Arizona's history is long and complex, even before statehood. This article will address Arizona's illustrious cultural, social, and political history. Starting with a look at Arizona's ancient history to see where our nation's first inhabitants came from and where they fit into a more modern political platform in their tribal governments. Then Arizona's political branches, followed by local and county governments, and finally Arizona's modern constitutional disputes. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay In 2018, Arizona is facing many problems. With all of this it can be easy to forget the richness of Arizona's history and the fact that many modern problems can be traced back thousands of years. Many archaeologists have long believed that the first North American people to occupy the territory were those who crossed Beringia, a huge land bridge created during the last ice age. According to the first Clovis theory, once these travelers set foot in North America they spread throughout the continent, including Arizona (Sheriden, 12). They lived prosperously for centuries then the Spanish arrived. In addition to new diseases, many of these native peoples faced both physical violence and political violence. In response to their intrusion, many Native Americans fought back. In 1786, Viceroy Bernardo de Gálvez ordered his troops in Arizona (he was in New Mexico) to marry natives who agreed to stop fighting with "defective firearms, liquor and other goods which would make them militarily and economically dependent by the Spaniards". ”, (Sheriden, 48). This was just one of many atrocities that Native people in Arizona and across the country faced. The United States government had, since the Revolutionary War, negotiated on behalf of the Native Americans, however they were not American citizens (Krutz, 177). They had little/no representation for themselves and were forced to deal with numerous brutalities and erasure of culture. In 1821, Mexico gained independence from Spain. But this independence will not last long. The United States declared war on Mexico in May 1846, primarily due to the Mexican government's reluctance to secede from the territories of California and New Mexico (Sheriden, 60). Thomas Sheriden states: “Arizona was never a prize in the conflict. In contrast, most Anglo-Saxon pioneers and politicians considered it a wasteland, a wilderness, an Indian-infested obstacle between Santa Fe and San Diego. Several U.S. military expeditions passed through the area on their way west, but they did so as quickly as possible and none of them remained” (Sheriden, 60). Despite this, the United States received much of the modern land of Arizona (north of the Gila River) in the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo (Leshy, 7,8). The United States agreed with the intent that "the Mexican-American inhabitants of the newly acquired lands" be incorporated into the Union of the United States and admitted in due time (to be adjudged by the Congress of the United States) to the enjoyment of all rights of the citizens of the United States"" (Moussalli, 10). In the 1950s, Mexican Arizona faced violence from gold-hungry 49ers, raids by Apache Indians, and cholera epidemics (Sheriden, 65). On June 29, 1854, the U.S. Congress ratified the Gadsden Purchase, and the remainder of Arizona became a U.S. territory (Sheriden, 65). In the late 1800s and early 1900s Anglos were the predominant (voting) population in Arizona. The arrival ofrailroads and better transportation allowed more workers in Arizona to work in the area's thriving mines. In 1870, Arizona's population was 10,000, by 1890 the population reached 88,000, and by 1930 it was 436,000 people (Moussalli, 29). Furthermore, the Anglos during this period were Democrats, overwhelming the mostly Republican Mexican population. Additionally, in 1909 Arizona Democrats passed an “Electoral Qualification Act…which was intended to disenfranchise Spanish speakers and thereby reduce Republican opposition” (Moussalli, 30). One of the main reasons some Arizonans opposed statehood was for financial reasons. Moussalli explains: “The powerful railways and mining companies feared that the state would impose a high tax burden on them” (Moussalli, 30). Interestingly, Arizona statehood has been talked about by a “vanishing coalition of populists, progressives, and labor leaders,” who realized that their goal of organized labor and tax laws could never be realized until had been a state (Sheriden, 181). Predominantly Democratic Arizona scared Senate Republicans into not wanting them to send their Democratic representatives. To keep both Arizona and the Senate happy, Indiana Senator Albert J. Beveridge suggested the creation of a new state. This new state combined Arizona and New Mexico, the latter of which had a larger Republican and Hispanic population which would ensure that the Republicans remained in power. However, Arizona voters decided this was not okay, due to racism and ideology, and voted to reject this plan (Sheriden, 181). William Howard Taft finally signed the Enabling Act allowing New Mexico and Arizona to separately join the Union on June 20, 1910 (Sheriden, 182). Shortly after the Enabling Act was signed, Arizona Governor Richard E. Sloan began planning their constitutional convention. Elections were held to vote for the fifty-two delegates who would become the framers of the Arizona Constitution (Sheriden, 182). When the Enabling Act was signed, Arizona and New Mexico agreed to send their future constitutions to Congress and the president prior to admission (Leshy, 10). Despite warnings from Republicans that too progressive a constitution would be rejected, forty-one of fifty-two delegates were Democrats, largely progressives (Sheriden, 182). They discussed many issues including: “The eight-hour day, employer liability, workers' compensation, the abolition of child labor, and an anti-injection law” (Sheriden, 182). Other topics included: “Religious freedom, polygamy, English literacy, racial discrimination in voting, state jurisdiction over Indian affairs and Indian lands, federal water projects, assumption of territorial debts, location of the capital, public schools, and management of lands granted by the federal government to the new state” (Leshy, 11 years old). However, they also suggested many racist proposals that would have prohibited Mexican workers from working in mines or on state projects because they believed, without empirical evidence, that workers who did not speak English were a danger to everyone, the worst being Proposition 91. After two years of deliberation, Arizona was admitted to the Union on February 14, 1912 (Sheriden, 182-185). Arizona still functions under this original constitution, with the exception of 118 amendments to its charter (Leshy, 7). Article III of the Arizona Constitution states: “The powers of the government of the State of Arizona shall be divided into three separate departments, the legislative,the executive and the judiciary; and, except as provided in this Constitution, such departments shall be separate and distinct, and no such department shall exercise the powers properly belonging to any of the others” (Leshy, 105). Just like our national Constitution, Arizona's delegates believed in the separation of powers. Article IV deals with the legislative branch of Arizona's government. The Arizona legislature, composed of a Senate and a House of Representatives, is a bicameral legislature. The legislature lasts two years and always includes two ordinary sessions (one for each year of legislature). These regular sessions “begin on the second Monday of January each year” (Leshy, 133). Any bill proposed by the legislature must undergo three separate readings; after the last reading the legislator will vote on whether to approve it or not. The bill, without amendment, must pass through both the Senate and House before it can be sent to the Governor for ratification (Leshy,137). According to Leshy, “The public policy of the State is entirely in the hands of the legislature, except as limited by the Constitution” (Leshy, 114). Arizona also made sure to incorporate initiative and referendum powers. Initiatives, in Arizona, must be approved by 10% of voters to propose a movement and by 15% to propose an amendment to the Constitution (Leshy, 115). A referendum gives Arizona voters the power to “suspend or nullify a law that has not taken effect” (Leshy, 116). Five percent of voters must agree to propose a referendum (Leshy, 116). Arizona's executive branch includes a "governor, secretary of state, state treasurer, attorney general, and superintendent of public instruction" (Leshy, 149). These seats can be held for four years with a limit of two terms. Other officials with executive powers include a state mine inspector, a works board, the state board of education, and the university board of regents (Leshy, 150). The governor of Arizona also serves as commander in chief of Arizona's military forces and can grant pardons (provided the crime is not treason or impeachment). Essentially, the executive branch, and specifically the governor, is responsible for executing policies created by the legislature (Leshy, 151 and 152). Arizona's judicial branch has three tiers: first, justice and municipal courts which operate within a limited jurisdiction, second, the Arizona Superior Court which hears cases throughout Arizona and works with a wide range of cases and, finally, state appellate courts that work with appeals, primarily from the superior court (https://www.azcourts.gov/AZ -Courts). There is also the Arizona Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is the highest judicial authority in Arizona. There are seven supreme court justices who serve six-year terms (Leshy, 168). A chief justice is selected by fellow judges and serves for five years (Leshy, 167). Article 12 of the Arizona Constitution defines the organization of county governments. Article 12, Section 3 states that county officers are “a sheriff, a county attorney, a recorder, a treasurer, an assessor, a superintendent of schools, and at least three supervisors” (Leshy, 290). Each of these officers serves a four-year term. (Leshy, 290). Leshy writes that the biggest difference between county and municipal organizations is that “municipalities are 'voluntary societies' organized by local residents for 'special and local purposes...independent of general state governmental activities,' whereas counties are 'created by the legislature independently of the will of the inhabitants'” (Leshy, 289). In essence, i.