Ancient Arizona Culture

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Arizona

The earliest indigenous cultures of Arizona most likely lived in the region as early as 25,000 B.C. A later culture, the Hohokam who lived around 500–1450 A.D. were pit dwellers and built irrigation systems. The Pueblo culture built many of the cliff dwellings that still stand. Later, the Apache and the Navajo came to the area from Canada around 1300 A.D.
The Hohokam was a very intelligent ancient Indian culture. They were usually divided into four periods, Pioneer, Colonial, Sedentary (which means calm or “lazy’), and Classic. During the Pioneer Period the Hohokam’s lived in villages built of of wood, brush, and clay, and all of them were built over a pit. During the next period, the Colonial Period, architecture didn’t change very …show more content…

Written history began when the Spaniards sent explorers from Mexico in 1539.
The Tumacacori Mission, north of Nogales was visited by Padre Kino in 1691. He was so impressed by the tribe Pima nation and their land, he decided to expand the missionary effort there. After the death of Padre Kino in March, 1711, Spanish development stopped. In 1821 Mexico its declared independence from Spain went to war with the United States. The war ended 1848 with north Gila River becoming U.S. territory. Southern part of the territory was added by the Gadsden Purchase in 1853. Near after this early pioneers began moving to the west.
Arizona's minerals attracted most of the early explorers, and mining continued periodically. In 1849 a small numbers of prospectors crossed Arizona to join the California gold rush. The miners found silver, copper and gold. Copper was discovered in 1854, and mining for copper was Arizona’s primary industry until the …show more content…

Prescott became the capital in 1865. Then the capital was moved to Tucson in 1867, then back to Prescott in 1877, and finally to Phoenix in 1889.
Men went west seeking fortune. Prospectors, farmers, builders etc… Indians, angered by the strange men entering their home, fought back so army came built forts protecting the men. The Indian uprising stopped and peace was won 1886. Development to establish towns started and it was moving fast. Gun battles broke out between cattlemen and sheep men because they both wanted the land and water for themselves.
When the civil war ended, many people moved westward. This movement brought new people to the west, including a new type of military commanders. General George Crook took this type as his own, and encouraged President Grant to let him deal with the Apaches that started massacres onto the white settlements. This had started in 1871. They would get to the settlements and kill everybody there. In retaliation, Crook would go to the Apache camps, murdering the women and children, sparing the men. After two years of fighting, the Apache surrendered to

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