Chaco Canyon was both the political and economic centre of the eastern Anasazi world by AD 1000. Within the canyon an architectural style consisting of very large, multi-storied pueblos and associated earth-works had been started and continued to grow in both size and number. These structures were pre-planned, had large rooms, high ceilings, enclosed kivas and nearby great kivas. Some buildings were up to four stories high with 695 rooms.

A kiva was like a combined community centre and church, used for religious ceremonies and community celebrations. A kiva was made from a shallow circular pit, roofed over with wooden poles. There were both small kivas, perhaps used by a few families, and large kivas used by the entire community. The interior of a kiva was painted with various symbols, and scenes of people and animals.

Numerous petroglyph panels were etched into the soft sandstone canyon walls by the pueblos. Images of animals are common. The most famous petroglyph is the spiral associated with the "sun dagger" on Fajada Butte. During the solstice a ray of light shines through detached sandstone slabs, creating a ray of sun across the centre of the spiral.

Chaco Canyon was the centre of a network of spoke-like roads carrying trade goods both into and out of the area. The roads were constructed to a uniform width of approximately nine metres and are almost always completely straight. When a change of direction was necessary, these were made with sharp angular turns. Research reveals the roads were maintained throughout their use. Chaco Canyon went into decline after 1130 AD, although Anasazi culture continued to flourish in other areas.

Norsemen from Iceland (themselves originally from Norway) settle in Greenland and in Newfoundland at L'Anse aux Meadows after 1000 AD. The L'Anse aux Meadows settlement lasts only one or two generations, although the Greenlanders continue to come to North America for lumber and other trade goods for centuries.

Kiva