Which other state’s biggest modern city was in the original Arizona territory?

a) California

b) New Mexico

c) Nevada

d) Utah

Answer: c) The area that ultimately gave rise to Las Vegas originally was part of the New Mexico territory established after the United States’ victory in the Mexican War, then was part of the Arizona territory when it was separated out in 1863. But, as described by author Mark Stein in his recently published book, How the States Got Their Shapes, Nevada in 1867 was given the roughly triangular area at the northwestern corner of Arizona Territory running from the Colorado River north to 37 degrees north latitude. The site of Las Vegas, which was incorporated in 1915 and has grown exponentially over the past half-century, was in this area.