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| An 1887 photo of Geronimo.
Courtesy of National Archives, American Indian Select List number
101. |
Geronimo
(Goyathlay, c. 1829-1909.02.17) Apache
Indian leader.
 Born in upper Gila River
country of the Arizona Territory when it was part of Mexico
 Lived in Arizona
When Geronimo was born in the upper Gila River area it was a
part Mexico. Mexican soldiers were attempting to control the
troublesome Apaches with methods approaching genocide. In 1858 the
soldiers killed the young Geronimo's mother, wife, and three small
children.
 The expanding United States
was taking control of the area from Mexico. In 1848 under the Treaty
of Guadalupe Hidalgo, Mexico was forced to abandon its claim to Texas and
to cede the territory which would become New Mexico, Arizona, California,
Colorado, Utah and Nevada. In 1852 The Gadsden Purchase added a
strip of territory south of the Gila River to what are now the states of
New Mexico and southern Arizona.
The new management was no improvement for the Apaches.
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