ABSTRACT
The relationship among the Indians, the land, and the federal government is a complex one. The first reservation in Arizona was established in 1859 when the Pima-Maricopa lands along the Gila were surveyed, and the Gila River Reservation, later greatly expanded, was set aside. The Spanish also had means by which land could be acquired by citizens. Several land grants were awarded in what is southern Arizona. After the American acquisition of Arizona, the Americans agreed to respect the land grants that were valid. Several laws were passed by which citizens could acquire land cheaply. Landholdings for agricultural purposes are much smaller but much more valuable on a per-acre basis. Water is a critical and important factor for anyone living in a desert environment such as Arizona. The agricultural Indians needed large, dependable supplies of water, but all of these Indians lived in the drier sections of the state, and, therefore, they were dependent on some sort of irrigation.
