The Tucson Presidio: As Old as the American Revolution

Did you know Tucson, Arizona, is older than the United States? Built on the northern frontier of New Spain, the fort founded in 1775 connected the region to larger struggles shaping North America.

Today, Tucson is in southern Arizona, but when it was established in 1775, the Presidio San Agustín del Tucsón was part of a plan to secure the northern frontier of territory claimed by the Spanish. The soldiers and settlers of early Tucson lived at the edge of an empire, shaping a community in ways that still echo through the region today.

The Tucson Presidio stood as both a military outpost and a symbol of Spain’s presence in the Southwest. As we look back on 250 years of the United States, revolutionary changes were happening here, too, thousands of miles away from the battles at Lexington and Concord.

In this episode of “What Happened in AZ?,” explore why the fort was founded, what life was like here and what it’s purpose was.

Each Friday we’ll be sharing a peek into the past that shows what life was like here, in what’s now Arizona, at the time of the American Revolution.

Why are we focusing on the period of the American Revolution? So glad you asked. Because the new PBS documentary, “The American Revolution,” a film by Ken Burns, will air part 6 tonight Friday, November 21! Watch the trailer online for “The American Revolution” and stream the series for free on the PBS App for the next three weeks.

Stay tuned to learn more about “What Happened in AZ?” each week.

_{^{Corporate funding for THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION was provided by Bank of America. Major funding was provided by The Better Angels Society and its members Jeannie and Jonathan Lavine with the Crimson Lion Foundation; and the Blavatnik Family Foundation. Major funding was also provided by David M. Rubenstein; The Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Family Foundation; Lilly Endowment Inc.; and the following Better Angels Society members: Eric and Wendy Schmidt; Stephen A. Schwarzman; and Kenneth C. Griffin with Griffin Catalyst. Additional support for THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION was provided by: The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations; The Pew Charitable Trusts; Gilbert S. Omenn and Martha A. Darling; Park Foundation; and the following Better Angels Society members: Gilchrist and Amy Berg; Perry and Donna Golkin; The Michelson Foundation; Jacqueline B. Mars; Kissick Family Foundation; Diane and Hal Brierley; John H. N. Fisher and Jennifer Caldwell; John and Catherine Debs; The Fullerton Family Charitable Fund; Philip I. Kent; Gail Elden; Deborah and Jon Dawson; David and Susan Kreisman; The McCloskey Family Charitable Trust; Becky and Jim Morgan; Carol and Ned Spieker; Mark A. Tracy; and Paul and Shelley Whyte. THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION was made possible, in part, with support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting}}.