Did you know that some of the world’s most beautiful deserts and rock formations are not located in the Sahara Desert?Yes, there are numerous deserts all over the world. One of which, and arguably one of the most beautiful ones, is located in the United States. The state, known as Arizona, has a beautiful desert landscape that is scattered all over from the Grand Canyon and is known as the Sonoran Desert.In this article, we will uncover the facts and historical trivia about Arizona. For example, Arizona has an abundance of copper and because of this main reason, Arizona state’s nickname is ’the Copper State’. Here in this article, we will uncover the overall history of the Copper State.After reading about Arizona history and other important aspects of the state, be sure to check our facts on famous Arizonans and meteor crater Arizona facts.Interesting Facts About ArizonaArizona, the Grand Canyon State, has various interesting facts to amaze you. Some fascinating tidbits are mentioned here that you should at least explore once in a lifetime.The first fact to uncover is that the Sonoran Desert is the only place on Earth where a cactus named the saguaro plant grows.If you are a fan of great waterfalls and love to have some adventurous time with nature’s beauty then here is some good news for you; Some of the United States’ longest waterfalls are located in Arizona. Namely, Grand Falls and Havasu Falls.One of the finest examples of arid soil land is the Grand Canyon National Park. It is one of the seven natural wonders of the world and the only one in the United States. This national park is in the state of Arizona.If you have an adventurous spirit then Arizona could be the best place for your next vacation as it has an 800 mi (1,288 km) long trail which is highlighted for hiking, biking, and mountain climbing. This could be the best next spot to get together with your friends and spend some leisure time.Arizona is a famous place for wine lovers as well. Arizona has more than 100 wineries with 22 varieties of wine produced solely from Arizona. The major grape-growing regions include Verde Valley, Sonoita, and Willcox.Arizona is known for its beautiful desert landscape and is home to the Grand Canyon. It is called the Grand Canyon because it is viewed as one of the best examples of arid-land erosion on the globe.Historical Facts About ArizonaFor several years, Arizona was home to many native American cultures and peoples like the Mogollon and Hohokam. Their remaining artifacts like dwellings and rock paintings still attract a lot of tourists to Arizona. In this section, we will discuss this more in detail.Jose Romo de Vivar was the first man that came to settle in Arizona. In 1539, a Spanish Franciscan priest known as Marcos de Niza contacted the native Americans and a few Spanish explorers settled in the native regions of America. In 1691, Father Kino landed in this region. He was a man from the society of Jesus and converted many locals to Christianity. Then, when Mexico gained its independence from Spanish rule, Arizona became part of what was then called ‘New California’ or ‘Upper California’. Spanish settlers lived in the area for several years.Now let’s talk about some of the key moments in Arizona history, during the American-Mexican War in 1846-1848. When America occupied the capital city of Mexico, it later became Arizona Territory in 1863 and much later on, Arizona State in 1912. What we now know as Arizona was once a part of the territory of New Mexico. The southern region was also claimed by America and then it broke away from the union to form the territory of Arizona. Finally, in 1862, President Jefferson Davis signed an act to organize the Territory of Arizona which marked the first official usage of the term ‘Territory of Arizona’.Arizona Territory participated in the American Civil War and it was named as the westernmost military that engaged in the war, on record. In 1863, the remaining western part of Mexico was also included in the territory of Arizona which later formed the actual basis of the state and the federal government declared this as the new U.S. Arizona Territory.Some historical facts about Arizona are that the capital cities were changed in the past. Arizona’s capital was first settled as Prescott, then as Tucson, after that, it went back to Prescott, and then finally as Phoenix (Valley of the Sun), which is currently the capital of Arizona. ‘Pimeria’, ‘Montezuma’ ‘Gadsonia’, and ‘Arizona’ were some of the names that were considered for the territory until President Abraham Lincoln signed a bill where it was written as Arizona and that became its final name.This state prospered in gold and silver mining but the most abundant commodity was copper. Arizona produced more copper than any other state and was nicknamed ’the Copper State’. The rise of copper production boosted the economy of this state, especially in Bisbee and Jerome. Even today, the state alone produces half of the nation’s mined copper.Facts About Arizona’s ClimateArizona cities include Tuscan, Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Flagstaff. These cities are all in different areas, with some even in elevated regions. That is why Arizona has a different climate in every local city.The lower elevated regions have hot summers and mild winters as most of these locations are desert areas. November to February is cold and there is a temperature range of 42-66 F (6-19 C). Usually, from February, you can feel the breeze and wind that will move forward into hot summers.July to September is the time of hottest summers with temperatures going from 55-85 F (13-29 C). Arizona’s highest recorded temperature was 128 F (53.3 C) at Lake Havasu City. Arizona usually has two rainy seasons, one in winter with a cold breeze and another that usually happens at the end of summer from June to September.A fact about the climate of Arizona is that in the summer rainy seasons, the dewpoints rise with the water vapor content in the air and this can cause lightning and thunderstorms, and flash floods too. Even after all this, the state rarely experiences tornadoes or hurricanes.Conclusively we can say that there are different climates in Arizona but hot summers are mainly dominant. As Arizona’s northern part is a plateau, cold winters and cooler climates are evident there.Another fact about the climate of Arizona is that to stop drivers from entering floodwaters, its government enacted the ‘stupid motorist law’ which states that the driver will be charged for their rescue.Facts About Arizona’s Food And CultureArizona has been home to many native American tribes. Its official educational bodies are the University of Arizona and Arizona State University. Additionally, numerous people have lived and still come to live in this copper state.To explore all of Arizona’s culture in one place, the Phoenix Art Museum could be the best place to visit. International artifacts and rock paintings are placed as an exhibition in order for their diverse cultural history to be appreciated.Arizona has an exotic culture. Food and other things are a direct symbol of a state’s culture. Arizona is famous among people for its cornbread. Yes, cornbread is not related to the south but has its roots in a native tribe of Arizona who first introduced corn to their place.As we already know, Arizona was once a part of Mexico, and as result, tacos are one of the state’s specialty dishes. Crisp cheese and frybread tacos are a specialty of Arizona. Don’t forget the dessert after your meal there! Desserts include a prickly pear cactus parfait topped with saguaro cactus syrup.Geographical Facts About ArizonaThe Arizona flag is blue, yellow, and red with an orange star in the middle as the orange star signifies copper production. We can trace this all back to its geographical conditions which are going to be discussed in this section.A geographical fact is that with being the Grand Canyon state, Arizona shares the 17-mile (27 km) Colorado River with Latin American Mexico. The boundaries of southern Arizona are not well defined but most of its region is concluded with the Gila River. Arizona shares its statehood with Nevada by having the combined Hoover Dam on its borders. The Grand Canyon is one of the most popular attractions in Arizona which is regularly visited by locals as well as international travelers.The state of Arizona is in the southwestern region of the United States and it shares its boundaries with Mexico. Only around 18% of the area is privately owned and the rest is state trust land and Native American reservations, public forest, and parkland. Arizona is called a desert basin and is known for its unique species of cactus.There are 24 National Parks Service (NPS) units in Arizona where you can find beautiful animals like raccoons, skunks, black bears, deer, coyotes, and several others. In its north geographical region, it has one of the most beautiful of the seven natural wonders of the world, the Grand Canyon.In this article, we have read about how Arizona was formed from the territory of Mexico and also uncovered some lesser-known facts like the state’s possible names until Abraham Lincoln one day finally signed the bill with the area’s name as ‘Arizona’. Plus we have explored other geographical facts and food facts about this vibrant copper state.These facts highlight the diversity of the world; in places like Antarctica there is infinite ice but then in locations like Arizona, there is unlimited desert sand. This is the beauty of our world, which we should embrace, protect and respect.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for 145 Arizona facts and history trivia about the copper state then why not take a look at poisonous plants in Arizona, or things to do in Arizona with toddlers.
Did you know that some of the world’s most beautiful deserts and rock formations are not located in the Sahara Desert?
