Final answer:
The Ancestral Puebloans, formerly known as the Anasazi, lived in cliff dwellings and large, multi-storied apartment-like structures in the Four Corners region of the US. These homes featured ceremonial kivas and were accessible by ladders, offering security. Mesa Verde National Park preserves many of these structures, where visitors can experience the dwellings firsthand.
Step-by-step explanation:
The peoples known as the Ancestral Puebloans, or formerly the Anasazi, constructed unique cliff dwellings in the Four Corners region of the United States—where Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico intersect—between 700-1300 CE. These remarkable structures included large and multi-storied buildings, similar to apartment complexes, which were built into the sides of cliffs and on top of mesas. They served as residential spaces, ceremonial sites such as the kiva, and storage for harvests. These homes were often only accessible by rope or ladder, providing defense against raiders, and such design choices allowed residents to retract the ladders for added security during the night.
Mesa Verde National Park in southwestern Colorado retains many of these ancient cliff dwellings, such as Balcony House, which visitors can still access via ladders, much like the original inhabitants did. The ancient architecture of the Ancestral Puebloans was not only functional but also strategic, designed to accommodate the societal changes and threats over time.