Chihuahua¹

 

city (1990 pop. 516,153), capital of Chihuahua state, N Mexico. It lies in a valley almost encircled by hills. Chihuahua is the commercial and processing center of a vast central area. Agriculture, livestock, and mining are the economic mainstays of the surrounding region. The revolutionist Hidalgo y Costilla was executed in the city in 1811. Chihuahua was occupied briefly by U.S. forces in 1846 during the Mexican War and served as the headquarters of Benito Juárez until French troops took it in 1865. It has many American residents. There are several prime examples of 18th-century colonial architecture, including the aqueduct.

Headline text

Chihuahua
Flag Coat of arms
Location within Mexico
Country	Mexico
Capital	Chihuahua
Municipalities	67
Largest City	Ciudad Juárez
Government
- Governor	José Reyes Baeza Terrazas (PRI)
- Federal Deputies	PRI: 5 PAN:4
- Federal Senators	PAN: 2 PRI: 1
Area Ranked 1st
- State	km²  ( sq mi)
Population (2005)
- State	{{formatnum:3,241,444 (Ranked 11th)}}
HDI (2004)	0.8224 - high Ranked 8th
ISO 3166-2	MX-CHH
Postal abbr.	Chih.
Website: Chihuahua state government

Chihuahua is the largest state in Mexico, with a mainland area of  square kilometers ( sq mi), slightly bigger than the United Kingdom, is in the northwest surrounded by the Mexican states of Sonora, Sinaloa, Durango and Coahuila and the U.S. states of Texas and New Mexico.

Although Chihuahua is primarily identified with its namesake, the Chihuahuan Desert, it has more forests than any other Mexican state. On the slope of the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains (around the regions of Casas Grandes, Cuauhtémoc and Parral), there are vast prairies of short yellow grass, the source of the bulk of the state's agricultural production.

As of 2005, there were 3.2 million inhabitants of the state. The largest city is the U.S.-border city of Ciudad Juárez, which has 1,301,452 residents (2005 census). The capital, Chihuahua, has 748,518 inhabitants.

The state also has a large service sector: tourism, banking and high-tech enterprises.

One of the most notable features of Chihuahua is the Barranca del Cobre, or Copper Canyon, a spectacular canyon system larger and deeper than the Grand Canyon.

Chihuahua played a pivotal role in the Mexican Revolution and was a battleground between revolutionary forces led by Pancho Villa and federal forces.

Chihuahua is one of the Mexican states that holds a slight population plurality of people that are primarily of European ancestry (as is the case in much of northern Mexico), with around 46% of the state population being of European descent, commonly Spanish, Italian, German, French and Dutch. Around 44% of its population has mixed European and Amerindian ancestry (Mestizo). The population of Amerindians in northern Mexico tends to be low compared to the southern part, and Chihuahua is no exception. While there are Amerindians in Chihuahua, they comprise only around 7% of the state's population, and they mostly live in isolated areas in the mountains.

History

Main article: Nueva Vizcaya, New Spain

Spanish exploration of the area began in 1531 with Nuño Beltrán de Guzmán's expedition. He called the area Nueva Galicia after his birthplace, although that name later came to be applied to a different area, namely what became the colonial intendencia of Guadalajara. Nueva Vizcaya originally included the area of Spanish settlement north of Zacatecas. Eventually that included most of the area of the modern Mexican states of Chihuahua and Durango, and at times parts of the states of Sinaloa, Sonora and Coahuila.

The objections that led to the division of the internal provinces in 1785, increased with growing population and resources. In 1804, a royal decree ordered the redivision of the provinces into two districts. The new comandante general of each district exercised the same authority as the existing commander. ^[1]

War of independence

The war of independence started in 1812. Viceroy Venegas appointed brigadier Alejo Garcia Conde, governor of Sonora and Sinaloa to the command of the Occidente region.^[1] Command of the Oriente region was offered to the Mariscal de campo, Felix Calleja, who declined the position. It was offered to Simon Herrera, governor of Nuevo León, but he was killed by insurgents before he could accept the position. Finally, José Joaquín de Arredondo received the position.^[1]

Gutiérrez de Lara

After the suppression of the insurrection of 1811 in Nuevo Santander, José Bernardo Maximiliano Gutiérrez de Lara, a citizen of Revilla, and a strong supporter of the revolutionary movement, took refuge in the United States, seeking assistance on behalf of his cause. The welcome accorded to him by the people, and the well-known intentions of the United States government with regard to the Texan frontier, had given rise to no little uneasiness in Mexico, which was further increased by a report that he was marching at the head of a large army, returning to aid the insurgents.^[1]

The troops under Gutiérrez de Lara's command consisted of only 450 men, many of whom were military adventurers from the United States. He invaded Texas with this slender force in 1812, taking possession of several cities and driving back the forces of Manuel María de Salcedo and José Joaquín de Herrera. Warned of this danger, flor bencomo, whose forces were quartered in the valley del Maiz, marched to engage Gutiérrez de Lara, collecting men and material on the way through Nuevo Santander. Colonel Ignacio Elizondo, sent in advance, allowed himself to be drawn into an engagement, and was totally routed.^[1]

A few weeks later Arredondo himself defeated the insurgents, now under the command of José Álvarez de Toledo y Dubois, who had replaced Gutiérrez de Lara. Many prisoners were executed, including all the captured U. S. citizens, ending all hope of aid from the United States.

Issues of increased of population and development of natural resources took second place to military matters and the suppression of revolutionary movements. In the northwest hostilities with Indians continued, while in the east revolution fomenting.^[1]

Insurgent’s trial

Salcedo managed to accumulate a large fortune while avoiding the conflict to the south. From May to July, 1811, he was responsible for overseeing the trial and execution of Miguel Hidalgo, and his chief officers.^[1]

Nueva Vizcaya was not spared from the war. A month before Hidalgo’s capture, a number of insurgents were detained, and a conflict at San Francisco between several hundred men occurred early in 1812.^[1]

Independence

Toward the close of 1814, José Félix Trespalacios and Juan Pablo Caballero planned an outbreak at Chihuahua, but the plot was revealed to Garcia Conde, who now controlled the Occidente section from this point, and promptly arrested the principals. The men were pardoned through the efforts of authorities and clergy. Chihuahua continued to suffer from Apache raids, and Durango a brief rebellion by the Opatas in 1820, which was quelled without any serious bloodshed. In 1819 explorer Zebulon Pike visited and the Jesuits were reestablished.^[1]

Spanish Constitution of 1812 was well received by the provinces, but was suspended soon after by the viceroy. Nueva Vizcaya managed to elect a representative to the Cortes Generales. Royalist Agustin de Iturbide went to Durango to make a final effort in behalf of Spain. He entered that city July 4, 1821, attended by officials from Zacatecas and other points, with a few hundred soldiers. Pedro Celestino Negrete, Iturbide’s lieutenant, followed in pursuit, and laid siege to the city early in August, with about 3,000 men.^[1]

The defense was maintained for over three weeks, with brisk firing and occasional sorties, varied by assaults, which involved severe losses. Negrete finally planted a battery against a vulnerable point, and on the August 30 gained a decided advantage. By this time defection undermined the zeal of the royalist. A truce was accepted, and on September 3 the garrison surrendered, with the honors of war, and permission to retire with Cruz to Spain.^[1]

First empire

M. Urrea was installed as jefe politico, while Antonio Cordero, who had governed at Durango as civil and military governor for the last three years, was rewarded for prompt adhesion with the comandancia general of the Occidente section, in place of Garcia Conde, who had delayed. In the following year the empire was received with the acclamation usually accorded to success, and Chihuahua and Durango were gladdened with the prospect of separate comandancias de armas.^[1]

Province of the Federal Republic of Mexico

When shortly after the federalists rose against Iturbide, Chihuahua joined with equal readiness in the cry, after a momentary objection from Janos. In Durango measures were at first taken against the movement, but on March 5, 1823, the troops declared in favor it, followed by the people. Comandante general Cordero resigned, however, as did Brigadier I. del Corral, civil and military governor at Durango, whereupon the diputacion provincial declared the intendente Juan Navarro successor to the latter, and Gaspar de Ochoa, colonel of the pronouncing garrison, as commander in place of Cordero.^[1]

Division of Nueva Vizcaya

By decree of July 19, 1823, the supreme congress decreed the division of Nueva Vizcaya into two provinces, to be known as Chihuahua and Durango, respectively, the capital of the former receiving the title of city and becoming the seat of a diputacion provincial. The act was just to Chihuahua, to which was already conceded a population of over 100,000, with requirements that made necessary a separate administration from that residing at the distant and uncongenial Durango. Nevertheless, a party persuaded the chamber to reunite the two provinces, including New Mexico, under the appellation Estado Interno del Norte, with capital at Chihuahua. Durango, however, raised objections. She demanded that her chief city be retained as capital, or that she be made a separate state or territory, on the ground of her large population, with resources far superior to those of Chihuahua and of several existing states.^[1] The appeal found hearing, and on May 22 and July 6, 1824, the separation was affirmed, New Mexico being declared a territory of the federation. In the following year the two states, issued their constitution, in accordance with the federal organic law of the republic. Chihuahua established only one legislative chamber of not less than eleven deputies, while Durango indulged also in a senate of seven members, thereby supplying additional food for the party feuds which quickly began to unfold.^[1]

Constituent legislature

In the constituent legislature or convention, the escoces and yorkino, or conservative and liberal, elements already asserted themselves in a marked degree, for a time under the localized nicknames of Chirrines and Cuchas. Soon the military entered as a third party to watch their opportunities for spoil. The elections for the first regular legislature were disputed, and it was not until May 1, 1826, that the body was installed in not fully complete form. The triumphant liberals controlled it and failed not to direct blows against the clericals, who responded by fomenting a conspiracy for August 4. This was promptly stopped with the aid of informers, and more strenuous measures were taken against the party, to which end extra powers were conferred upon the (Durango) governor, Santiago Baca Ortiz, deputy to the first national congress, and leader of the yorkino party.^[1]

Gonzalez’ Rebelion

The result was that the opponents had recourse to fresh plots, one of which in November met the same fate as the preceding; another took place in March 1827, when Lieutenant J.M. Gonzalez proclaimed himself comandante general, arrested the governor, dissolved the legislature, and terrified the liberals generally, assisted by women, who felt it a duty to sustain their confessors. The general government took prompt steps to check the movement, by sending General Parras, whose mere presence sufficed to dissipate it, for Gonzalez men passed over and their leader fled. Comandante general J. J. Ayestaran was replaced by Jose Figueroa. The following elections proved as unsatisfactory as the preceding, until finally the supreme government interfered, and effected a settlement for the moment in favor of the yorkino interest, this party having carried the day at Mexico, by electing Guerrero to the presidency.^[1] Disorders at Mexico in 1828, produced a corresponding ebullition between the factions in the north, and the installation of the new legislature did not take place until the middle of the following year. Even then it was quickly dissolved by Governor Baca, who replaced it by one of more pronounced yorkino type. Guerrero’s liberal administration being overthrown in December, Colonel Gaspar de Ochoa pronounced in favor of the rebellious vice-president Bustamante, and in February 1830, mustered a rabble in opposition to the new governor, F. Elorriaga, whom he arrested with other prominent yorkinos. He then summoned the legislature which had been dissolved by Baca. The civil and military authorities were now headed by J. A. Pescador and Ochoa.^[1]

Vicente Guerrero

The general features of the preceding occurrence applied also to Chihuahua, although in a modified form. The first person elected under the new constitution of 1825, was Simon Elias Gonzalez, who being in Sonora, was induced to remain there, J. A. Arce taking his place as ruler in Chihuahua. In 1829, however, Gonzalez became comandante general of Chihuahua, his term of office on the west coast having expired. Arce showed himself a less thorough yorkino than his confrere of Durango. Although unable to resist the popular clamor for the expulsion of the Spaniards, he soon quarreled with the legislature, which declared itself firmly for Guerrero, and announcing his support of Bustamante’s revolution, he suspended, in March 1830, eight members of that body, the vice-governor, and several other officials, and expelled them from the state. The course thus outlined was followed by Governor J. I. Madero, who succeeded in 1831, associated with J. J. Calvo as comandante general, stringent laws being issued against secret societies, which were supposed to be the main spring to the anti-clerical feeling among liberals.^[1]

Durango and Bustamante

This feeling was wide-spread, and at the first symptom of reaction against the government at Mexico, Durango displayed active approval. In May 1832, Jose Urrea, a rising officer, undertook to support the restoration of President Pedraza, and on July 20, Governor Elorriaga was reinstated, and the legislative minority overthrown together with Baca was brought back to assist in forming a new legislature, which met on September 1. Chihuahua showing no desire to imitate the evolutionary movement, Urrea prepared to invade the state. Comandante-general J.J.Calvo threatened to retaliate, and a conflict seemed imminent when the entry of Santa Ana into Mexico put an end to the charge of the administration to feel the public pulse, while he kept safely in the background till the turn of affairs should become clear.^[1]

Santa Ana

One step was the banishment of Bishop Zubiria for resisting the law relating to priests and other encroachments on the church; another joined the western states in a short lived coalition for sustaining the federal system. No sooner, however, had Santa Ana turned upon his colleague in alarm at the imposing efforts of the clerical party, than legislature as well as governor followed the example by adopting, in July 1834, his plan of Cuernavaca, which put a check to reforms. But such was their lukewarmness in enforcing it that the commanding officer, Colonel J. I. Gutierrez, on september 3, at the head of the garrison, affirmed the plan, and at the same time declared the term of the legislature and governor expired. At a convention of citizens called by himself to select a new provisional ruler, he naturally obtained the vote, with P. J. Escalante for his deputy, and a council to guide the administration.^[1] Considering it for his interest to discountenance such radical dispositions of state authorities, Santa Ana ordered the reinstatement of Mendarozqueta, associated with Ochoa as comandante general. Gutierrez humbly yielded, but Escalante refused to surrender office, midst riotous demonstrations, whereupon troops were summoned from Zacatecas. Their approach gave force to the mediation of the returned prelate, and the change was effected without bloodshed. The ensuing election brought a new legislature, with governors conforming to the change of aspects. Nevertheless, in September 1835 political influence brought in as ruler Jose Urrea, of federalist tendencies, whose different revolutionary efforts had brought him to the grade of brigadier, with an ambition to gain further distinction.^[1]

In Chihuahua, where the reaction under Farias had found less active response, the Cuernavaca plan was adopted in July 1834, with quiet deference to the national decision. At the same time the old favorite, Simon Elias Gonzalez, lately comandante general, was nominated governor, while the supreme authorities conferred the military command upon Colonel J. J. Calvo, whose firmness had earned well-merited praise. The state was in the midst of a war with the Apaches, which required the concentration of all energies and resources for defence. After a review of the situation, Simon Elias Gonzalez declared that the interests of the territory would be best served by uniting the civil and military power, at least while the campaign lasted. Opposition being made, he firmly insisted, and resigned. This exemplary abnegation was not lost, for in 1837 he was renominated with acclamation.^[1]

Administrative divisions

Chihuahua is subdivided into 67 municipios (municipalities). See municipalities of Chihuahua.

Ahumada Aldama Allende Aquiles Serdán Ascensión Bachiniva Balleza Batopilas Bocoyna Buenaventura Camargo Carichi Casas Grandes Chihuahua Chinipas Coronado Coyame del Sotol Cuauhtémoc Cusihuiriachi Delicias

Dr. Belisario Domínguez El Tule Galeana Gómez Farías Gran Morelos Guachochi Guadalupe Guadalupe y Calvo Guazapares Guerrero Hidalgo del Parral Huejotitán Ignacio Zaragoza Janos

Jiménez Juárez Julimes La Cruz López Madera Maguarichi Manuel Benavides Matachi Matamoros Meoqui Morelos Moris Namiquipa Nonoava Nuevo Casas Grandes Ocampo

Ojinaga Praxedis G. Guerrero Riva Palacio Rosales Rosario San Francisco de Borja San Francisco de Conchos San Francisco del Oro Santa Bárbara Santa Isabel Satevo Saucillo Temósachi Urique Uruachi Valle de Zaragoza

Major communities

• Camargo (Santa Rosalía de Camargo)
• Chihuahua
• Ciudad Jiménez (José Mariano Jiménez)
• Ciudad Juárez
• Cuauhtémoc
• Delicias
• Nuevo Casas Grandes
• Parral (Hidalgo del Parral)

Pictures

Metropolitan cathedral of Chihuahua city

Chihuahua during a snowfall.

See also

• Mexico
• Geography of Mexico

References

External links

• (Spanish) Chihuahua state government
• (Spanish) Secretariat of Industrial Development of Chihuahua State Government
• (Spanish) Chihuahua's municipal governments
• (Spanish) OMNIA Chihuahua News
• (Spanish) Tourism, News, Events and much more about Chihuahua City and state
• (Spanish) Chihuahua photos
• (English) Encyclopaedia Britannica, Chihuaha

• Maps and aerial photos for 28°′N 106°′W / 28.63, -106.08Coordinates: 28°′N 106°′W / 28.63, -106.08
  • Maps from MapQuest, Multimap and Yahoo! Maps
  • Satellite images and maps from Google Maps and Live Search
  • Other mapping from GlobalGuide and WikiMapia

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