Final answer:
The Ancestral Puebloans abandoned their homes in Mesa Verde and other settlements around 1300 CE for reasons such as drought, lack of resources, and potential conflicts.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Ancestral Puebloans abandoned their homes in Mesa Verde and other settlements around 1300 CE due to a combination of factors such as drought, lack of resources, and potential conflicts. The exact reasons for the abandonment of specific canyons, like Unaweep Canyon, are not known. However, it is likely that similar factors played a role in their abandonment as well.