COLORADO HISTORY

THE EXPLORERS

Which Native Americangroups lived in

this region duringthe period of exploration?

UTE

Little is known of their early culture Lived in extended family groups (not larger tribes) Much respect for the older people in their family Traded with other Indian Tribes & the Spanish THE HORSE: Ute’s traded their children for

horses What would the horse help them to accomplish?

Changes

Know families were coming together in larger groups

Worked together Also much conflict Began to adopt some traditions/customs of the

Plains Indians

Important events affecting the

“ownership” of Colorado

“PreColumbian”before Columbus

Native Americans lived in Colorado

(before 1492)

Colonial claims in the early 1700s

France claims “Louisiana”, then loses it to Spanish, then regains it, then sells land

between Mississippi & Rockies to US (1803)

Mexico wins independence from

Spain --- former Spanish lands are

now Mexican (including parts of

Colorado)1810-20

Mexican American War 1848

Mexican American War 1848 Mexico's cession of Alta California and Nuevo México

and its recognition of U.S. sovereignty over all of Texas north of the Rio Grande formalized the addition of 1.2 million mi of territory to the United States.

In return the United States agreed to pay $15 million and assumed the claims of its citizens against Mexico.

A final territorial adjustment between Mexico and the United States was made by the Gadsen Purchase in 1853.

CONCLUSION OF THE EXPLORERS

These explorers had done little more than chart the rivers and provide basic geographic information

It was left to the mountain men to be the true explorers of the Rocky Mountain frontier