Juan Bautista de Anza I facts for kids

Juan Bautista de Anza I (born June 29, 1693 – died May 9, 1740) was a Spanish explorer. He was from the Basque region of Spain. He explored a large part of what is now the Sonora state in Mexico. He also explored the southwest region of the United States.

Early Life and Move to New Spain

Juan Bautista de Anza was born on June 29, 1693. His hometown was Hernani, a small village in the Basque Country, Spain. His father, Antonio de Anza, was a pharmacist. His mother was Lucia de Sassoeta.

When he was 19, in 1712, Juan Bautista moved to New Spain. This was the name for Mexico and parts of the U.S. back then. He first went to Culiacán, Mexico, where his mother's relatives lived.

Anza soon started working in silver mining. He helped find and develop two important silver mining towns. These were Aguaje and Tetuachi, between 1716 and 1720. He also bought other mines. By 1721, he became a lieutenant in the Sonora militia.

Joining the Military

On August 2, 1721, Anza joined the regular cavalry. He became a second lieutenant at the Janos Presidio. A presidio was a Spanish military fort. He was described as strong, white, and bearded.

Around 1722, he married Maria Rosa Bezerra Nieto. She was the daughter of his captain. Anza quickly moved up in rank. He soon became a first lieutenant.

In November 1726, he was promoted to captain. He was put in charge of the Fronteras presidio. He worked hard to improve the "Cavalry of the Frontier." This group protected the communities of Sonora from the Apaches.

He sent soldiers to the San Luis and Santa Cruz River Valleys. This helped settlers move into the area. Anza himself started several ranches there. These were the first livestock farms in what is now southern Arizona.

An Explorer's Impact

In 1736, a huge amount of silver was found near the Arizona Ranch. Anza was the captain of the only presidio in Sonora. He was also the chief justice of Sonora. This meant he had to decide what to do with the silver.

He ordered all the silver to be held. The government in Mexico City would then decide who it belonged to. He used his friend Bernardo de Urrea's house at the Arizona Ranch as his base. Because of this, the name "Arizona" became well-known.

Anza and his scribe, Manuel José de Sosa, wrote all the documents about the silver. So, they were indirectly responsible for the state of Arizona getting its name.

Final Journey and Legacy

Anza continued his work as a soldier and leader. He asked the viceroy for permission to find a route between Sonora and Alta California. Alta California is what is now California in the U.S.

Sadly, his dream was cut short. On May 9, 1740, he was on a routine supply trip. He was returning home from visiting several missions. He rode ahead of his soldiers and was ambushed. Apaches killed him somewhere between Santa María Suamca and the Terrenate Presidio.

His son, also named Juan Bautista de Anza, would later achieve his father's dream. His son discovered the important route between Sonora and California.

See also

• Juan Bautista de Anza I para niños (In Spanish)