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142-468: The Tierra Amarilla Land Grant in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado consists of 594,516 acres (2,405.92 km) (929 sq miles) of mountainous land. The government of New Mexico awarded it to Manuel Martinez and his offspring in 1832. The grant was settled by Hispanics in the 1860s and the original inhabitants, the Ute Indians , were induced to leave. Settlers were given small plots, but most of

284-482: A riparian climate through the center of the state that supports a bosque habitat and distinct Albuquerque Basin climate. One-third of New Mexico's land is federally owned, and the state hosts many protected wilderness areas and national monuments, including three UNESCO World Heritage Sites , the most of any U.S. state. New Mexico's economy is highly diversified, including cattle ranching , agriculture, lumber, scientific and technological research, tourism, and

426-599: A third of the state is covered in timberland , with heavily forested mountain wildernesses dominating the north. The Sangre de Cristo Mountains , the southernmost part of the Rocky Mountains , run roughly north–south along the east side of the Rio Grande , in the rugged, pastoral north. The Great Plains extend into the eastern third of the state, most notably the Llano Estacado ("Staked Plain"), whose westernmost boundary

568-555: A city near the extreme north border of New Mexico, serves as the capital of the Jicarilla Apache Nation, with over 95 percent of the reservation's population residing there. Most tribal offices are located in Dulce. The Jicarilla Apache Indian Reservation , at 36°33′16″N 107°04′26″W  /  36.55444°N 107.07389°W  / 36.55444; -107.07389 , is located within two northern New Mexico counties: from

710-429: A combined force of about 250 Apaches and Utes fought the U.S. dragoons , led by Lieutenant John Wynn Davidson , near Pilar, New Mexico , then known as Cieneguilla. The battle lasted for two or four hours, according to surviving soldier James A. Bennett (aka James Bronson). The Jicarilla, led by their principal chief, Francisco Chacon , and Flechas Rayadas , fought with flintlock rifles and arrows , killing 22 and

852-461: A large portion of Rio Arriba County, New Mexico and a small portion of Archuleta County Colorado. The land begins at the Rio Nutrias in the south and extends northward to the south San Juan Mountains of Colorado. Most of the land is mountainous. The lower elevations are semi-arid and vegetation is grassland and Pinyon pine woodland. Conifer forests are found at higher elevations. Elevations on

994-485: A law granting all Native Americans U.S. citizenship and the right to vote in federal and state elections. However, Anglo-American arrivals into New Mexico enacted Jim Crow laws against Hispanos, Hispanic Americans, and those who did not pay taxes, targeting indigenous affiliated individuals; because Hispanics often had interpersonal relationships with indigenous peoples, they were often subject to segregation , social inequality , and employment discrimination . During

1136-509: A list of the membership of the Alianza and arrested several members during a meeting. Those arrested were charged with unlawful assembly and extortion. On June 5, 1967, Tijerina and 20 men occupied the Rio Arriba County courthouse in the town of Tierra Amarilla. They attempted to make a citizen's arrest of the district attorney, Alfonso Sanchez (who was not present), "to bring attention to

1278-578: A low standard of living prevails for tribal members. From the Tiller's Guide to Indian Country: Economic Profiles of American Reservations , 2005 edition: The Jicarilla people live in houses with a lifestyle similar to that of other Americans. The cost of food at local grocery stores is higher than in larger U.S. cities nearby. They have access to all modern conveniences and use them based on their preferences and financial means. High unemployment and poverty-level income rates have led to high crime rates . This

1420-433: A more pronounced identity vis-a-vis the newer Anglo arrivals. Politically, they still controlled most town and county offices through local elections, and wealthy ranching families commanded considerable influence, preferring business, legislative , and judicial relations with fellow indigenous New Mexican groups. By contrast, Anglo Americans, who were "outnumbered, but well-organized and growing" tended to have more ties to

1562-511: A significant U.S. military presence, including White Sands Missile Range , and strategically valuable federal research centers, such as the Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories . The state hosted several key facilities of the Manhattan Project , which developed the world's first atomic bomb , and was the site of the first nuclear test, Trinity . In prehistoric times , New Mexico

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1704-536: A winter pursuit through the mountains, Cooke caught up with the Jicarilla. Jicarilla leader, Flechas Rayadas, offered an agreement for peace in exchange for the horses and guns that the Jicarilla acquired from the Battle, but the offer was not accepted. On April 8, Cooke's forces fought tribal members at their camp in the canyon of Ojo Caliente . The Jicarilla dispersed in small groups to evade further pursuit, but many died from

1846-456: A wounding another 36 of 60 dragoon soldiers, who then retreated to Ranchos de Taos lighter by 22 horses and most of the troops' supplies. Lieutenant Colonel Philip St. George Cooke of the 2nd Dragoons Regiment quickly organized an expedition to pursue the Jicarilla with the help of 32 Pueblo Indian and Mexican scouts under Captain James H. Quinn, with Kit Carson as the principal guide. After

1988-582: Is among the most recognizable in the U.S., reflects the state's eclectic origins, featuring the ancient sun symbol of the Zia , a Puebloan tribe, with the scarlet and gold coloration of the Spanish flag . The confluence of indigenous, Hispanic (Spanish and Mexican), and American influences is also evident in New Mexico's unique cuisine , music genre , and architectural styles . New Mexico received its name long before

2130-429: Is by far the most prominent, constituting about three-fourths of the state; it includes most of the plains, foothills, and valleys above 4,500 feet, and is defined by prairie grasses, low piñon pines, and juniper shrubs. The Llano Estacado in the east features Shortgrass Prairie with blue grama , which sustain bison . The Chihuahuan Desert in the south is characterized by shrubby creosote . The Colorado Plateau in

2272-634: Is largely due to a high incidence of [alcohol] abuse, which averages 1.7% in the Native American population and reaches 30% in some rural areas or reservations. Children attend a public school on the reservation. Until the 1960s, few children graduated high school. However, since the 1960s, the Bureau of Indian Affairs' educational programs and the Chester A. Faris scholarship programs, funded by oil and gas revenues, provide opportunities for higher education . In

2414-697: Is marked by the Mescalero Ridge escarpment . The northwestern quadrant of New Mexico is dominated by the Colorado Plateau , characterized by unique volcanic formations, dry grasslands and shrublands, open pinyon-juniper woodland , and mountain forests. The Chihuahuan Desert , which is the largest in North America, extends through the south. Over four–fifths of New Mexico is higher than 4,000 feet (1,200 meters) above sea level. The average elevation ranges from up to 8,000 feet (2,400 meters) above sea level in

2556-469: Is now beneath the waters of El Vado Lake . On July 20, 1832, the governor of New Mexico granted Manuel Martinez of Abiquiu , his eight offspring, and "some others" the land comprising the Tierra Amarilla Grant. Martinez was instructed to distribute small plots of land for residences and farming to settlers, but the majority was to be designated as common land for the use of all the residents of

2698-462: Is the state bird, is abundant in the southeast. Endangered species include the Mexican gray wolf , which is being gradually reintroduced in the world, and Rio Grande silvery minnow . Over 500 species of birds live or migrate through New Mexico, third only to California and Mexico. New Mexico and 12 other western states together account for 93% of all federally owned land in the U.S. Roughly one–third of

2840-468: The Athabaskan linguistic groups that migrated out of Canada by 1525 CE, possibly several hundred or more years earlier. They eventually settled on what they considered their land, bounded by four sacred rivers in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado–the Rio Grande , Pecos River , Arkansas River , and Canadian River –and containing sacred mountain peaks and ranges. The Jicarilla also ranged out into

2982-817: The Black Hills of present-day South Dakota . Due to pressure from the west by the Comanche and from the east by the Pawnee and French , the Kiowa and the remaining people of Dismal River culture migrated south, where they eventually joined the Lipan Apache and Jicarilla Apache nations. By the 1800s, the Jicarilla were planting a variety of crops along the rivers, especially along the upper Arkansas River and its tributaries, sometimes using irrigation to aid in growing squash, beans, pumpkins, melons, peas, wheat, and corn. They found farming in

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3124-606: The Chamuscado and Rodríguez Expedition named the region north of the Rio Grande San Felipe del Nuevo México . The Spaniards had hoped to find wealthy indigenous cultures similar to the Mexica. The indigenous cultures of New Mexico, however, proved to be unrelated to the Mexica and lacking in riches, but the name persisted. Before statehood in 1912, the name "New Mexico" loosely applied to various configurations of territories in

3266-475: The Mogollon and Ancestral Pueblo cultures, which are characterized by sophisticated pottery work and urban development; pueblos or their remnants, like those at Acoma , Taos , and Chaco Culture National Historical Park , indicate the scale of Ancestral Puebloan dwellings within the area. These cultures form part of the broader Oasisamerica region of pre-Columbian North America. The vast trade networks of

3408-485: The National Landscape Conservation System are managed by the Bureau of Land Management . Units include but are not limited to: New Mexico's National Wildlife Refuges are managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service . Units include: Jicarilla Apache The Jicarilla called themselves also Haisndayin, translated as "people who came from below" because they believed themselves to be

3550-512: The Pecos , Canadian , San Juan , and Gila . Nearly bisecting New Mexico from north to south, the Rio Grande has played an influential role in the region's history; its fertile floodplain has supported human habitation since prehistoric times, and European settlers initially lived exclusively in its valleys and along its tributaries. The Pecos, which flows roughly parallel to the Rio Grande at its east,

3692-531: The Republic of Texas claimed the portion east of the Rio Grande , based on the erroneous assumption that the older Hispanic settlements of the upper Rio Grande were the same as the newly established Mexican settlements of Texas. The Texan Santa Fe Expedition was launched to seize the contested territory but failed with the capture and imprisonment of the entire army by the Hispanic New Mexico militia. During

3834-512: The Republic of Texas was admitted as a state in 1846, it attempted to claim the eastern portion of New Mexico east of the Rio Grande, while the California Republic and State of Deseret each claimed parts of western New Mexico. Under the Compromise of 1850 , these regions were forced by the U.S. government to drop their claims, Texas received $ 10   million in federal funds, California

3976-754: The San Juan Basin , which is rich in fossil fuels . The basin is the largest producer of oil along the Rocky Mountains and the second largest producer of natural gas in the United States. The Jicarilla are traditionally matrilocal and are organized into matrilineal clans. They have incorporated some practices of their Pueblo neighbors into their own traditions. They are renowned for their fine basket making of distinctive diamond, cross, zig-zag designs, or representations of deer, horses or other animals. They are also known for their beadwork and for keeping Apache fiddle -making alive. As of 2000, about 70% of

4118-539: The Santa Fe Trail . New Mexico Territory 's Governor William Carr Lane made treaties with the Jicarilla and other Native American tribes of New Mexico to relocate them to reservations where they would peacefully take up agriculture on new lands. Both parties agreed to payments to compensate the Native Americans for their loss of access to hunting, gathering, and sacred homeland. The U.S. government, however, pulled

4260-746: The Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles , and southwestern Kansas ) was ceded to Spain under the Adams-Onis Treaty in 1819. When the First Mexican Republic began to transition into the Centralist Republic of Mexico , they began to centralize power ignoring the sovereignty of Santa Fe and disregarding Pueblo land rights. This led to the Chimayó Rebellion in 1837, led by genízaro José Gonzales. The death of then governor Albino Pérez during

4402-454: The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Merrion v. Jicarilla Apache Tribe , 455 U.S. 130 (1982) that the tribe had the authority to impose severance taxes on oil companies drilling for oil and natural gas on reservation land. As a means of repayment for lost tribal lands, the Jicarilla received a settlement in 1971 for $ 9.15 million. The Jicarilla Apache made a claim for compensation to

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4544-574: The Union Army . The end of the war saw rapid economic development and settlement in New Mexico, which attracted homesteaders, ranchers, cowboys, businessmen, and outlaws; many of the folklore characters of the Western genre had their origins in New Mexico, most notably businesswoman Maria Gertrudis Barceló , outlaw Billy the Kid , and lawmen Pat Garrett and Elfego Baca . The influx of "Anglo Americans" from

4686-470: The 1860s nor exclude them from access to common lands, but rather leased common land to outsiders for sheep grazing and harvesting timber. Legal complications concerning land ownership caused problems for him in attempting to sell the grant. In 1909 he sold it to Minnesota investors of the Arlington Land Company for the modest price of $ 500,000. The Arlington Company and subsequent owners sold much of

4828-599: The 19th century, began buying land with their gas and oil royalties. By 2013, the Jicarilla owned about one fourth of the grant lands, roughly 150,000 acres (61,000 ha). New Mexico New Mexico is a state in the Southwestern region of the United States. It is one of the Mountain States of the southern Rocky Mountains , sharing the Four Corners region with Utah , Colorado , and Arizona . It also borders

4970-544: The Ancestral Puebloans led to legends throughout Mesoamerica and the Aztec Empire ( Mexico ) of an unseen northern empire that rivaled their own, which they called Yancuic Mexico , literally translated as "a new Mexico". Aztec legends of a prosperous empire to their north became the primary basis for the mythical Seven Cities of Gold , which spurred exploration by Spanish conquistadors following their conquest of

5112-529: The Aztecs in the early 16th century; prominent explorers included Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca , Andrés Dorantes de Carranza , Alonso del Castillo Maldonado , Estevanico , and Marcos de Niza . The settlement of La Villa Real de la Santa Fe de San Francisco de Asís — modern day Santa Fe – was established by Pedro de Peralta as a more permanent capital at the foot of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in 1610. Towards

5254-468: The Colorado border south to Cuba, New Mexico . The reservation sits along U.S. Route 64 and N.M. 537 . In 2022, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that the reservation has a land area of 1,316.1 sq mi (3525,232 km ) and had a population of 2,596. The southern half of the reservation is open plains and the northern portion resides in the treed Rocky Mountains. Mammals and birds migratory paths cross

5396-458: The Creator and spirits, as well as sacred rivers and mountains to be respected and conserved. Additionally, there were very specific places for obtaining items for ceremonial rituals , such as the white clay found 18 miles (29 km) southeast of Taos , red ochre 20 miles (32 km) north of Taos, and yellow ochre on a mountain near Picuris Pueblo . The Jicarilla people believe the "heart of

5538-670: The Frontier Army in the Southwest , notes that: "The three cultural groups in the Southwest had different concepts of family life, personal values, social relations, religion, uses and ownership of land and other property, how best to obtain the provisions of life, and warfare." Fort Union was established by Colonel Edwin Vose Sumner , who ordered Major James Henry Carleton 's Company K 1st Dragoons on August 2, 1851, to protect westward travelers between Missouri and New Mexico Territory on

5680-574: The Jicarilla became increasingly hostile in their efforts to protect their lands. The United States military developed a defense system of forts and troops to restrict attacks on westward travelers. Fort Union was established, in part, to provide protection from the Jicarillas. The disruption and "mutual incomprehensions" of one another's culture led to warfare among the Spanish, Native American nations, and Americans. Leo E. Oliva, author of Fort Union and

5822-511: The Jicarilla tribal territory consists of two fundamental environments that helped shape the tribe's basic social organization into two bands: the Llaneros , or plains people, and the Olleros , or mountain valley people. Beginning in the 19th century, after being pushed out of the plains, the Jicarilla split into two bands: The Battle of Cieneguilla (pronounced sienna-GEE-ya; English: small swamp)

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5964-460: The Manhattan Project. The focus on high technology is still a top priority of the state, to the extent that it became a center for unidentified flying objects , especially following the 1947 Roswell incident . New Mexico saw its population nearly double from roughly 532,000 in 1940 to over 954,000 by 1960. In addition to federal personnel and agencies, many residents and businesses moved to

6106-596: The Mexican and American militaries. The United States Congress admitted New Mexico as the 47th state on January 6, 1912. It had been eligible for statehood 60 years earlier, but was delayed due to the perception that its majority Hispanic population was "alien" to U.S. culture and political values. When the U.S. entered the First World War roughly five years later, New Mexicans volunteered in significant numbers, in part to prove their loyalty as full-fledged citizens of

6248-580: The Mexican–American War (1846–48), Mexico ceded its northern territories to the U.S., including California, Texas, and New Mexico. The Americans were initially heavy-handed in their treatment of former Mexican citizens, triggering the Taos Revolt in 1847 by Hispanos and their Pueblo allies; the insurrection led to the death of territorial governor Charles Bent and the collapse of the civilian government established by Stephen W. Kearny . In response,

6390-575: The Taos Pueblo in the Taos area. In 1865, Father Antonio José Martínez , a priest from New Mexico, documented a connection between the Jicarilla people and Taos. He wrote that the Jicarilla had a long history of living between the mountains and the villages, with pottery making being an important source of income. The clay used for the pottery came from the Taos and Picuris Pueblo areas. The Apaches' traditional culture, economy, and lifestyle became strained by

6532-464: The U.S. annexed New Mexico as part of the larger New Mexico Territory . It played a central role in U.S. westward expansion and was admitted to the Union as the 47th state on January 6, 1912. New Mexico's history has contributed to its unique demographic and cultural character. It is one of only seven majority-minority states , with the nation's highest percentage of Hispanic and Latino Americans and

6674-623: The U.S. Government when the Indian Claims Commission was created. A two-volume technical report was submitted to the Commission on Spanish and Mexican grants, both unconfirmed and confirmed as part of the case. The tribe was awarded $ 9,150,000 in the commission's final judgment on April 20, 1971. In 2019, the census showed that there were 3,353 people living on the reservation. The New Mexico Tourism Department reports that there are approximately "2,755 tribal members, most of whom live in

6816-488: The U.S. The state ranked fifth in the nation for military service, enlisting more than 17,000 recruits from all 33 counties; over 500 New Mexicans were killed in the war. Indigenous-Hispanic families had long been established since the Spanish and Mexican era, but most American settlers in the state had an uneasy relationship with the large Native American tribes. Most indigenous New Mexicans lived on reservations and near old placitas and villas . In 1924, Congress passed

6958-542: The U.S. acquired the mostly desert southwestern bootheel of the state, along with Arizona's land south of the Gila River, in the Gadsden Purchase , which was needed for the right-of-way to encourage construction of a transcontinental railroad . When the U.S. Civil War broke out in 1861, both Confederate and Union governments claimed ownership and territorial rights over New Mexico Territory. The Confederacy claimed

7100-519: The U.S. government appointed local Donaciano Vigil as governor to better represent New Mexico, and also vowed to accept the land rights of Nuevomexicans and grant them citizenship. In 1864, President Abraham Lincoln symbolized the recognition of Native land rights with the Lincoln Canes, sceptres of office gifted to each of the Pueblos, a tradition dating back to Spanish and Mexican eras. After

7242-502: The Ute on grant lands. In 1868, the Utes gave up their claim to Tierra Amarilla land and began to relocate to a reservation in western Colorado. Clashes of settlers, militias, and the U.S. army with the Ute and Jicarilla continued until 1872 when the army and militias forced the last of the Utes to move from the grant to their reservation. In 1886 the U.S. established a reservation for the Jicarilla on

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7384-718: The arrival and growth of other populations, Manifest Destiny , and the Indian Wars . Many people died due to famine , the Indian Wars , including the Battle of Cieneguilla , and diseases not indigenous to the American continent , to which they had no resistance. When the Comanche , who had obtained guns from the French, and their close allies and kin, the Ute , were expanding onto the plains, they pillaged

7526-440: The arts; major sectors include mining, oil and gas, aerospace, media , and film. Its total gross domestic product (GDP) in 2020 was $ 95.73 billion, with a GDP per capita of roughly $ 46,300. State tax policy is characterized by low to moderate taxation of resident personal income by national standards, with tax credits, exemptions, and special considerations for military personnel and favorable industries. New Mexico has

7668-566: The average high temperature in July ranges from 99 °F (37 °C) at the lower elevations down to 78   °F (26   °C) at the higher elevations. In the colder months of November to March, many cities in New Mexico can have nighttime temperature lows in the teens above zero, or lower. The highest temperature recorded in New Mexico was 122 °F (50 °C) at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Loving on June 27, 1994;

7810-562: The common lands as owned by Martinez, thus coming into conflict with Hispanic practices. Meanwhile Martinez's seven brothers and sisters each claimed one-eighth of the grant's common land and began selling it to land speculators. A flurry of speculation followed in which, by 1883, nearly all the Tierra Amarilla land was owned by Thomas B. Catron , an attorney and politician and a member of the notorious Santa Fe Ring of land speculators. Catron filed suit to establish his ownership and to obtain

7952-500: The common property of the grant to Anglo ranchers and loggers. The Hispanic settlers on the grant lands thus lost access to the former common lands for their traditional uses of the land such as grazing, timber harvest, and firewood gathering. The sale by investment companies of former common property led to violence and endless legal disputes. From 1919 to 1924 "night riders" associated with a shadowy organization called La Mano Negra ("Black Hand") cut fences, burned barns, and threatened

8094-517: The comparatively large reservations in New Mexico and Arizona are partly a legacy of Spanish treaties recognizing indigenous land claims in Nuevo México. Nevertheless, relations between the various indigenous groups and Spanish settlers remained nebulous and complex, varying from trade and commerce to cultural assimilation and intermarriage to total warfare. During most of the 18th century, raids by Navajo , Apache , and especially Comanche inhibited

8236-412: The corporation which awarded him 220 acres (89 ha) and cash. In the 1970s land grant activists stopped plans to build an airport near the town of Tierra Amarilla to encourage tourism. One opponent of the airport said it would doom the residents to a life of "cleaning up the shit of tourists and hunters who have no respect for our culture and get mad when we speak Spanish." In 2017, fifty years after

8378-524: The courthouse raid, described as "a watershed moment in New Mexico history," the movement to regain the Tierra Amarilla land by the heirs of the original settlers had subsided, although, according to the Santa Fe New Mexican , emotions were still raw. An irony of the lengthy dispute over Tierra Amarilla grant lands is that in the late 20th century the Jicarilla Apache, who had lived on the grant in

8520-410: The desert between Socorro and Alamogordo , which is today part of the White Sands Missile Range . As a legacy of the Second World War, New Mexico continues to receive large amounts of federal government spending on major military and research institutions. In addition to the White Sands Missile Range, the state hosts three U.S. Air Force bases that were established or expanded during the war. While

8662-496: The eastern Sangre de Cristo Mountains north of the Taos Pueblo in New Mexico. Some moved to the Pecos Pueblo in New Mexico or joined the Mescalero and Lipan bands in Texas. In 1779, a combined force of Jicarilla, Ute, Pueblo, and Spanish soldiers defeated the Comanche, who, after another seven years and several more military campaigns, finally sued for peace. After that, the Jicarilla reestablished themselves in their old tribal territory in southern Colorado. The geography of

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8804-481: The eastern U.S. (which include African Americans and recent European immigrants) reshaped the state's economy, culture, and politics. Into the late 19th century, the majority of New Mexicans remained ethnic mestizos of mixed Spanish and Native American ancestry (primarily Pueblo, Navajo, Apache, Genízaro, and Comanche), many of whom had roots going back to Spanish settlement in the 16th century; this distinctly New Mexican ethnic group became known as Hispanos and developed

8946-471: The economic development and welfare of their peoples. The Albuquerque metropolitan area is home to several casinos as a result. In the 21st century, employment growth areas in New Mexico include electronic circuitry , scientific research , information technology, casinos , art of the American Southwest , food, film , and media, particularly in Albuquerque . The state was the founding location of Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems , which led to

9088-497: The end of the 17th century, the Pueblo Revolt drove out the Spanish and occupied these early cities for over a decade. After the death of Pueblo leader Popé , Diego de Vargas restored the area to Spanish rule, with Puebloans offered greater cultural and religious liberties. Returning settlers founded La Villa de Alburquerque in 1706 at Old Town Albuquerque as a trading center for existing surrounding communities such as Barelas , Isleta , Los Ranchos , and Sandia ; it

9230-543: The field, powerful indigenous groups such as the Navajo , Mescalero Apache, Kiowa , and Comanche were brutally pacified through a scorched earth policy, and thereafter forced into barren and remote reservations. Sporadic conflicts continued into the late 1880s, most notably the guerilla campaigns led by Apache chiefs Victorio and his son-in-law Nana . The political and cultural clashes between these competing ethnic groups sometimes culminated in mob violence, including lynchings of Native, Hispanic, and Mexican peoples, as

9372-433: The fifty states by area, but with just over 2.1 million residents, ranks 36th in population and 45th in population density . Its climate and geography are highly varied, ranging from forested mountains to sparse deserts; the northern and eastern regions exhibit a colder alpine climate , while the west and south are warmer and more arid . The Rio Grande and its fertile valley runs from north-to-south, creating

9514-614: The fight for women's suffrage in the United States , New Mexico's Hispano and Mexican women at the forefront included Trinidad Cabeza de Baca, Dolores "Lola" Armijo, Mrs. James Chavez, Aurora Lucero, Anita "Mrs. Secundino" Romero, Arabella "Mrs. Cleofas" Romero and her daughter, Marie. A major oil discovery in 1928 near the town of Hobbs brought greater wealth to the state, especially in surrounding Lea County . The New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources called it "the most important single discovery of oil in New Mexico's history". Nevertheless, agriculture and cattle ranching remained

9656-500: The flight. In May, Francisco Chacon sent word to Santa Fe for peace and surrendered at Abiquiu. Beginning in the mid-1850s, following the westward expansion of the U.S. and its impact on their livelihoods, attempts began to relocate the Jicarilla Apache, who became increasingly hostile to these pressures. In addition, relations with the Spanish also became hostile when they captured and sold Apache tribal members into slavery. After years of warfare, broken treaties, relocation, and being

9798-417: The founding of Microsoft in Albuquerque. Intel maintains their F11X in Rio Rancho , which also hosts an IT center for HP Inc. New Mexico's culinary scene became recognized and is now a source of revenue for the state. Albuquerque Studios has become a filming hub for Netflix , and it was brought international media production companies to the state like NBCUniversal . The COVID-19 pandemic

9940-417: The funding for this agreement, betraying the Native American tribal members. Further complicating the situation, all the crops planted by the tribal members failed and the people continued raiding for survival. In March 1854, Lobo Blanco , a Jicarilla chief, led a band of 30 warriors to raid the horse herd of a contractor for Fort Union. A detachment of 2nd U.S. Dragoons, led by Lieutenant David Bell, pursued

10082-405: The grant area were frequent and continued for more than 100 years. The best known incident was the 1967 occupation of the Rio Arriba county courthouse by Hispanic protesters asserting that grant land should be owned by descendants of the original settlers. Later, the Jicarilla Apache whose reservation borders the grant began purchasing land and in the 21st century became the largest landowner in

10224-520: The grant range from 6,653 ft (2,028 m) at the junction of the Nutrias with the Rio Chama in the south to 12,778 ft (3,895 m) at Banded Peak in Colorado. Two small towns are in the grant area: Tierra Amarilla (population 297 in 2020) and Chama (population 917). Chromo is a community at the edge of the grant in Colorado. The former town of El Vado, which in 1910 had a population of 1,000,

10366-526: The grant. Scholar David Correia summed up a century of land grant controversies. The heirs and activists attempting to retain common lands for common usage as originally conceived in the land grants were "trapped in a legal system [of the United States] incapable of understanding common property." The Tierra Amarilla ("Yellow Land" in Spanish ) Land Grant is about 40 mi (64 km) from north to south and 25 mi (40 km) east to west, occupying

10508-541: The grant. The document establishing the land grant did not mention that the Capote Utes occupied the land and were hostile to Hispanic settlement. Several attempts by Hispanics to found settlements on grant land failed due to Ute resistance. Manuel Martinez died in 1846 and his son Francisco became the leader of the grant owners. In 1846, the United States conquered New Mexico. In 1848, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo guaranteed

10650-555: The growth and prosperity of the New Mexico. The region's harsh environment and remoteness, surrounded by hostile Native Americans, fostered a greater degree of self-reliance, as well as pragmatic cooperation, between the Pueblo peoples and colonists. Many indigenous communities enjoyed a large measure of autonomy well into the late 19th century due to the improved governance. To encourage settlement in its vulnerable periphery, Spain awarded land grants to European settlers in Nuevo México; due to

10792-484: The harsh cold weather. A large unit under Major James H. Carleton fought again the Jicarillas near Fisher's Peak in the Raton Mountains, killing several of them. Francisco Chacon replied by trying an ambush against the soldiers with 150 warriors, but his group was bypassed. Subsequently, five warriors were killed, six wounded, and seventeen women and children were scattered and may have died of cold and hunger during

10934-515: The high military presence brought considerable investment, it has also been the center of controversy; on May 22, 1957, a B-36 accidentally dropped a nuclear bomb 4.5 miles from the control tower while landing at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque; only its conventional "trigger" detonated. The Los Alamos National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories , two of the nation's leading federal scientific research facilities , originated from

11076-548: The land by 1883 but later sold it to a development company. Access to the common lands of the grant by the Hispanic settlers and their descendants gradually disappeared as the common land became owned by Anglo ranchers, development companies, and speculators. Legal disputes and protests, some with violence, between the descendants of the Hispanic settlers and speculators, ranchers, and developers about ownership of and access to land in

11218-475: The land in the grant area was designated as common land for the use of all the settlers and their descendants. After its conquest of New Mexico in 1846, the United States government upheld the validity of the grant, but subsequent actions by the U.S. did not protect the right to access common lands by the settlers. Politician and land speculator Thomas Catron , a member of the Santa Fe Ring , acquired nearly all

11360-487: The largest land owners in the United States. The designation by the U.S. of Tierra Amarilla as a private grant to Martinez became the background for endless legal disputes in courts over the years as the descendants of settlers claimed that Tierra Amarilla was intended to be a grant to a community by the original grantor, the government of New Mexico. In the late 1850s, the Jicarilla Apache began to move westward to join

11502-475: The least. Higher altitudes receive around 40 inches (1,000 mm), while the lowest elevations see as little as 8 to 10 inches (200 to 250 millimetres). Annual temperatures can range from 65 °F (18 °C) in the southeast to below 40 °F (4 °C) in the northern mountains, with the average being the mid-50s °F (12 °C). During the summer, daytime temperatures can often exceed 100 °F (38 °C) at elevations below 5,000 feet (1,500 m);

11644-781: The lowest recorded temperature is −57 °F (−49 °C) at Ciniza (near Jamestown ) on January 13, 1963. New Mexico's stable climate and sparse population provides for clearer skies and less light pollution , making it a popular site for several major astronomical observatories , including the Apache Point Observatory , the Very Large Array , and the Magdalena Ridge Observatory , among others. Owing to its varied topography , New Mexico has six distinct vegetation zones that provide diverse sets of habitats for many plants and animals. The Upper Sonoran Zone

11786-447: The mid-1900s were particularly difficult for the Jicarilla. Their tribal bands were displaced, treaties were made and broken with them, and they experienced a significant loss of life due to tuberculosis and other diseases. Additionally, they lacked opportunities for survival. By 1887, they received their reservation, which was expanded in 1907 to include more suitable land for ranching and agriculture. Over several decades, they discovered

11928-490: The mountains safer than on the open plains. They primarily hunted buffalo into the 17th century, and, thereafter, hunted antelope, deer, mountain sheep, elk, and buffalo. Jicarilla women gathered berries, agave, honey, onions, potatoes, nuts, and seeds from the wild. In the Jicarilla creation story , the land enclosed by the four sacred rivers was provided to them by the Creator . It included select places for communicating with

12070-479: The new owners of Tierra Amarilla grant land. The violence subsided until 1940 when fence cutting sporadically began again, continuing into the 1960s. Most of Tierra Amarilla was fenced and in the firm possession of large landowners by 1937 when a tenant farmer named Medardo Abeyta initiated legal action to reclaim access to the former common lands of the grant for heirs to the original Hispanic settlers. Abeyta founded an organization called La Corporacion de Abiquiu with

12212-405: The northwest corner of New Mexico is high desert with cold winters, featuring sagebrush , shadescale , greasewood , and other plants adapted to the saline and seleniferous soil. The mountainous north hosts a wide array of vegetation types corresponding to elevation gradients, such as piñon-juniper woodlands near the base, through evergreen conifers , spruce - fir and aspen forests in

12354-533: The northwest, to less than 4,000 feet in the southeast. The highest point is Wheeler Peak at over 13,160 feet (4,010 meters) in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, while the lowest is the Red Bluff Reservoir at around 2,840 feet (870 meters), in the southeastern corner of the state. In addition to the Rio Grande, which is tied for the fourth-longest river in the U.S. , New Mexico has four other major river systems:

12496-562: The objective of removing private ranchers "from the property which had been fraudulently appropriated." He lost the court case. The Alianza Federal de Mercedes (Federal Alliance of Land Grants), led by Reies Tijerina , was founded in 1963 with the objective of reclaiming the land given to Hispanic settlers by Spanish and Mexico land grants. The Alianza confronted ranchers and the United States Forest Service in its attempts to reclaim common land. The U.S. government demanded

12638-671: The only southwestern tribe without a reservation, the Jicarilla Llanero and Ollero bands united in 1873. They sent a delegation to Washington, D.C. , to request a reservation . Eventually, U.S. President Grover Cleveland created the Jicarilla Apache Reservation through an executive order signed on February 11, 1887. After finally securing a reservation, it was spiritually disheartening for them to accept that they would no longer roam on their traditional holy lands and have access to their sacred places. When they arrived,

12780-549: The plains of northwestern Texas and the western portions of Oklahoma and Kansas . By the 1600s, they inhabited the Chama Valley in present-day New Mexico and the western part of present-day Oklahoma. Before contact with the Spanish, the Apache people lived in relative peace. The Jicarilla people of the 1600s were seminomadic, engaging in seasonal agriculture they learned from the Pueblo people and Spaniards of New Spain, along

12922-673: The plains of southern Colorado and northern New Mexico . They also ranged into the Great Plains starting before 1525 CE . For years, they lived a relatively peaceful life, traveling seasonally to traditional sites for hunting, gathering , and cultivation along river beds . The Jicarilla learned about farming and pottery from the Puebloan peoples and about survival on the plains from the Plains Indians . Their diet and lifestyle were rich and varied. The Jicarilla's farming practices expanded to

13064-672: The point where they required considerable time and energy. As a result, the people became rather firmly settled and tended to engage in warfare less frequently than other Eastern Apache groups. Starting in the 1700s, the Jicarilla experienced encroachment by colonial New Spain , pressure from other Native American tribes such as the Comanches , and subsequent westward expansion of the United States . These factors led to significant loss of property, expulsion from their sacred lands, and relocation to lands unsuited for survival. The mid-1800s to

13206-495: The powers of the tribal governments reflected the traditional values of the Apache people. The protection, preservation, and conservation of the bounty of 'Mother Earth', and all its inhabitants is sacred value shared by all Indian people, and the Apaches were most eager to have this concept incorporated into their tribal constitution." The Apache Indians integrated the important value of sharing into their constitution by declaring that

13348-594: The present-day country of Mexico won independence from Spain and adopted that name in 1821. The name "Mexico" derives from Nahuatl and originally referred to the heartland of the Mexica , the rulers of the Aztec Empire , in the Valley of Mexico . Following their conquest of the Aztecs in the early 16th century, the Spanish began exploring what is now the Southwestern United States calling it Nuevo México . In 1581,

13490-507: The previous sheep herders relocated to the tribal headquarters in Dulce, New Mexico . The Jicarilla suffered due to a lack of economic opportunities for decades. Oil and gas development began on the reservation after World War II, generating up to $ 1 million annually. Some of this revenue was set aside for a tribal scholarship fund and to develop the Stone Lake Lodge facility. In 1982,

13632-578: The primary economic activities. New Mexico was greatly transformed by the U.S. entry into the Second World War in December 1941. As in the First World War, patriotism ran high among New Mexicans, including among marginalized Hispanic and indigenous communities; on a per capita basis, New Mexico produced more volunteers, and suffered more casualties, than any other state. The war also spurred economic development, particularly in extractive industries, with

13774-567: The raiders. They engaged in a fight on the Canadian River and killed many of the Jicarilla, including the chief, who was repeatedly wounded and finally crushed to death under a boulder. In late March, Major George A. Blake, commanding officer at Burgwin Cantonment, sent a detachment of 1st U.S. Dragoon of 60 men (company I and part of company F) to patrol along the Santa Fe trail. On March 30, 1854,

13916-416: The reservation seasonally, including mountain lion, black bear, elk, Canada geese, and turkey. Rainbow, brown and cutthroat trout are stocked in seven lakes on the reservation, but annual conditions such as low precipitation result in high pH -levels. From 1995 to 2000, the lake levels were severely low due to drought . As a result, most of the fish were killed off during those years. The reservation sits on

14058-433: The resources of the reservation are "held for the benefit of the entire tribe" Further, all land on the reservation is held by the Jicarilla Apache Reservation. It is one of only two reservations in the United States where land is not owned by individuals but by the tribal nation as a whole. Tribal members are individuals who are at least 3/8 Jicarilla Apache. The government is made up of the following branches: Dulce ,

14200-418: The revolt, was met with further hostility. Though José Gonzales was executed due to his involvement in the governor's death, subsequent governors Manuel Armijo and Juan Bautista Vigil y Alarid agreed with some of the underlying sentiment. This led to New Mexico becoming financially and politically tied to the U.S., and preferring trade along the Santa Fe Trail . Following the victory of the United States in

14342-401: The rich natural resources of the San Juan Basin beneath the reservation land. Tribal members transitioned from a seminomadic lifestyle and are now supported by various industries on their reservation, including oil and gas , casino gaming, forestry , ranching , and tourism . The Jicarilla are renowned for their pottery , basketry , and beadwork . The Jicarilla Apaches are one of

14484-477: The right of Mexican citizens to retain ownership of their property. In 1860, the U.S. government "confirmed" (recognized as legal) the Tierra Amarilla grant. However, the U.S. decision was that Tierra Amarilla was a "private grant" to Francisco Martinez rather than the original New Mexican grant described as a "community grant" in which the land was to be owned jointly by a community of settlers. By virtue of being declared owner of Tierra Amarilla, Martinez became one of

14626-442: The right to evict the 2,000 settlers by then living on grant lands. His claim to ownership of the land was confirmed by an English-speaking court two hundred miles distant and did not become known to the Hispanic settlers on the grant for nearly seven years. Despite the court ruling granting him ownership of the grant land, Catron did not attempt to evict settlers with titles ( hijuelas ) to the small plots of land allocated to them in

14768-619: The rivers within their territory. The Apache have historical connections to the Dismal River culture of the western Plains. This culture is often associated with the Paloma and Quartelejo (also known as Cuartelejo) Apaches. Jicarilla Apache pottery has also been found at several Dismal River complex sites. Over time, some of the people from the Dismal River culture joined the Kiowa Apache in

14910-487: The same general area, which evolved throughout the Spanish, Mexican, and U.S. periods , but typically encompassed most of present-day New Mexico along with sections of neighboring states. The first known inhabitants of New Mexico were members of the Clovis culture of Paleo-Indians . Footprints discovered in 2017 suggest that humans may have been present in the region as long ago as 21,000–23,000 BC. Later inhabitants include

15052-418: The scarcity of water throughout the region, the vast majority of colonists resided in the central valley of the Rio Grande and its tributaries. Most communities were walled enclaves consisting of adobe houses that opened onto a plaza, from which four streets ran outward to small, private agricultural plots and orchards; these were watered by acequias , community owned and operated irrigation canals. Just beyond

15194-470: The second-highest percentage of Native Americans, after Alaska . The state is home to one–third of the Navajo Nation , 19 federally recognized Pueblo communities , and three federally recognized Apache tribes. Its large Hispanic population includes Hispanos descended from settlers during the Spanish era , and later groups of Mexican Americans since the 19th century. The New Mexican flag , which

15336-408: The sole descendants of the first people to emerge from the underworld. The underworld was the home of Ancestral Man and Ancestral Woman, who produced the first people. The Jicarilla believed Hascin , their chief deity, created Ancestral Man and Ancestral Woman, as well as all the animals, the sun, and the moon. The Jicarilla Apache led a seminomadic existence in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and

15478-727: The southern tract as its own Arizona Territory , and as part of the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the war, waged the ambitious New Mexico Campaign to control the American Southwest and open up access to Union California. Confederate power in the New Mexico Territory was effectively broken after the Battle of Glorieta Pass in 1862, though the Confederate territorial government continued to operate out of Texas. More than 8,000 soldiers from New Mexico Territory served in

15620-415: The state becoming a leading supplier of several strategic resources. New Mexico's rough terrain and geographic isolation made it an attractive location for several sensitive military and scientific installations; the most famous was Los Alamos , one of the central facilities of the Manhattan Project , where the first atomic bombs were designed and manufactured. The first bomb was tested at Trinity site in

15762-647: The state is known as the Bootheel . The 37°N parallel forms the northern boundary with Colorado. The states of New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and Utah come together at the Four Corners in New Mexico's northwestern corner. Its surface water area is about 292 square miles (760 km ). Despite its popular depiction as mostly arid desert, New Mexico has one of the most diverse landscapes of any U.S. state, ranging from wide, auburn-colored deserts and verdant grasslands , to broken mesas and high, snow-capped peaks. Close to

15904-424: The state is semi-arid to arid, with areas of continental and alpine climates at higher elevations. New Mexico's statewide average precipitation is 13.7 inches (350 mm) a year, with average monthly amounts peaking in the summer, particularly in the more rugged north-central area around Albuquerque and in the south. Generally, the eastern third of the state receives the most rainfall, while the western third receives

16046-420: The state of Oklahoma , and 2.2 miles (3.5 kilometres) west of 103°W longitude with Texas due to a 19th-century surveying error. On the southern border, Texas makes up the eastern two-thirds, while the Mexican states of Chihuahua and Sonora make up the western third, with Chihuahua making up about 90% of that. The western border with Arizona runs along the 109° 03'W longitude. The southwestern corner of

16188-464: The state of Texas to the east and southeast, Oklahoma to the northeast, and shares an international border with the Mexican states of Chihuahua and Sonora to the south. New Mexico's largest city is Albuquerque , and its state capital is Santa Fe , the oldest state capital in the U.S., founded in 1610 as the government seat of Nuevo México in New Spain . New Mexico is the fifth-largest of

16330-467: The state, or 24.7 million of 77.8 million acres, is held by the U.S. government, the tenth-highest percentage in the country. More than half this land is under the Bureau of Land Management as either public domain land or National Conservation Lands , while another third is managed by the U.S. Forest Service as national forests . New Mexico was central to the early–20th century conservation movement , with Gila Wilderness being designated

16472-548: The state, particularly from the northeast, often drawn by its warm climate and low taxes. The pattern continues into the 21st century, with New Mexico adding over 400,000 residents between 2000 and 2020. Native Americans from New Mexico fought for the United States in both world wars. Returning veterans were disappointed to find their civil rights limited by state discrimination. In Arizona and New Mexico, veterans challenged state laws or practices prohibiting them from voting. In 1948, after veteran Miguel Trujillo Sr. of Isleta Pueblo

16614-442: The territorial government, whose officials were appointed by the U.S. federal government; subsequently, newer residents of New Mexico generally favored maintaining territorial status, which they saw as a check on Native and Hispano influence. A consequence of the civil war was intensifying conflict with indigenous peoples, which was part of the broader American Indian Wars along the frontier. The withdrawal of troops and material for

16756-481: The town of Dulce." The Jicarilla Apache are a federally recognized tribal entity that, in 1937, organized a formal government and adopted a constitution . Traditional tribal leaders were elected as their first tribal council members. In 2000, the tribe officially changed their name to the Jicarilla Apache Nation. Veronica E. Velarde Tiller, author of Culture and Customs of the Apache Indians, writes: "All

16898-861: The transitionary zone, and Krummholz , and alpine tundra at the very top. The Apachian zone tucked into the southwestern bootheel of the state has high-calcium soil, oak woodlands , Arizona cypress , and other plants that are not found in other parts of the state. The southern sections of the Rio Grande and Pecos valleys have 20,000 square miles (52,000 square kilometres) of New Mexico's best grazing land and irrigated farmland. New Mexico's varied climate and vegetation zones consequently support diverse wildlife. Black bears , bighorn sheep , bobcats , cougars , deer , and elk live in habitats above 7,000 feet, while coyotes , jackrabbits , kangaroo rats , javelina , porcupines , pronghorn antelope , western diamondbacks , and wild turkeys live in less mountainous and elevated regions. The iconic roadrunner , which

17040-480: The tribe practice an organized religion, many of whom are Christians . The Jicarilla language is spoken by about one half of the tribal members, most by older men and women. Ceremonial practices consist of: Annual events include: The Jicarilla Apache Nation's economy is based upon mining , forestry , gaming , tourism , retail , and agriculture , including: Although the mid twentieth century brought additional economic opportunities, high unemployment and

17182-538: The turn of the 19th century, the extreme northeastern part of New Mexico, north of the Canadian River and east of the spine of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, was still claimed by France, which sold it in 1803 as part of the Louisiana Purchase . In 1812, the U.S. reclassified the land as part of the Missouri Territory . This region of New Mexico (along with territory comprising present-day southeastern Colorado,

17324-589: The two bands settled in separate areas of the Reservation. The animosities stemming from this period have persisted into the twentieth century, with the Olleros generally identified as progressives and the Llaneros as conservatives. The land on the reservation, except that held by non-tribal members, was not suitable for agriculture . As a means of survival, the tribe sold timber from the reservation. In 1907, additional land

17466-456: The unscrupulous means by which government and Anglo settlers had usurped Hispanic land grant properties." An armed struggle in the courthouse ensued. Eulogio Salazar, a prison guard, was wounded and Daniel Rivera, a sheriff's deputy, was injured. Three hundred and fifty National Guardsman , armed with tanks and artillery, FBI agents, and New Mexico State Police expelled the occupiers and successfully pursued and arrested Tijerina but in his trial

17608-657: The various eastern Apache peoples (Jicarilla, Mescalero , and Lipan ) who occupied the southern plains in a bid for control. As they were pushed off the plains, the Jicarilla moved to the mountains and near the pueblos and Spanish missions , where they sought alliance with the Puebloan peoples and the Spanish settlers. In 1724, several Apache bands were annihilated by the Comanches, who forced them to "give up half their women and children, and then they burned several villages, killing all but sixty-nine men, two women, and three boys." The Jicarilla people were forced to seek refuge into

17750-535: The wall was the ejido , communal land for grazing, firewood, or recreation. By 1800, the population of New Mexico had reached 25,000 (not including indigenous inhabitants), far exceeding the territories of California and Texas. As part of New Spain, the province of New Mexico became part of the First Mexican Empire in 1821 following the Mexican War of Independence . Upon its secession from Mexico in 1836,

17892-701: The war effort had prompted raids by hostile tribes, and the federal government moved to subdue the many native communities that had been effectively autonomous throughout the colonial period. Following the elimination of the Confederate threat, Brigadier General James Carleton , who had assumed command of the Military Department of New Mexico in 1862, led what he described as a "merciless war against all hostile tribes" that aimed to "force them to their knees, and then confine them to reservations where they could be Christianized and instructed in agriculture." With famed frontiersman Kit Carson placed in charge of troops in

18034-492: The western boundary of the Tierra Amarilla Grant. Between 1860 and 1865, with the Indian threat declining, Martinez encouraged the first permanent non-Indian settlement in the grant area by conveying small plots of land to 130 Hispanic families totaling about 1,000 people. He designated most of the land as common land to be used by all the settlers, a typical feature of Hispanic land practices in New Mexico. However, U.S. law regarded

18176-715: The world" is located near Taos. Traditional Jicarilla stories, such as White Shell Woman, Killer of the Enemies, Child of the Water, and others, feature people and places that are special to them. These places include the Rio Grande Gorge , Picuris Pueblo , the spring and marsh near El Prado , Hopewell Lake , and particularly the Taos Pueblo and the four sacred rivers. Additionally, the Jicarilla created shrines in locations that held spiritual significance, some of which were shared with

18318-628: The world's first wilderness area in 1924. The state also hosts nine of the country's 84 national monuments , the most of any state after Arizona; these include the second oldest monument, El Morro , which was created in 1906, and the Gila Cliff Dwellings , proclaimed in 1907. New Mexico's national parks , together with national monuments and trails managed by the National Park Service , are listed as follows: New Mexico's national monuments, conservation areas, and other units of

18460-438: The world's great art centers. The presence of artists such as Georgia O'Keeffe attracted many others, including those along Canyon Road . In the late 20th century, Native Americans were authorized by federal law to establish gaming casinos on their reservations under certain conditions, in states which had authorized such gaming. Such facilities have helped tribes close to population centers generate revenues for reinvestment in

18602-529: Was a peripheral part of the viceroyalty of New Spain dominated by Comancheria . Following Mexican independence in 1821, it became an autonomous region of Mexico, albeit increasingly threatened by the centralizing policies of the Mexican government, culminating in the Revolt of 1837 ; at the same time, the region became more economically dependent on the U.S. Following the Mexican–American War in 1848,

18744-567: Was a popular route for explorers, as was the Canadian River, which rises in the mountainous north and flows east across the arid plains. The San Juan and Gila lie west of the Continental Divide , in the northwest and southwest, respectively. With the exception of the Gila, all major rivers are dammed in New Mexico and provide a major water source for irrigation and flood control. New Mexico has long been known for its dry, temperate climate. Overall

18886-722: Was an engagement of a group of Jicarilla Apaches, their Ute allies, and the American 1st Cavalry Regiment on March 30, 1854, near what is now Pilar, New Mexico . By the mid-1800s, tensions between the Spanish , multiple Native American nations, and westward expanding United States settlers erupted as all sought and laid claim to land in the southwest. Diseases to which Native Americans had no immunity "decimated" their tribes, creating greater pressure for their lands to be taken from them. As tensions among Native Americans grew and with numerous attempts to relocate them from their traditional hunting and gathering land and sacred homelands,

19028-529: Was attempted at the Frisco shootout in 1884. Nevertheless, prominent figures from across these communities, and from both the Democratic and Republican parties , attempted to fight this prejudice and forge a more cohesive, multiethnic New Mexican identity; they include lawmen Baca and Garrett , and governors Curry , Hagerman , and Otero . Indeed, some territorial governors, like Lew Wallace , had served in both

19170-563: Was confirmed to have reached the U.S. state of New Mexico on March 11, 2020. On December 23, 2020, the New Mexico Department of Health reported 1,174 new COVID-19 cases and 40 deaths, bringing the cumulative statewide totals to 133,242 cases and 2,243 deaths since the start of the pandemic. With a total area of 121,590 square miles (314,900 km ), New Mexico is the fifth-largest state , after Alaska, Texas, California, and Montana. Its eastern border lies along 103°W longitude with

19312-410: Was declared innocent on December 13, 1968. He was later tried again and imprisoned briefly. The FBI continued to investigate land grant activists during the 1970s characterizing them as "domestic terrorists." In 1969, Amador Flores, a resident of Tierra Amarilla, wrote himself a deed and paid real estate taxes for a 500 acres (200 ha) plot of land. He later built a house on the land. Not until 1985

19454-691: Was granted statehood, and officially establishing the Utah Territory ; therein recognizing most of New Mexico's historically established land claims. Pursuant to the compromise, Congress established the New Mexico Territory in September of that year; it included most of present-day Arizona and New Mexico, along with the Las Vegas Valley and what would later become Clark County in Nevada . In 1853

19596-447: Was his ownership challenged by a development corporation, the Vista del Brazos. In 1988, a judge ordered his expulsion and arrest but 20 armed supporters defended him. The ACLU claimed Flores' constitutional right to due process had been violated, but Flores served about a month in jail for contempt of court. Flores' supporters occupied the land for 14 months until he reached a settlement with

19738-431: Was home to Ancestral Puebloans , the Mogollon culture, and ancestral Ute . Navajos and Apaches arrived in the late 15th century and the Comanches in the early 18th century. The Pueblo peoples occupied several dozen villages, primarily in the Rio Grande valley of northern New Mexico. Spanish explorers and settlers arrived in the 16th century from present-day Mexico. Isolated by its rugged terrain, New Mexico

19880-473: Was named for the viceroy of New Spain, Francisco Fernández de la Cueva, 10th Duke of Alburquerque . Governor Francisco Cuervo y Valdés established the villa in Tiguex to provide free trade access and facilitate cultural exchange in the region. Beyond forging better relations with the Pueblos, governors were forbearing in their approach to the indigenous peoples, such as was with governor Tomás Vélez Cachupín ;

20022-448: Was secured for the reservation, totaling 742,315 acres (3,004 km ), suitable for sheep ranching, which became profitable in the 1920s. Until that time, many people suffered from malnutrition , and up to 90% of the tribe members had tuberculosis in 1914. By the 1920s, it seemed likely that the Jicarilla Apache nation may become extinct due to trachoma , tuberculosis, and other diseases. After several difficult ranching periods, many of

20164-414: Was told by the county registrar that he could not register to vote, he filed suit against the county in federal district court. A three-judge panel overturned as unconstitutional New Mexico's provisions that Native Americans who did not pay taxes (and could not document if they had paid taxes) could not vote. In the early to mid-20th century, the art presence in Santa Fe grew, and it became known as one of

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