It’s no wonder that Arizona is called “The Grand Canyon State.” The mile-deep canyon, which is carved by the Colorado River is known around the world. But the Grand Canyon isn’t the only amazing place in Arizona. If you’re touring the state, you can see the Monument Valley, an incredible collection of jagged rock formations and stone spires that look like chimneys standing alone in the desert.
While you’re in Arizona, you can also see Hoover Dam, which is one of America’s great engineering marvels. This massive structure was completed in 1935. Hoover Dam holds back the Colorado River, and holds back Lake Mead, which is the largest man-made lake in the United States. Lake Mead is 110 miles long, and normally holds the equivalent of two years of flow of the Colorado River.
Arizona is a state with a long and rich history. People lived in the area for thousands of years before Europeans arrived. But in the 1200s, those civilizations disappeared, probably due to a severe lack of rain, which is also called a drought. Centuries later, Native American tribes, such as the Hope, Navajo, and Apache tribes lived on the land. Today, many Native Americans still live on reservations in the state.
Europeans arrived in the 1500’s. Spanish explorers first arrived in Arizona in the 1530s, but the territory was part of Mexico through the 1840s.
The United States took control of the land after winning the Mexican-American War in 1848. Finally, in 1912, Arizona became the 48th state in the Union.
The Largest Cities in Arizona Are:
- Phoenix is the biggest city in Arizona. It is also the state capital.
- Other sizeable cities in the state are: Tucson, Mesa, Chandler, and Scottsdale.
Fact #1: Although most people think of Arizona as desert, about 15% of the state is covered by forests.
Fact #2: Arizona is the nation’s sixth largest state in area, but only about 17% of the land is privately owned. The rest goes to Native American reservations, public forest and park lands, and state trusts.
Fact #3: The former planet Pluto, which is now called a dwarf planet, was discovered in Flagstaff, Arizona in 1930 by an astronomer named Clyde Tombaugh.
Fact #4: There are 21 federally recognized American Indian tribes in Arizona. One tribe actually lives inside the Grand Canyon in a village of its own.
Just for fun, see if you can answer these questions.
What is the capital of Arizona? Is it Flagstaff, Phoenix, or Tuscon?
Phoenix is the capital of Ohio.
Which river runs through the Grand Canyon? Is it the Mississippi River, the Ohio River, the Colorado River, or the Grand River?
It’s the Colorado River.
What's the Name of the huge dam that's located in Arizona? Is it Hoover Dam, Arizona Dam, or Canyon Dam?
Hoover Dam.
Do Native American tribes still live in Arizona, or have they all moved away?
There are still over 20 Native American tribes that live on reservations in Arizona.
If you have time, you can write a story of your own.
Here are a couple of story ideas you can choose from.
Idea #1: You can write a brief story about some of the cool things you learned about Arizona.
Or
Idea #2: You can write a story about a river ride through the grand Canyon. What do you think it would be like to ride a boat through the fast-moving waters? Would it be fun, or scary, or both?
To help you write a great story, we have some helpful hints and timely tips.
Check out “10 Tips for Writing Better Essays.”
Here's a riddle for you:
How do you arrest a pig?
You use hamcuffs.
For fun-to-read books about a girl detective who homeschools on a train... check out The Mystery Ryders, a series from the creators of the Homeschool Express.
