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800-COLORADO Â
  #  Entered Union  Year Settled 38th      Aug. 1, 1876       1858  Nickname Centennial State  Rank     Population 22nd     4,939,456  Rank     Square Miles 8th         104,094  State Bird  State Flower  State Tree  State Motto Nil sine numine                  Nothing without God's will Called the "Centennial State," because it became the 38th state when the U.S. turned 100 in 1876, Colorado is most closely associated with the Rocky Mountains and has numerous peaks over 14,000 feet.  The state's name comes from a Spanish word meaning "red" or "ruddy," the color of much of the state's terrain. Today, Colorado is known for its vast cattle ranges, agricultural acreage, and snow-covered mountains that are ideal for winter sports. Its capital is Denver.  Welcome to the state of Colorado. It's a land with a history of cliff dwellers, gold miners, railroad travelers, and homesteaders. It's a place associated with outdoor adventure, ski resorts, and many successful businesses. Entering the Union on August 1, 1876, the year the U.S. celebrated its 100th birthday, the 38th state is known as the Centennial State. Do you know anyone who lives in Colorado? Do you know who lived there 900 years ago?  Among the early inhabitants were Native Americans, the Anasazi (the "ancient ones," pronounced a-ne-'sa-ze) cliff dwellers. They lived high on the mountainous stone plateaus of Mesa Verde until the late 1200s. Most people believe the Anasazi left because of drought and other extreme conditions, some of which are still mysteries. You can visit the remains of these cliff dwellings today.  The Spanish and the French explored the area before the U.S. combined property into the Colorado Territory in 1861. By that time the population of settlers was already growing rapidly. Why?  Gold! The 1858 discovery of gold caused a population boom, just like it did in California 10 years earlier. The miners found other profitable minerals as well and continued to mine for many years. As late as the 1940s, mountain streams in Ouray County ran yellow because of the residue (tailings) from the gold mills. Settlers also discovered Colorado's exquisite natural beauty.  Railroads brought ever more travelers and settlers to Colorado, where many stayed because of the richness of the state's agricultural production and its physical beauty. They rode trains like this one through the Rocky Mountains. Have you visited Colorado? What else do you know about the Centennial State?  Many people know that the Rocky Mountains make up an enormous chain of mountains in western North America that extends 3,000 miles from Canada through the United States to Mexico. But did you know that the tallest mountain in Colorado, part of the Rocky Mountains, is called Mount Elbert, which is 14,433 feet high?  The Rocky Mountains form the Continental Divide, the mountainous ridge that runs north to south along North America and causes water to drain in separate rivers flowing to different sides of the continent. Eventually, these rivers lead to the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans as well as the Gulf of Mexico.  In 1915, Congress designated some of this mountainous area in Colorado as Rocky Mountain National Park. The tallest mountain in this park is Longs Peak, which is 14,256 feet high.  Did you know that Colorado used to be owned by Spain? In the early 1700s the area that is now Colorado was claimed by Spain, and eventually France controlled most of it. Later, in 1803, the Eastern part of Colorado became part of the Louisiana Purchase (a deal between France and the U.S.), with the rest remaining in Spanish, and later, Mexican control until 1848.  In Denver, Colorado, and many other cities, people of Hispanic and Mexican descent have a Cinco de Mayo festival with storytelling, parades, food, and dancing to the beat of salsa and mariachi music. Cinco de Mayo is Spanish for the Fifth of May. On this day in 1862 Mexican peasants won a battle against French invaders in La Puebla, Mexico. Many people mistake Cinco de Mayo for Mexican Independence Day, but that happened on September 16, 1810 -- more than 50 years earlier.  This Hispanic celebration began in Denver in 1987 as a small neighborhood street festival. By 1996 the weekend event had become so large -- attracting a half-million festival-goers -- that it moved to its new home in Denver's Civic Center Park. Does your city have a Cinco de Mayo celebration? The next time you have the opportunity, go and help celebrate!  Every year American Indians have a powwow in Denver, Colorado, that attracts people from all 50 states and 14 countries. A powwow is a social gathering of Indian peoples to honor their heritage that has been passed down through generations. More than 80 Indian tribes come to the Denver March Powwow to celebrate their history and culture through arts and crafts, storytelling, music and dance.  There are many different types of powwow dances. During InterTribal dancing, everyone from all the different tribes and all age groups dance together. Even though they are dancing as a group, each dancer moves independently to the beat of the drum - expressing his or her own feelings and creating a unique style.  Other dances include the Men's Traditional Dance. This is the oldest form of Indian dancing, and historically only the warriors were allowed to dance in a circle. This dance is a form of storytelling in which the men act out things they have done in battles or on a hunt. In the Women's Jingle Dress Dance, women wear dresses with "jingles" on them and dance in a sort of side-step around a sick person in order to help cure him.  |
