The Lasting Impact of the Spanish in Southwest USA

During the 1700s, Spanish explorers, settlers and missionaries significantly shaped the region that is now Arizona. Traveling north from New Spain (present-day Mexico), they established presidios and missions that became centers of religion, agriculture and governance.

One of their most lasting agricultural contributions was the introduction of wheat, which adapted well to the desert environment and became a staple crop in the region. The Spanish also popularized adobe construction, using sun-dried mud bricks made from earth, water and straw.

This building method was practical for the harsh desert climate, keeping interiors cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Adobe architecture remains a defining feature of Southwestern design today.

Christianity spread through the establishment of Catholic missions, where Indigenous communities were introduced to new religious practices and traditions. However, Spanish colonization also brought conflict, particularly over land, water and forced labor.

Despite these tensions, elements of Spanish culture, including farming techniques, architecture, language and faith traditions, continue to influence Arizona’s cultural identity centuries later.

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 ahead of the semiquincentennial or 250th anniversary of the United States.

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}}.