| tate of Arizona is home to many national parks, | | | | of the American Indian tribes of Southwest |
| monuments and Indian reservations. The last | | | | United States, and is mistakenly attributed to two |
| State to join the Union, Arizona has both Desert | | | | historical Aztec emperors named Montezuma. |
| and Mountain climates. Its lower regions are a | | | | One can also find the Montezuma Well 11 miles |
| desert area with hot summers and mild winters, | | | | northeast of the Montezuma Castle National |
| while its northern area is a mountainous region | | | | Monument. The well is natural limestone sinkhole |
| with pine forests and cool weather. | | | | which issues about 1.4 million gallons of highly |
| According to Wikipedia, as of July 1, 2006, Arizona | | | | carbonated water. It has been in use for irrigation |
| recorded the most growth in population. It has | | | | purposes since the 8th century, with part of the |
| exceeded the levels of Nevada which was once | | | | prehistoric canal preserved for public view. Parts |
| the fastest growing state in the U.S. | | | | of the original Hohokam canal are still even used |
| Notable Tourist Attractions in Arizona | | | | today. |
| There are more than 10 major tourist attractions | | | | The Well is considered sacred by the Yavapai |
| in Arizona ( Among the most notable are the | | | | people, and is home to at least 5 species including |
| Montezuma Castle National Monument, the Grand | | | | a diatom, springtail, water scorpion, amphipod and |
| Canyon National Park, and the Barringer Meteorite | | | | leech. |
| Crater. The last is not a national monument or a | | | | Barringer's Meteor Crater |
| national park, as it is still privately owned by the | | | | The meteor crater is the impact site of a |
| family of Daniel Barringer. | | | | 300,000-tone nickel-iron smashing into the Earth |
| Grand Canyon National Park | | | | 50,000 years ago. The meteorite was about 50 |
| The Grand Canyon is a World Heritage site | | | | meters across, and the impact created a crater |
| declared by the UNESCO. It is a natural history | | | | 1,200 meters wide and 170 meter deep. |
| monument, as the colorful sediments of its rocky | | | | Scientists say that the impact had a force of at |
| outgrowth date back up to Precambrian times. | | | | least 2.5 megatons of TNT. The explosion was |
| Viewing the Grand Canyon's rocks is like viewing | | | | about 150 times more powerful than the |
| through the Earth's history itself. | | | | Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombs. Authorities |
| For millions of years, the Colorado River and its | | | | have not agreed to the speed at which the |
| tributaries cut through the Colorado Plateaus and | | | | meteorite hit the ground. Some say it was at 20 |
| exposed layers and layers of sediment. The | | | | kilometers per second or about 45,000 miles per |
| channel is over 277 miles long, and has a variable | | | | hour, while others propose that the speed was |
| width anywhere from 4 miles to 18 miles. From | | | | slower, at 12.8 kilometers per second or 28,600 |
| the topmost ridge, the Grand Canyon is over 1 | | | | miles per hour. |
| mile deep. | | | | When mining engineer Daniel M. Barringer |
| President Theodore Roosevelt frequently visited | | | | purchased the crater, he proposed a theory that |
| the Grand Canyon area, and was one of the | | | | the crater was created by the impact of a large |
| driving forces in seeking to designate the area as | | | | iron-metallic meteorite. To test the theory, |
| a National Park. The late President frequented the | | | | Barringer and his company conducted tests. The |
| Canyon for mountain lion hunting or simply to | | | | tests confirmed the creation of the creator |
| enjoy the sights the Canyon had to offer. | | | | through a violent impact, although Barringer did |
| Because of his efforts along with other people, | | | | not find any remains of the meteorite because |
| the Grand Canyon was first declared a national | | | | the majority of the celestial body vaporized during |
| monument on January 11, 1908. 11 years later, it | | | | its entry into the Earth's atmosphere. |
| attained national park status. | | | | Barringer's theories were met with skepticism, but |
| Montezuma Castle National Monument | | | | were later accepted by the general scientific |
| The Montezuma Castle National Monument is | | | | society during the 1950s due to the efforts of |
| considered the last evidence of occupation by the | | | | Professor Herman Leroy Fairchild. A later research |
| Pre-Columbian Sinagua people. It is a five-story | | | | by Eugene M. Shoemaker confirmed the theory |
| cliff dwelling, with 20 rooms made of stone and | | | | when rare forms of silica were found at the |
| mortar. It is believed to house about 50 | | | | crater. These silica forms only appear when |
| inhabitants, with a larger settlement in the other | | | | quartz rocks receive tremendous shock from the |
| part of the cliff which unfortunately has not | | | | impact of a huge meteorite. |
| survived. | | | | Advantages of Living in Arizona |
| It is not known for whom the castle was named. | | | | Living in Arizona gives you easier access and close |
| The European American discoverers of the | | | | proximity to these and other national parks in the |
| settlement note that traditions say the divine hero | | | | state, compared to people living in nearby and |
| Montezuma built the cliff dwellings for the Sinagua | | | | farther states. |
| people. Montezuma is a hero-god in the mythology | | | | |