its large Hispanic and Native American
minorities. About one quarter of the
people are Hispanic, mainly of Mexican
heritage. The Native American population
is larger than those of all states
except Oklahoma and California. The
Navajo are Arizonas largest native
group. Many of them live on a huge
reservation that covers parts of Arizona,
Utah, and New Mexico. The state also
has small African American and Asian
minorities.
Most of Arizonas people live in the
southern half of the state. Located in
south-central Arizona, Phoenix is the
states major city. Other cities include
Tucson, Mesa, Glendale, and Scottsdale.
The University of Arizona is located in
Tucson. Arizona State Universitys main
campus is in Tempe, which is near Phoenix.
In the north are Prescott and Flagstaff,
the home of Northern Arizona
University.
Economy
Businesses dealing in real estate and
tourism are important parts of Arizonas
economy. The states main manufactured
goods include computers and
178 Arizona BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
other electronic equipment, transportation
equipment, and metal goods. Cotton
and citrus fruit are major farm
products. Other crops include vegetables
and a variety of grains. Cattle are raised
on large ranches. Arizona is also a major
producer of copper.
History
Arizona has been home to Native
Americans for thousands of years. Prehistoric
peoples such as the Hohokam,
the Anasazi, and the Mogollon developed
advanced cultures in the region.
When Spanish explorers arrived in the
1500s they found Hopi, Papago, and
Pima Indians. Later the Apache, the
Navajo, and other tribes moved into the
area.
In 1539 a Roman Catholic priest
named Marcos de Niza claimed the
land for Spain. For nearly 300 years the
Spanish continued to explore and settle
in the Arizona area. After gaining
independence from Spain in 1821,
Mexico ruled the area. The United
States took control of the land in 1848,
following its victory over Mexico in the
Mexican War.
The discovery of gold, silver, and
copper in the 1850s brought many
miners to the area. The opening of
railroads in the 1880s also brought
settlers from the eastern United States
into the area. Arizona became a
territory of the United States in 1863
and a state in 1912. Copper mining
remained the states most important
industry until the 1950s.
Arizonas population grew quickly after
WorldWar II. Many of the soldiers that
had trained at military bases in Arizona
returned with their families after the war
ended.
Since the late 20th century Arizona has
been one of the countrys fastestgrowing
states. In 2000 it was the 20th
state in population. By the end of the
decade it had moved up to 14th.
..More to explore
Anasazi Colorado River Grand
Canyon Hohokam Culture Navajo
Phoenix
The Hohokam people carved many designs
into rocks hundreds of years ago. Today
these carvings can be seen at Saguaro
National Park in Arizona.
Facts About
ARIZONA
Flag
Population
(2000 census)
5,130,632
rank, 20th state;
(2008 estimate)
6,500,180
rank, 14th state
Capital
Phoenix
Area
113,998 sq mi
(295,254 sq
km)rank, 6th
state
Statehood
February 14,
1912
Motto
Ditat Deus (God
Enriches)
State bird
Cactus wren
State flower
Blossom of the
saguaro cactus
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Arizona 179
Arkansas
The U.S. state of Arkansas got
its name from a word that early
French explorers used for the local Quapaw
Indians and the river along which
they settled. Arkansass official nickname
is the Natural State, which refers to the
states beautiful countryside of mountains,
lakes, and streams. The capital is
Little Rock.
Geography
Arkansas is located in the south-central
United States. It borders Missouri on the
north, Oklahoma and Texas on the west,
and Louisiana on the south. On the east
the Mississippi River separates Arkansas
from Tennessee and Mississippi.
Highlands cover northern and western
Arkansas, and lowlands cover the south
and east. The Arkansas River divides the
highlands into the Ouachita Mountains
on the south and the Ozark Mountains
(or Ozark Plateau) on the north. The
highlands are densely forested. The lowlands
are plains with good farmland and
some hills. Arkansas generally has mild
winters and hot, humid summers.
People
About four fifths of Arkansans are of
European heritage. African Americans
are the largest minority, making up more
than 15 percent of the states population.
Almost half of the people live in
rural settings. Little Rock is the largest
city. It is located in the middle of the
state on the south bank of the Arkansas
River. The main campus of the University
of Arkansas is in the northern city of
Fayetteville.
Economy
Leading farm products in Arkansas are
poultry (especially broiler chickens),
cattle, soybeans, and rice. The processing
of farm products is the states leading
manufacturing industry. Many
Arkansans are employed as service pro-
A waterfall tumbles over a rock ledge in the
Ozark Mountains in Arkansas.
180 Arkansas BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
viders in such areas as government, retail
trade, and health care.Wal-Mart, the
largest chain of retail stores in the world,
began in Arkansas.
History
What is now Arkansas was originally
home to several Native American
groups, including the Caddo, the Osage,
and the Quapaw. The first Europeans to
visit the area were Spaniards. Hernando
de Soto arrived in the early 1540s in
search of gold. But the French built the
first permanent settlement, in 1686.
In 1803 the United States acquired the
region from France as part of the Louisiana
Purchase. Arkansas became a U.S.
territory in 1819 and a state in 1836. In
1861, however, it withdrew from the
Union during the American CivilWar
and joined the Confederacy. It was readmitted
to the Union in 1868.
Arkansas remained largely undeveloped
and poor for the first half of the 1900s.
During the civil rights movement the
state was a focus of national attention.
In 1957 Governor Orval Faubus tried to
prevent African American students from
entering Little Rocks all-white schools.
The federal government stepped in and
forced the schools to allow racial integration.
The economy of Arkansas began to
improve in the late 1950s. The state
worked to bring in manufacturing
plants, which created new jobs.
One of the most notable people in
Arkansas politics was Bill Clinton. After
five terms as the state governor, he
served as president of the United States
from 1993 to 2001.
..More to explore
American CivilWar Civil Rights
Movement Clinton, Bill Little Rock
A farmer in Arkansas inspects
his crop of rice.
African American students walk to school in
Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1957. Troops sent
by the federal government stand by to make
sure the students are allowed to enter the
school.
Facts About
ARKANSAS
Flag
Population
(2000 census)
2,673,400
rank, 33rd state;