Colorado
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Colorado, which joined the union as the 38th state in 1876, is America's eighth largest state in terms of land mass. Located in the Rocky Mountain region of the western United States, the state's abundant and varied natural resources attracted the ancient Pueblo peoples and, later, the Plains Indians. First explored by Europeans in the late 1500s (the Spanish referred to the region as "Colorado" for its red-colored earth), the area was ceded to the U.S. in 1848 with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo that ended the Mexican-American War (1846-48). In 1858, the discovery of gold in Colorado attracted new settlers. During the Plains Indian Wars (1860s-80s), Colorado's wild frontier was the scene of intense fighting between Native Americans and white settlers. In the 21st century, Colorado continues to rely on its natural resources as well as agriculture and tourism to sustain its economy.
Colorado: Early Inhabitants

Colorado's earliest inhabitants were the ancient Pueblo people (also called the Anasazi), who settled in the southwest part of the region from approximately the years 1 to 1300. These formerly nomadic Native Americans established permanent communities as they developed and perfected farming techniques that allowed them to thrive in the dry Colorado climate. Their remarkable and elaborate cliff dwellings remain a major tourist attraction in the state's Mesa Verde National Park, the first national park designated for the purpose of preserving manmade works.

Colorado was also home to Plains Indians, primarily Arapaho and Cheyenne, and Great Basin tribes--mainly Ute, but also Shoshone and Comanche. When Spanish explorers began to arrive in the late 1500s, the Plains Indians acted as guides. Their knowledge of streams and natural routes as well as buffalo feeding grounds proved invaluable.
Colorado: War and Settlement

Although Spanish explorers visited the Colorado region and traded with Native Americans, they never settled there. France claimed most of the territory east of the Rocky Mountains and sold it to America in the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. However, the new U.S. claim conflicted with Spain's claim that much of the territory was its sovereign trading zone. American explorer and soldier Zebulon Pike (1779-1813) led an expedition to the region in dispute in 1806. He and his men were arrested by the Spanish cavalry and held as prisoners of war in Mexico, then released the following year. (Pikes Peak, the 14,110-foot mountain near Colorado Springs, is named for Zebulon Pike. In 1806, Pike attempted to climb the peak, which later became one of Colorado's most visited attractions, but heavy snow prevented him from reaching the top.)

Mexico, too, was in transition. What had begun as a rebellion of peasants against their colonial Spanish masters had evolved into a full-scale war. Mexico declared its independence from Spain on September 16, 1810, and as the Mexican War of Independence (1810-21) raged on, the U.S. ceded to Spain its claim to lands south and west of the Arkansas River (which originates in the Rocky Mountains) in 1819. At the same time, the U.S. purchased Florida from Spain. When Mexico won its independence it assumed Spain's land claims in America.

Between the 1830s and 1850s, French and American traders, trappers and settlers established trading posts along the Arkansas River and on the South Platte River (which starts to the southwest of present-day Denver). The most famous of the trappers was Kit Carson (1809-68), who gained notoriety as a guide to American explorer John C. Frémont (1813-90) as he traversed the Wild West.

America's western frontier grew by more than 500,000 square miles when the U.S. won the Mexican-American War in 1848. As the victor, the U.S. was ceded territory extending west from the Rio Grande River (which originates in southwest Colorado) to the Pacific Ocean. Americans now were free to settle the southern Rocky Mountain region.
Colorado: Gold Rush and the Plains Indians War

In July 1858, the first significant gold find in Colorado was discovered in Cherry Creek (now Denver). Exaggerated accounts of the discovery spread, and the Pike's Peak gold rush began. Thousands of gold seekers set out for Colorado, and mining towns such as Boulder and Central City sprang up seemingly overnight. By 1860, the state's population exceeded 30,000, and still the settlers kept coming, drawn by the motto "Pike's Peak or Bust!" Congress passed an act creating the Territory of Colorado on February 28, 1861.

The 1860s saw the most serious conflicts between Native Americans and white settlers in Colorado's history. To make way for white settlers, the federal government forced Cheyenne and Arapaho off their tribal lands. Left with no alternative, these tribes returned to their nomadic lifestyle. Attacks on towns and travelers were common as the Arapaho and Cheyenne suffered from a government-mandated buffalo extermination program. By depleting their primary source of food, the government hoped to eradicate Native Americans in Colorado.

One of the U.S. government's most infamous acts against Native Americans occurred in November 1864. Accepting the military's invitation to camp near Fort Lyon, in southeastern Colorado Territory, Cheyenne and Arapaho set up winter camp and flew the American flag. However, on November 29, nearly 700 U.S. volunteer cavalry attacked the camp, killing and mutilating at least 165 Native Americans, including women and children, in what came to be known as the Sand Creek Massacre.

The Colorado Territory's boundaries were preserved when, after several unsuccessful attempts, it entered the Union on August 1, 1876, as America's 38th state. Colorado is nicknamed the Centennial State in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
Colorado: Economic Trends

Colorado's abundant natural resources have been its economic mainstay since European settlement. The state's silver boom began in the late 1870s, following the discovery of silver in a Leadville mine. Coal mining was another booming industry in the state, and, as with the silver industry, was rife with labor strikes. Mining conditions were deplorable and dangerous, and mining companies exploited their employees. Strikes often led to violence and even fatalities.

In addition to mining, Colorado's economy depended upon agriculture for stability. By the early 1880s, buffalo herds had been replaced by cattle and sheep, and the state was a leading producer of meat. As railroads were built and tunnels blasted through the mountain terrain, Colorado's mountain region was united with its plateaus and prairies, and industry developed. Steel was first produced in the 1880s in Pueblo, and that area evolved into a major producer of metals.

In the 21st century, agriculture and mining continued to play a role in Colorado's economy, along with such industries as telecommunications, manufacturing and aerospace, among other fields. The majority of the state's mineral output is natural gas; the production of petroleum, molybdenum and gravel also contribute to Colorado's economy.

Tourism is another major industry for the Centennial State. A state of vast natural beauty that offers varied opportunities for outdoor recreation, Colorado is a destination for millions of tourists from all over the world. Main attractions include the dramatic sandstone formations known as Garden of the Gods (located in Colorado Springs), Red Rocks Amphitheatre (near Denver) and the state's national parks and ski resorts.
Colorado: Population and Settlement Patterns

By the early 21st century, more than four-fifths of Colorado's population of approximately 4.9 million people lived in urban areas. About one-fifth of the population was Hispanic, primarily Mexican, while African Americans, Asian Americans and Native Americans each represented less than 5 percent of the population.

Colorado's regions differ greatly in terms of topography and settlement patterns. The eastern plains comprise almost one-sixth of the state's entire land mass, but the near desert-like conditions make the region one of the least populated. Most Coloradans live in the Front Range counties in the north-central part of the state, which has readily available water as well as a mild climate conducive to outdoor recreation. The Front Range comprises one-third of the state's land area and includes the large metropolitan areas of Denver, Boulder, Colorado Springs, Pueblo and Fort Collins. The U.S. Air Force Academy is in Colorado Springs.

Colorado's mountain and plateau counties cover half of the state's land area but are sparsely populated; some have fewer than two people per square mile. Extreme terrain and weather conditions make certain parts of these counties inhospitable, although the population has been increasing in some mountain valley areas such as Estes Park.

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