History Colorado

ruins of cliff palace @ mesa verde national park photographed gustaf nordenskiöld in 1891.



great kiva @ chimney rock in san juan mountains of southwestern colorado. said have been built ancient pueblo peoples.

the region today state of colorado has been inhabited native americans more 13,000 years. lindenmeier site in larimer county contains artifacts dating approximately 11200 bc 3000 bc. eastern edge of rocky mountains major migration route important spread of peoples throughout americas. ancient pueblo peoples lived in valleys , mesas of colorado plateau. ute nation inhabited mountain valleys of southern rocky mountains , western rocky mountains, far east front range of present day. apache , comanche inhabited eastern , southeastern parts of state. @ times, arapaho nation , cheyenne nation moved west hunt across high plains.

the u.s. acquired territorial claim eastern rocky mountains louisiana purchase france in 1803. u.s. claim conflicted claim spain upper arkansas river basin exclusive trading zone of colony of santa fé de nuevo méxico. in 1806, zebulon pike led u.s. army reconnaissance expedition disputed region. colonel pike , men arrested spanish cavalrymen in san luis valley following february, taken chihuahua, , expelled mexico following july.

the u.s. relinquished claim land south , west of arkansas river , south of 42nd parallel north , west of 100th meridian west part of purchase of florida spain adams-onís treaty of 1819. treaty took effect february 22, 1821. having settled border spain, u.s. admitted southeastern portion of territory of missouri union state of missouri on august 10, 1821. remainder of missouri territory, including become northeastern colorado, became unorganized territory, , remained 33 years on question of slavery. after 11 years of war, spain recognized independence of mexico treaty of córdoba signed on august 24, 1821. mexico ratified adams-onís treaty in 1831. texian revolt of 1835–36 fomented dispute between u.s. , mexico erupted mexican–american war in 1846. mexico surrendered northern territory u.s. treaty of guadalupe hidalgo @ conclusion of war in 1848.

map of mexican cession, white representing territory united states received mexico. on half of colorado received during treaty.

most american settlers traveling overland west oregon country, namely new goldfields of california, or new mormon settlements of state of deseret in salt lake valley, avoided rugged southern rocky mountains, , instead followed north platte river , sweetwater river south pass (wyoming), lowest crossing of continental divide between southern rocky mountains , central rocky mountains. in 1849, mormons of salt lake valley organized extralegal state of deseret, claiming entire great basin , lands drained rivers green, grand, , colorado. federal government of u.s. flatly refused recognize new mormon government, because theocratic , sanctioned plural marriage. instead, compromise of 1850 divided mexican cession , northwestern claims of texas new state , 2 new territories, state of california, territory of new mexico, , territory of utah. on april 9, 1851, mexican american settlers area of taos settled village of san luis, in new mexico territory, later become colorado s first permanent euro-american settlement.

the anasazi heritage center in dolores

in 1854, senator stephen a. douglas persuaded u.s. congress divide unorganized territory east of continental divide 2 new organized territories, territory of kansas , territory of nebraska, , unorganized southern region known indian territory. each new territory decide fate of slavery within boundaries, compromise merely served fuel animosity between free soil , pro-slavery factions.

the gold seekers organized provisional government of territory of jefferson on august 24, 1859, new territory failed secure approval congress of united states embroiled in debate on slavery. election of abraham lincoln president of united states on november 6, 1860, led secession of 9 southern slave states , threat of civil war among states. seeking augment political power of union states, republican party-dominated congress admitted eastern portion of territory of kansas union free state of kansas on january 29, 1861, leaving western portion of kansas territory, , gold-mining areas, unorganized territory.

territory act

the territories of new mexico, utah, kansas, , nebraska before creation of territory of colorado

thirty days later on february 28, 1861, outgoing u.s. president james buchanan signed act of congress organizing free territory of colorado. original boundaries of colorado remain unchanged today. name colorado chosen because commonly believed colorado river originated in territory. in 1776, spanish priest silvestre vélez de escalante recorded native americans in area knew river el rio colorado red-brown silt river carried mountains. in 1859, u.s. army topographic expedition led captain john macomb located confluence of green river grand river in canyonlands national park in utah. macomb party designated confluence source of colorado river.

on april 12, 1861, south carolina artillery opened fire on fort sumter start american civil war. while many gold seekers held sympathies confederacy, vast majority remained fiercely loyal union cause.

in 1862, force of texas cavalry invaded territory of new mexico , captured santa fe on march 10. object of western campaign seize or disrupt gold fields of colorado , california , seize ports on pacific ocean confederacy. hastily organized force of colorado volunteers force-marched denver city, colorado territory, glorieta pass, new mexico territory, in attempt block texans. on march 28, coloradans , local new mexico volunteers stopped texans @ battle of glorieta pass, destroyed cannon , supply wagons, , dispersed 500 of horses , mules. texans forced retreat santa fe. having lost supplies campaign , finding little support in new mexico, texans abandoned santa fe , returned san antonio in defeat. confederacy made no further attempts seize southwestern united states.

in 1864, territorial governor john evans appointed reverend john chivington colonel of colorado volunteers orders protect white settlers cheyenne , arapaho warriors accused of stealing cattle. colonel chivington ordered men attack band of cheyenne , arapaho encamped along sand creek. chivington reported troops killed more 500 warriors. militia returned denver city in triumph, several officers reported so-called battle blatant massacre of indians @ peace, of dead women , children, , bodies of dead had been hideously mutilated , desecrated. 3 u.s. army inquiries condemned action, , incoming president andrew johnson asked governor evans resignation, none of perpetrators ever punished. event known sand creek massacre.

mount of holy cross photographed william henry jackson in 1874

in midst , aftermath of civil war, many discouraged prospectors returned homes, few stayed , developed mines, mills, farms, ranches, roads, , towns in colorado territory. on september 14, 1864, james huff discovered silver near argentine pass, first of many silver strikes. in 1867, union pacific railroad laid tracks west weir, julesburg, in northeast corner of territory. union pacific linked central pacific railroad @ promontory summit, utah, on may 10, 1869, form first transcontinental railroad. denver pacific railway reached denver in june following year, , kansas pacific arrived 2 months later forge second line across continent. in 1872, rich veins of silver discovered in san juan mountains on ute indian reservation in southwestern colorado. ute people removed san juans following year.

statehood

the georgetown loop of colorado central railroad photographed william henry jackson in 1899

the united states congress passed enabling act on march 3, 1875, specifying requirements territory of colorado become state. on august 1, 1876 (28 days after centennial of united states), u.s. president ulysses s. grant signed proclamation admitting colorado union 38th state , earning moniker centennial state .

the discovery of major silver lode near leadville in 1878 triggered colorado silver boom. sherman silver purchase act of 1890 invigorated silver mining, , colorado s last, greatest, gold strike @ cripple creek few months later lured new generation of gold seekers. colorado women granted right vote beginning on november 7, 1893, making colorado second state grant universal suffrage , first 1 popular vote (of colorado men). repeal of sherman silver purchase act in 1893 led staggering collapse of mining , agricultural economy of colorado, state , steadily recovered. between 1880s , 1930s, denver s floriculture industry developed major industry in colorado. period became known locally carnation gold rush.

colorado became first western state host major political convention when democratic party met in denver in 1908. u.s. census in 1930, population of colorado first exceeded 1 million residents. colorado suffered through great depression , dust bowl of 1930s, major wave of immigration following world war ii boosted colorado s fortune. tourism became mainstay of state economy, , high technology became important economic engine. united states census bureau estimated population of colorado exceeded 5 million in 2009.

three warships of u.s. navy have been named uss colorado. first uss colorado named colorado river. later 2 ships named in honor of state, including battleship uss colorado served in world war ii in pacific beginning in 1941. @ time of attack on pearl harbor, uss colorado located @ naval base in san diego, calif. , hence went unscathed.