Arizona History

The word Arizona comes from one of the following (its origin is not certain): the Aztec Indian word "arizuma," that means "silver-bearing," from the Tohono O'odham Indian word "Aleh-zone" which means "small spring," or the Pima Indian word "Ali shonak" which also means "small spring."

The original inhabitants were the Hohokam Indians and the Anasazi. The Hohokam Indians have been credited with building canals in Central Arizona, in order to sustain their crops. Meanwhile, the Anasazi Indians made their home in the high plateaus of northwestern Arizona. The word "Anasazi" is Navajo for "those who lived before." Between 1100 and 1300 A.D., both the Anasazi and Hohokam tribes were at the height of their civilization. However, by 1400A.D, the tribes no longer existed. Their disappearance remains an unsolved mystery in Arizona history.

The Spanish explorers arrived in the 16th century. Probably the first Spanish explorer to enter Arizona (c.1536) was Cabeza de Vaca. Franciscan friar Marcos de Niza reached the state in 1539; he was followed by Francisco Vásquez de Coronado, who led an expedition from Mexico in 1540 in search of the seven legendary cities of gold, reaching as far as the Grand Canyon. Despite extensive exploration, the region was neglected by the Spanish in favor of the more fruitful area of New Mexico. Father Eusebio Kino, a Jesuit, founded the missions of Guevavi (1692) and Tumacacori (1696), near Nogales, and San Xavier del Bac (1700), near Tucson. The Spanish Empire, however, expelled the Jesuits in 1767, and those in Arizona subsequently lost their control over the indigenous people. The Arizona region came under Mexican control following the Mexican war of independence from Spain (1810–21). In the early 1800s, U.S. mountain men, trappers and traders such as Kit Carson, trapped beaver in the area, but otherwise there were few settlers. In 1863, Arizona was organized as a separate territory. Arizona, was the 48th state to join the U.S. in 1912-- the last of 48 contiguous (connected) states to join the Union.

Native Americans have inhabited what is now Arizona for thousands of years. It remains a state with one of the largest percentages of Native Americans in the United States of America, and has the second largest total Native American population of any state. In addition, the majority of the Navajo Nation, the largest Native American reservation in the US, and the entire Tohono O'odham Nation, the second largest, are located in Arizona. Given its history, it is not surprising that a number of Arizona traditions are based on its Native American and Latin cultural heritage. For example, in October, Dia de los Muertos celebrations are held in various Arizona locations. This Latin American celebration of the transformation of the dead to the afterlife has become a popular Arizona tradition. Traveling through Phoenix or Tucson, you may see buildings that are plastered with brightly-colored murals. These murals are part of the Chicano Mural Movement, which is an organization that pays homage to the Mexican tradition of Muralism. Muralism began in the 1920s, when famous Mexican artists produced politically charged murals on public buildings. The Chicano Movement of the 1960s and 1970s brought Muralism to the Southwestern United States.

The state gem is turquoise, which has been used for centuries in Native American jewelry. The list of Arizona state facts also The 13 rays of red and gold on the state flag not only represented the 13 original colonies; red and gold were the colors worn by the explores in search of the seven cities.

The Hopi reservation in Northern Arizona occupies approximately 1.5 million acres of land. Their present-day location is the same as it has been for hundreds of generations. The Hopis reside in 12 self-governing villages. Hopi culture is characterized by religious celebrations and traditional dances. You are welcome to observe, but photography is prohibited.

Navajo culture is also fascinating. The tribe is famous for its sandpainting, which is performed as part of their healing ceremonies. Like all of the other Native American communities, Navajo culture is based on tribal law.

Arizona is home to 21 federally recognized tribes. Together, the tribes contribute to the rich cultural diversity of Arizona. The state is home to over 250,000 Native Americans (2000 Census). Reservations and tribal communities comprise over a quarter of Arizona's lands. Some of these tribes are the Navaho, Apache, Hopi, Yavapai, Pascua Yaqui, Tohono O'odham. Native Americans have inhabited what is now Arizona for thousands of years. It remains a state with one of the largest percentages of Native Americans in the United States of America and has the second largest total Native American population of any state. In addition, the majority of the Navajo Nation, the largest Native American reservation in the US and the entire Tohono O'odham Nation, the second largest, are located in Arizona.












Title graphic by Miss Kitty, Graphics Manger
The Wild Frontier