The Southern High Plains is no stranger to many peoples traveling and interacting across its many miles over the past 12,000 years. Artifacts found at archaeological sites across the region give us many clues about what materials were important to people, and how far they had to travel in order to procure them. For instance, obsidian (volcanic glass) has been found along the eastern edge of the Llano Estacado. Obsidian is an ideal rock for creating extremely sharp tools to aid in hunting and processing animals. It is a preferred material to the chert that was generally used by people living in the eastern regions. The nearest source of obsidian is the Jemez Mountains in central New Mexico, a distance of over 300 miles. It is possible that early travelers introduced the material to people in that area, an subsequently, regular treks were made to those mountains to procure more obsidian, as the material continues to be found throughout time in archaeological sites.

Much can be said about travel and trade practices over time, and when we think about contemporary Lubbock, it may be difficult to imagine a place without traffic, housing developments, and department stores. Five hundred years ago, the city we know as Lubbock did not exist. Lubbock was part of a larger network stretching across the Southern High Plains. Spanish explorers traveled through the Llano Estacado, finding a vast grassland with abundant bison but thought to lack water. These explorers crossed paths with Native American groups laden with bison hides and meat on their way to trade with distant populations. By 1883, Lubbock consisted of a little trading post on the banks of Yellowhouse Draw that indicated the beginning of the Americanization of the Southern High Plains and the commencement of an emergent local, national, and international commercial enterprise.

When we think about how people lived long ago, we may have some questions. How did people get food, clothing, and water? Did people just grow or hunt what they needed? How can you get what you need and want without money or credit cards? These questions deal with the subject of economics.

When studying economics, we are considering choices. These choices can be termed as either wants or needs. We need things such as food, clothing, water, and shelter. Once these needs are satisfied, we can spend time fulfilling our wants. These wants can be listening to music, reading a book, playing games, or anything else you enjoy. Some people have a difficult time fulfilling their needs, so they will spend a lot of time searching for ways to meet these needs. Others have an easier time meeting their needs and can spend more time fulfilling their wants.

Economic decisions are made every day by people in all societies. These decisions are weighed against the cost or benefit of the activity performed. By reading this, you are making an economic decision. The cost of this activity is that you are not doing something else (e.g., watching TV or playing baseball). The benefit is that you are learning valuable information about how people and societies interact with one another and the effect this has on certain groups.