1. New Mexico, 1850-1912 and Arizona, 1863-1912

2. New Mexico as a Territory After New Mexico became part of the U.S. many New Mexicans favored statehood since it would allow them to vote for the governor and judges. A small percentage, the New Mexican elite, favored a territorial form of government because they could circumvent electoral democracy and directly lobby and influence the selection of public officials.

3. On June 2, 1851, the Hispano (descendants of Spanish and Mexican colonists) elite controlled the first new Mexican territorial assembly with the help of Catholic Church hierarchy and merchants. The assembly supported slavery of Native Americans and did not fund public schools. The only schools were Catholic which only the rich could afford. Euro-Americans displaced many of the Hispanos in the power structure as they settled in New Mexico.

4. The Santa Fe Ring Like Texas, New Mexico was controlled by a political machine. In the two decades following the Civil War, ring members grabbed 80% of New Mexico land grants. The ring influenced the appointment of governors, judges, land surveyors, and other officials.

5. The leader of the Santa Fe Ring, Thomas B. Catron, acquired over 1,000,000 acres of land just for himself. The U.S. and New Mexico government also took land, 54% of New Mexico. The result, the vast majority of Mexicans lost their land in New Mexico after it became part of the United States.

6. The Lincoln County War The conflict arose between two factions over the control of dry goods and cattle interests in the county in 1878. The conflict was marked by back-and- forth revenge killings. Further killings continued unabated for several months, climaxing in the Battle of Lincoln, a four-day gunfight and siege. It is also famous because Billy the Kid fought in it. In 1912 New Mexico became a state.

7. Arizona Arizona Territory was established in 1863 by congress. Its only economic enterprise was silver mining. Like Texas and New Mexico, it was controlled by a political elite. Arizona was a lawless and violent place.

8. Race Wars Cowboys from Texas used Tombstone as a base for raids on defenseless Mexican villages on the other side of the border. The situation would have deteriorated further but the threat of Apache forced whites and Mexican elite in Arizona to cooperate.

9. Native Americans The cooperation among races was not so commendable, as they raided Native American camps massacring men, women, and children. Along with the Apache, the Navajo, and Pima were all attacked, their land stolen, and their people killed.

10. It’s the Water Mining dominated Arizona and farming lagged behind. The problem was water. The Roosevelt Dam was built which provided irrigation for farms in Southern Arizona. The water was also used for agriculture in California and drinking water in Los Angeles. Arizona became a state in 1912.