Nevada’ Bonanza: How this Libertarian Paradise Came to Be
No. 51, Jan.-Feb. 2025 The earliest historical records date back to the 16th century, with the arrival of the first Europeans of Spanish origin in Mexican territory, aiming to conquer new lands for Spain. By 1535, Mexico had already become an integral part of Spain, along with the Nevada region. These were the first beginnings of the area as a component of the Spanish Empire, which also explains the origin of its name. The term “Nevada” has Spanish roots, derived from the expression Sierra Nevada, meaning “snow-covered mountain range” (Behnke, 2016). Thus, the Spanish colonies laid the foundational stones of the state, as they were the ones who associated the term “Nevada” (snow-covered) with the climatic conditions of the region during winter. Later, in 1821, the region became part of Mexico. However, the changes did not stop there, as Nevada was acquired by the United States in 1848, following the Mexican American War. This conflict began on May 13, 1846, after the United States had already annexed Texas a year earlier, paving the way for disputes with Mexico. The issue revolved around the existing border between the U.S. and Mexico, as the latter considered the Nueces River to be the northern boundary of its territory, while the United States claimed the Rio Grande as the official border, which included the Nueces Strip as part of Texan territory (Zeidan, 2024). Additionally, there were disputes regarding the recognition of Texas as American territory, with the United States affirming this claim, while Mexico was entirely opposed. More
