37.28\00:13:40.45
Find us online to
watch all of our shows,
00:13:40.45\00:13:43.49
Noah's bloopers, behind
the scenes videos, and special
00:13:43.49\00:13:49.16
interviews. You can also visit
and like our Facebook page.
00:13:49.29\00:13:52.19
Where we post updates,
announcements, and post extra
00:13:52.19\00:13:55.50
videos. Our YouTube channel also
hosts many of videos and bonus
00:13:55.50\00:14:00.27
segments. Thanks for visiting.
We hope you enjoy our great
00:14:00.27\00:14:04.47
content. Deep in the remote
deserts of northwestern New
00:14:06.41\00:14:09.54
Mexico lies the
extensive ruins of the greatest
00:14:09.64\00:14:12.18
architectural achievement
of the North American Indians.
00:14:12.28\00:14:16.62
We're here at Chaco
National Historic Park
00:14:16.72\00:14:19.79
where, thousands of
years ago, the Chaco people
00:14:19.89\00:14:22.29
built their own culture.
00:14:22.39\00:14:24.19
Known as the
Chaco Canyon Complex,
00:14:24.29\00:14:27.03
the site was the main
social and ceremonial center
00:14:27.13\00:14:30.27
of the Anasazi culture.
00:14:30.37\00:14:32.17
The early Anasazi moved
into this area about 100 years
00:14:32.27\00:14:35.97
before the time of Christ.
00:14:36.07\00:14:37.44
They were
nomadic hunter-gatherers,
00:14:37.54\00:14:39.67
ranging over great
expanses of territory.
00:14:39.77\00:14:42.88
But by AD 700,
they had begun to live
00:14:42.98\00:14:45.95
in settled communities, of
which Chaco Canyon is the finest
00:14:46.05\00:14:49.82
example.
00:14:49.92\00:14:51.19
Intensive construction
occurred throughout Chaco Canyon
00:14:51.29\00:14:54.46
from AD 900 to 1100,
resulting in the development
00:14:54.56\00:14:59.29
of several sophisticated
dwelling complexes.
00:14:59.39\00:15:02.56
Pueblo Bonito, which
means pretty village in Spanish,
00:15:02.66\00:15:06.13
had more than 600 rooms,
numerous two and three story
00:15:06.23\00:15:10.31
buildings, and
several ceremonial structures
00:15:10.41\00:15:13.17
called kivas.
00:15:13.27\00:15:15.14
It is believed
that the population
00:15:15.24\00:15:17.21
was between 800 and 1,200.
00:15:17.31\00:15:20.12
To our knowledge, the
Anasazi didn't leave any clues
00:15:20.22\00:15:23.25
about the language they spoke.
00:15:23.35\00:15:25.02
So we don't have any of
the original names of the towns
00:15:25.12\00:15:27.99
or villages.
00:15:28.09\00:15:28.96
To this day,
they remain a mystery.
00:15:29.06\00:15:31.46
What remains are the Spanish
names used by the Mexicans
00:15:31.56\00:15:34.76
when they ruled this area.
00:15:34.86\00:15:36.80
Some suggest that a drought
may have been the reason they
00:15:36.90\00:15:40.10
abandoned the site.
00:15:40.20\00:15:42.07
If so, a great
drought could have easily
00:15:42.17\00:15:44.67
depleted most of
the natural resources,
00:15:44.77\00:15:47.21
causing the abandonment of
the site about 900 years ago.
00:15:47.31\00:15:51.98
The Chaco complex
was rediscovered in 1849
00:15:52.08\00:15:55.58
by US army soldiers.
00:15:55.68\00:15:57.52
The site was severely
vandalized for 70 years
00:15:57.62\00:16:00.92
until it was made a
national monument in 1907.
00:16:01.02\00:16:04.89
Then, in 1920, the
National Geographic Society
00:16:04.99\00:16:08.30
began a thorough
reconstruction of the site.
00:16:08.40\00:16:11.50
The main road
winds through the canyon,
00:16:11.60\00:16:13.50
with several stopping
points close to each other.
00:16:13.60\00:16:16.14
You can hike several trails
close to the road, giving you
00:16:16.24\00:16:19.51
and your family a
firsthand look at these ruins.
00:16:19.61\00:16:23.38
Many of the buildings built here
are aligned with the sun, moon,
00:16:23.48\00:16:26.35
or stars, meaning that
these people who built them
00:16:26.45\00:16:29.45
were not primitive,
but highly advanced.
00:16:29.55\00:16:32.82
Whether through drought,
famine, or war, in time,
00:16:32.92\00:16:36.56
the people moved
away from the area,
00:16:36.66\00:16:38.56
enmeshed into other
cultures to reinvent themselves.
00:16:38.66\00:16:42.76
God has promised
that if a people, nation,
00:16:42.86\00:16:45.67
or culture reject him
and follow other gods,
00:16:45.77\00:16:48.94
he will destroy them.
00:16:49.04\00:16:50.17
This appears to be the
case in the Chaco culture.
00:16:50.27\00:16:53.31
A once great people
died out, dispersed,
00:16:53.41\00:16:56.58
or assimilated
into other cultures
00:16:56.68\00:16:58.81
in less than a millennia.
00:16:58.91\00:17:01.22
Today, the Pueblo
Indians of New Mexico
00:17:01.32\00:17:03.89
claim to be the descendants
of the ancient Anasazi.
00:17:03.99\00:17:06.65
I'm here at the Aztec
Ruins in Aztec, New Mexico.
00:17:11.93\00:17:14.73
But the funny thing is,
these ruins aren't Aztec,
00:17:14.83\00:17:17.47
they're Pueblo.
00:17:17.57\00:17:18.63
Let's go check it out.
00:17:18.73\00:17:21.00
Just south of the
Colorado border is New Mexico.
00:17:21.10\00:17:24.44
It's here that an
amazing sight rises
00:17:24.54\00:17:26.98
from the desert
floor of an ancient city
00:17:27.08\00:17:29.28
in an area of about 320 acres.
00:17:29.38\00:17:33.31
The Aztec Ruins sit between
Mesa Verde and the Chaco ruins.
00:17:33.42\00:17:38.59
Almost 900 years ago,
work gangs excavated, filled,
00:17:38.69\00:17:42.79
and leveled more than
2 and 1/2 acres of land.
00:17:42.89\00:17:46.59
Masons laid out sandstone
blocks in intricate patterns
00:17:46.70\00:17:50.00
to form massive stone walls.
00:17:50.10\00:17:52.60
Wood workers cut and carried
heavy log beams from mountain
00:17:52.70\00:17:55.97
forests tens of miles away.
00:17:56.07\00:17:59.24
One of the cool things is
these are the actual roofs
00:17:59.34\00:18:02.21
from 900 years ago.
00:18:02.31\00:18:05.88
In less than three decades, they
had built a monumental Great
00:18:05.98\00:18:09.75
House, three stories high and
longer than a football field.
00:18:09.85\00:18:13.86
The complex had over 500 rooms,
including a ceremonial Great
00:18:13.96\00:18:18.46
Kiva over 41 feet
in diameter, the oldest
00:18:18.56\00:18:22.60
and largest reconstructed
kiva in North America.
00:18:22.70\00:18:26.63
Archaeologists
believe the village, what
00:18:26.74\00:18:28.74
we call Aztec Ruins, was
established at around 1100 AD
00:18:28.84\00:18:33.21
and was a satellite community
of Chaco Canyon to the south.
00:18:33.31\00:18:37.15
Aztecs and
Anasazi inhabitants were
00:18:37.25\00:18:39.38
attracted to the valley
because of its good location
00:18:39.48\00:18:42.55
and fertile soil.
00:18:42.65\00:18:44.22
Archaeologists believe
that population pressure,
00:18:44.32\00:18:47.16
climate changes,
new enemies, disease,
00:18:47.26\00:18:49.96
and shrinking natural resources
forced the Anasazi to abandon
00:18:50.06\00:18:54.10
Aztec, just as they
abandoned other villages
00:18:54.20\00:18:56.97
throughout the southwest.
00:18:57.07\00:18:59.03
In the 1700s, these ruins were
discovered by Spanish explorers
00:18:59.13\00:19:03.74
who thought they were
Aztec, a nation mostly located
00:19:03.84\00:19:07.04
to the south in Mexico.
00:19:07.14\00:19:09.54
A self-guided interpretive
trail around a quarter mile
00:19:09.64\00:19:12.68
long winds
through the West Ruin,
00:19:12.78\00:19:14.75
a pueblo of 450 interconnected
rooms built of stone and mud.
00:19:14.85\00:19:20.72
The structures are mostly
multi-level communal dwellings
00:19:20.82\00:19:24.03
constructed of
sandstone, mud, and stones.
00:19:24.13\00:19:27.60
Pueblos, or homes,
consisted of numerous rooms,
00:19:27.66\00:19:31.43
housing hundreds of people.
00:19:31.53\00:19:33.80
The Aztec Ruins are a
great place for your family
00:19:33.90\00:19:36.71
to experience ancient
dwellings firsthand and get
00:19:36.81\00:19:40.28
a small piece of the ancient
Anasazi culture that once lived
00:19:40.38\00:19:43.81
here, over 1,000 years ago.
00:19:43.91\00:19:50.25
As we study
this ancient culture,
00:19:50.35\00:19:52.22
we begin to wonder, how
did man get to North America?
00:19:52.32\00:19:56.32
There are two main
worldviews about the origins
00:19:56.42\00:19:58.99
of man, evolution, and creation
by God, according to the Bible.
00:19:59.09\00:20:04.77
According to
evolution, the Big Bang
00:20:04.87\00:20:06.90
happened about 14
billion years ago,
00:20:07.00\00:20:09.57
causing the
universe to expand and come
00:20:09.67\00:20:12.17
into existence from nothing.
00:20:12.27\00:20:13.84
The Big Bang supposedly gave off
hydrogen, helium, and lithium.
00:20:13.94\00:20:18.38
And over billions of
years, these elements
00:20:18.48\00:20:21.02
were able to be converted to
heavier elements that are here
00:20:21.12\00:20:24.05
today.
00:20:24.15\00:20:25.15
Those elements
eventually came together
00:20:25.25\00:20:27.46
and formed rocky planets.
00:20:27.56\00:20:29.89
On one of those
planets, planet Earth,
00:20:29.99\00:20:32.46
came the first form of
life caused by accident.
00:20:32.56\00:20:35.36
And somehow, that first
life survived and evolved over
00:20:35.46\00:20:39.30
billions of years
into the complex life
00:20:39.40\00:20:41.94
we see today on Earth.
00:20:42.04\00:20:45.07
Eventually, this life got
more complex and formed apes.
00:20:45.17\00:20:49.18
Eventually, those apes
started walking upright.
00:20:49.28\00:20:52.68
In this evolutionary
view, brain size supposedly
00:20:52.78\00:20:55.85
increased rapidly, and social
skills became more complex.
00:20:55.95\00:21:00.46
Modern humans are believed
to have originated in Africa
00:21:00.56\00:21:03.59
around 200,000 years ago, if
you believe the secular story.
00:21:03.69\00:21:07.36
For tens of
thousands of years supposedly,
00:21:07.46\00:21:10.27
early man lived a nomadic
lifestyle as hunter-gatherers.
00:21:10.37\00:21:13.84
And while the population
didn't grow, it remained stable.
00:21:13.94\00:21:17.84
Language grew and
became more and more complex
00:21:17.94\00:21:21.14
and a diversity of
language developed.
00:21:21.24\00:21:24.08
Between 8500 and
7000 BC, humans supposedly
00:21:24.18\00:21:28.72
learned the husbandry
of plants and animals.
00:21:28.82\00:21:31.42
Then, they learned agriculture.
00:21:31.52\00:21:34.09
The earth's first
major civilization
00:21:34.19\00:21:36.42
at Sumer in the
Middle East was supposedly
00:21:36.52\00:21:39.06
between 4000 and 3000 BC.
00:21:39.16\00:21:42.70
From there, ancient Egyptians,
Indus Valley, Chinese,
00:21:42.80\00:21:46.67
and other societies developed.
00:21:46.77\00:21:49.30
Eventually,
cities and temples were
00:21:49.40\00:21:51.64
built by these civilizations.
00:21:51.74\00:21:53.58
And some still exist today.
00:21:53.68\00:21:56.48
As each civilization grew,
they spread across Europe, Asia,
00:21:56.58\00:22:00.42
and America, and developed into
the countries we have today.
00:22:00.52\00:22:04.92
Of course, this story changes
as new discoveries are found.
00:22:05.02\00:22:08.96
Evolutionary
naturalists consistently
00:22:09.06\00:22:11.33
need to change their storyline,
and other small storylines,
00:22:11.43\00:22:14.56
to keep up with the evidence.
00:22:14.63\00:22:16.26
But overall, the big
picture evolutionary story
00:22:16.36\00:22:19.10
is not subject to change.
00:22:19.20\00:22:21.07
But how is this story different
from the biblical worldview?
00:22:21.17\00:22:24.64
According to the
Bible, about 6,000 years ago,
00:22:29.34\00:22:32.35
God created man in his
own image on the sixth day.
00:22:32.45\00:22:36.25
Adam and Eve were given a
beautiful garden to live in
00:22:36.35\00:22:39.52
and were told to
multiply and subdue the Earth.
00:22:39.62\00:22:42.59
But Satan rebelled
from God and used a serpent
00:22:42.69\00:22:45.86
to deceive Eve, and
subsequently Adam, into sin.
00:22:45.96\00:22:50.07
In response, God sentenced
man to die for their sin,
00:22:50.17\00:22:53.74
and then cast Adam
and Eve from the garden.
00:22:53.84\00:22:57.04
1,600 years after creation, God
had decided that the sin of man
00:22:57.14\00:23:01.68
had gotten so
bad that he was going
00:23:01.78\00:23:04.01
to destroy the Earth
with a worldwide flood.
00:23:04.11\00:23:07.75
Only one man and his family
held special favor with God.
00:23:07.85\00:23:12.29
God told Noah to
build an ark and be saved
00:23:12.39\00:23:15.19
from the worldwide destruction.
00:23:15.29\00:23:17.86
About a year later,
Noah's family came off the ark
00:23:17.96\00:23:21.03
and began to
repopulate the Earth.
00:23:21.13\00:23:23.60
God promised that he would
never flood the Earth again,
00:23:23.70\00:23:26.87
and instituted the rainbow
as a sign of his promise.
00:23:26.97\00:23:30.84
Noah's sons were
Shem, Ham, and Japheth,
00:23:30.94\00:23:34.41
all were born around the time
that Noah was 500 years old.
00:23:34.51\00:23:38.71
Once everyone
came off the ark, God
00:23:38.81\00:23:41.15
told them to be fruitful
and multiply and fill the earth.
00:23:41.25\00:23:45.85
Within 100 years,
Noah's descendants
00:23:45.95\00:23:48.39
multiplied but had settled
to the east of Noah's farm.
00:23:48.49\00:23:52.46
They found the plain
of Shinar and settled
00:23:52.56\00:23:54.73
there, which is
in modern day Iraq,
00:23:54.83\00:23:57.17
named for the old
city of Uruk near Baghdad.
00:23:57.27\00:24:01.90
There was only one
language at that time.
00:24:02.00\00:24:05.14
The people wanted to
build a city and a high tower
00:24:05.24\00:24:07.94
to make a name for
themselves and not be
00:24:08.04\00:24:10.28
scattered over the whole Earth.
00:24:10.38\00:24:12.18
This was in direct opposition
of God's command to spread out.
00:24:12.28\00:24:17.52
Some have suggested the high
tower was a place of sacrifice
00:24:17.62\00:24:21.42
to the sun gods.
00:24:21.52\00:24:22.92
We see evidence of
this all around the world,
00:24:23.02\00:24:25.66
with ancient tall
ziggurats and pyramids being
00:24:25.76\00:24:28.66
used for human sacrifices.
00:24:28.76\00:24:30.70
Awesome Science is a
video series produced by
00:24:31.67\00:24:34.70
Awesome Science Media
produces many other great shows,
00:24:36.40\00:24:40.08
Ark Animals
00:24:48.02\00:24:49.25
We broadcast our
episodes throughout the world
00:24:53.42\00:24:56.19
on television networks, TV
stations, and online platforms.
00:24:56.19\00:25:01.03
We're making a difference
by challenging the deceptive
00:25:01.03\00:25:04.47
evolutionary worldview, which
directly opposes the Word of God
00:25:04.57\00:25:08.97
Our mission is to provide
youth with a firm foundation
00:25:08.97\00:25:12.54
based on solid scientific
evidence that supports their
00:25:12.54\00:25:15.91
Biblical worldview. We
also want to encourage youth
00:25:15.91\00:25:19.65
to pursue the Truth, and maybe
even make a career from their
00:25:19.65\00:25:23.28
interest in
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00:25:23.28\00:25:25.52
Thank you for watcing our shows.
00:25:25.52\00:25:27.92
Please keep up with us as we
continue to build new content
00:25:27.92\00:25:31.26
which builds up your
faith in the Word of God.
00:25:31.26\00:25:34.36
Thank you for watching
this episode of Awesome Science.
00:25:35.70\00:25:38.03
And remember,
science, it's awesome.
00:25:38.13\00:25:40.74
[music playing]
00:25:40.84\00:25:44.07