Oh really now?
Beyond its original native inhabitants, Marcos de Niza, a Franciscan, explored the area in 1539. Coronado's expedition entered the area in 1540-42 during its search for Cibola. Father Kino developed a chain of missions and taught the Indians Christianity in southern Arizona and northern Sonora in the 1690s and early 1700's. Spain founded fortified towns (presidios) at Tubac in 1752 and Tucson in 1775. All of what is now Arizona became part of Mexico's northwest frontier upon the Mexican assertion of independence from Spain in 1821. The United States took possession of most of Arizona at the end of the Mexican War in 1848. In <1853 the land below the Gila River was acquired from Mexico in the Gadsden Purchase. Arizona was administered as part of the Territory of New Mexico until it was organized into a separate territory on February 24, 1863.At the direction of Brigham Young, Mormons came from Utah in the mid to late 1800s to the Phoenix Valley (or "Valley of the Sun"), Prescott, Snowflake, Heber and many other Arizona towns to settle there. One of the first Latter-day Saint temples built in the Southwest was the Mesa temple, finished in 1927.
Arizona was admitted into the union on February 14, 1912.
Oh and get this it gets worse these cooks at ALIPAC want to take away the American tradition of birth citizenship. There are so many wacko groups out there. I guess Jim has sent them a clear message to stay off Free Republic. It's Jim's site and he can do as he pleases. That's America!
(From the ALIPAC Platform)
"8. Remove the provision that gives citizenship to the children of illegal immigrants who are born on US soil. For many years, the rule has been that if you are born here you are granted citizenship. The vast majorities of illegal immigrants know this and are abusing the rule by quickly having babies once they enter the US. Legal Americans are paying the cost of this foreign baby boom through increased health care costs and Medicaid. Having a child at our expense should not be a foothold to staying in the US illegally."