The area currently occupied by the

U.S. The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

State of Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the ...

has undergone numerous changes in occupancy, territorial claims, and political designations. Paleoamericans entered the region about 11,500 BCE,Cassells, E. Steve. (1997). ''The Archeology of Colorado'', Revised Edition. Boulder, Colorado: Johnson Books. pp. 53-54. . although new research indicates the region may have been visited much earlier. At least nine Native American nations have called the area home. Although

Europeans Europeans are the focus of European ethnology, the field of anthropology related to the various ethnic groups that reside in the states of Europe. Groups may be defined by common genetic ancestry, common language, or both. Pan and Pfeil (2004) ...

may have entered the region as early as 1540, the first

European European, or Europeans, or Europeneans, may refer to: In general * ''European'', an adjective referring to something of, from, or related to Europe ** Ethnic groups in Europe ** Demographics of Europe ** European cuisine, the cuisines of Europe ...

fort A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...

was not constructed until 1819, and the first

town A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an ori ...

was not established until 1851, primarily due to the opposition of the

Ute people Ute () are the Indigenous people of the Ute tribe and culture among the Indigenous peoples of the Great Basin. They had lived in sovereignty in the regions of present-day Utah and Colorado in the Southwestern United States for many centuries unt ...

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

, and the

Republic of Texas The Republic of Texas ( es, República de Tejas) was a sovereign state in North America that existed from March 2, 1836, to February 19, 1846, that bordered Mexico, the Republic of the Rio Grande in 1840 (another breakaway republic from Mex ...

have all claimed areas of future state. The

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

first claimed an eastern portion of the future state with the

Louisiana Purchase The Louisiana Purchase (french: Vente de la Louisiane, translation=Sale of Louisiana) was the acquisition of the territory of Louisiana by the United States from the French First Republic in 1803. In return for fifteen million dollars, or app ...

of 1803. The United States surrendered the portion of the region south and west of the

Arkansas River The Arkansas River is a major tributary of the Mississippi River. It generally flows to the east and southeast as it traverses the U.S. states of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The river's source basin lies in the western United Stat ...

to the

Spanish Empire The Spanish Empire ( es, link=no, Imperio español), also known as the Hispanic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Hispánica) or the Catholic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Católica) was a colonial empire governed by Spain and its prede ...

with the

Adams–Onís Treaty The Adams–Onís Treaty () of 1819, also known as the Transcontinental Treaty, the Florida Purchase Treaty, or the Florida Treaty,Weeks, p.168. was a treaty between the United States and Spain in 1819 that ceded Florida to the U.S. and defined t ...

in 1821. The United States completed its acquisition of the region with the

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ( es, Tratado de Guadalupe Hidalgo), officially the Treaty of Peace, Friendship, Limits, and Settlement between the United States of America and the United Mexican States, is the peace treaty that was signed on 2 ...

that ended the

Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War, also known in the United States as the Mexican War and in Mexico as the (''United States intervention in Mexico''), was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. It followed the 1 ...

in 1848. The United States created the

free Free may refer to: Concept * Freedom, having the ability to do something, without having to obey anyone/anything * Freethought, a position that beliefs should be formed only on the basis of logic, reason, and empiricism * Emancipate, to procur ...

Territory of Colorado The Territory of Colorado was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from February 28, 1861, until August 1, 1876, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Colorado. The territory was organized in the w ...

in 1861 following the

Pikes Peak Gold Rush The Pike's Peak Gold Rush (later known as the Colorado Gold Rush) was the boom in gold prospecting and mining in the Pike's Peak Country of western Kansas Territory and southwestern Nebraska Territory of the United States that began in July 1858 a ...

. The Territory fought for the

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

despite many of its founders being natives of slave states or territories. The Territory of Colorado joined the

as the State of Colorado in 1876, the centennial year of the United States. __TOC__

Indigenous peoples

Indigenous peoples Indigenous peoples are culturally distinct ethnic groups whose members are directly descended from the earliest known inhabitants of a particular geographic region and, to some extent, maintain the language and culture of those original people ...

who have lived in the area of the present State of Colorado: Mesa-Verde---Cliff-Palace-in 1891 - edit1

* Paleoamericans ** Pre-Clovis cultureFisher, Jr., John W. N.D. ''Observations on the Late Pleistocene Bone Bed Assemblage from the Lamb Spring Site, Colorado.'' In Ice Age Hunters of the Rockies by Dennis Stanford and Jane S. Day, pp. 51–81. Denver Museum of Natural History; Niwot: University Press of Colorado, 1992 **

Clovis culture The Clovis culture is a prehistoric Paleoamerican culture, named for distinct stone and bone tools found in close association with Pleistocene fauna, particularly two mammoths, at Blackwater Locality No. 1 near Clovis, New Mexico, in 1936 ...

Folsom culture The Folsom Complex is a Paleo-Indian archaeological culture that occupied much of central North America from c. 8500 BCE to c. 4000 BCE. The term was first used in 1927 by Jesse Dade Figgins, director of the Colorado Museum of Natural History. ...

Plano cultures The Plano cultures is a name given by archaeologists to a group of disparate hunter-gatherer communities that occupied the Great Plains area of North America during the Paleo-Indian or Archaic period. Distinguishing characteristics The Plano cu ...

Wheat, J.B. (1972). "The Olsen-Chubbuck site: a paleo-Indian bison kill". ''Memoirs of the Society for American Archaeology'' 26. * Archaic Period **

Apex complex Apex complex is a cultural tradition of the Middle Archaic period. Apex complex artifacts, dated from about 3000 to 500 BC, first appeared in the Magic Mountain site near Apex Creek in Colorado. The Irwins, archaeologists at Magic Mountain, bel ...

Irwin, Henry J. and Cynthia C. Irwin (1966) ''Excavations at Magic Mountain: A Diachronic Study of Plains-Southwest Relations.'' Denver Museum of Natural History Proceedings Number 12. October 20, 1966. **

Archaic–Early Basketmaker Era The Archaic–Early Basketmaker Era (7000–1500 BCE) was an Archaic cultural period of ancestors to the Ancient Pueblo People. They were distinguished from other Archaic people of the Southwest by their basketry which was used to gather and ...

Mount Albion complex The Mount Albion complex was an early Archaic culture from about 4050 to 3050 BC, particularly distinguished by the Mount Albion side-notched projectile. It was called by James Gunnerson, the best known early Archaic culture in Colorado. It is re ...

Gunnerson, James H
''Archaeology of the High Plains''

Denver Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...

United States Forest Service The United States Forest Service (USFS) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands. The Forest Service manages of land. Major divisions of the agency inc ...

, 1987. p. 28. * Post-Archaic Period **

Apishapa culture The Apishapa culture, or Apishapa Phase, a prehistoric culture from 1000 to 1400, was named based upon an archaeological site in the Lower Apishapa canyon in Colorado.Gibbon, Guy E.; Ames, Kenneth M. (1998''Archaeology of Prehistoric Native Americ ...

Dismal River culture The Dismal River culture refers to a set of cultural attributes first seen in the Dismal River area of Nebraska in the 1930s by archaeologists William Duncan Strong, Waldo Rudolph Wedel and A. T. Hill. Also known as Dismal River aspect and Dism ...

Cassells, E. Steve. (1997). ''The Archaeology of Colorado'', Revised Edition. Boulder, Colorado: Johnson Books. pp. 320. . **

Panhandle culture Panhandle culture is a prehistoric culture of the southern High Plains during the Middle Ceramic Period from AD 1200 to 1400. Panhandle sites are primarily in the Oklahoma Panhandle, panhandle and Oklahoma, west central Oklahoma and the northern ...

** Sopris phase ** Plains-Woodland *

Ancestral Puebloans The Ancestral Puebloans, also known as the Anasazi, were an ancient Native American culture that spanned the present-day Four Corners region of the United States, comprising southeastern Utah, northeastern Arizona, northwestern New Mexico, a ...

Cordell, Linda S. ''Ancient Pueblo Peoples''. St. Remy Press and Smithsonian Institution, 1994. **

Mesa Verde Mesa Verde National Park is an American national park and UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Montezuma County, Colorado. The park protects some of the best-preserved Ancestral Puebloan archaeological sites in the United States. Established ...

* Native American Nations **

Apache Nation The Apache () are a group of culturally related Native American tribes in the Southwestern United States, which include the Chiricahua, Jicarilla, Lipan, Mescalero, Mimbreño, Ndendahe (Bedonkohe or Mogollon and Nednhi or Carrizaleño and ...

***

Jicarilla Apache Jicarilla Apache (, Jicarilla language: Jicarilla Dindéi), one of several loosely organized autonomous bands of the Eastern Apache, refers to the members of the Jicarilla Apache Nation currently living in New Mexico and speaking a Southern Athab ...

Arapaho Nation The Arapaho (; french: Arapahos, ) are a Native American people historically living on the plains of Colorado and Wyoming. They were close allies of the Cheyenne tribe and loosely aligned with the Lakota and Dakota. By the 1850s, Arapaho band ...

***

Northern Arapaho The Wind River Indian Reservation, in the west-central portion of the U.S. state of Wyoming, is shared by two Native Americans in the United States, Native American tribes, the Eastern Shoshone ( shh, Gweechoon Deka, ''meaning: "buffalo eaters" ...

***

Southern Arapaho The Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes are a united, Federally recognized tribes, federally recognized tribe of Southern Arapaho and Southern Cheyenne people in western Oklahoma. History The Cheyennes and Arapahos are two distinct tribes with distinct ...

Cheyenne Nation The Cheyenne ( ) are an Indigenous people of the Great Plains. Their Cheyenne language belongs to the Algonquian language family. Today, the Cheyenne people are split into two federally recognized nations: the Southern Cheyenne, who are enrolle ...

Comanche Nation The Comanche or Nʉmʉnʉʉ ( com, Nʉmʉnʉʉ, "the people") are a Native American tribe from the Southern Plains of the present-day United States. Comanche people today belong to the federally recognized Comanche Nation, headquartered in La ...

Kiowa Nation Kiowa () people are a Native American tribe and an indigenous people of the Great Plains of the United States. They migrated southward from western Montana into the Rocky Mountains in Colorado in the 17th and 18th centuries,Pritzker 326 and eve ...

Navajo Nation The Navajo Nation ( nv, Naabeehó Bináhásdzo), also known as Navajoland, is a Native American reservation in the United States. It occupies portions of northeastern Arizona, northwestern New Mexico, and southeastern Utah; at roughly , the ...

Pawnee Nation The Pawnee are a Central Plains Indian tribe that historically lived in Nebraska and northern Kansas but today are based in Oklahoma. Today they are the federally recognized Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma, who are headquartered in Pawnee, Oklahoma. Th ...

** Shoshone Nation ***

Eastern Shoshone Eastern Shoshone are Shoshone who primarily live in Wyoming and in the northeast corner of the Great Basin where Utah, Idaho and Wyoming meet and are in the Great Basin classification of Indigenous People. They lived in the Rocky Mountains du ...

Ute Nation Ute () are the Indigenous people of the Ute tribe and culture among the Indigenous peoples of the Great Basin. They had lived in sovereignty in the regions of present-day Utah and Colorado in the Southwestern United States for many centuries unt ...

*** Capote Ute band — native to the upper

Rio Grande The Rio Grande ( and ), known in Mexico as the Río Bravo del Norte or simply the Río Bravo, is one of the principal rivers (along with the Colorado River) in the southwestern United States and in northern Mexico. The length of the Rio G ...

valley and the

San Luis Valley The San Luis Valley is a region in south-central Colorado with a small portion overlapping into New Mexico. The valley is approximately long and wide, extending from the Continental Divide on the northwest rim into New Mexico on the south. It co ...

. *** Mouache Ute band — native to the eastern slope of the

Southern Rocky Mountains The Southern Rocky Mountains are a major subregion of the Rocky Mountains of North America located in the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of Wyoming, the central and western portions of Colorado, the northern portion of New Mexico, and ex ...

, from

south into New Mexico. *** Parianuche Ute band, later known as the Grand River or White River band — native to the upper

Colorado River The Colorado River ( es, Río Colorado) is one of the principal rivers (along with the Rio Grande) in the Southwestern United States and northern Mexico. The river drains an expansive, arid drainage basin, watershed that encompasses parts of ...

valley. *** Tabeguache Ute band, later known as the Uncompahgre band — native to the

Gunnison River The Gunnison River is located in western Colorado, United States and is one of the largest tributaries of the Colorado River. Description The river flows east to west and has a drainage area of according to the USGS. The drainage basin of ...

and

Uncompahgre River The Uncompahgre River is a tributary of the Gunnison River, approximately 75 mi (121 km) long, in southwestern Colorado in the United States. Lake Como at 12,215 ft (3723m) in northern San Juan County, in the Uncompahgre National ...

valleys. *** Weeminuche Ute band — native to the San Juan River basin in Colorado and New Mexico. *** Yamparica Ute band, later known as the White River band — native to northwestern Colorado. *** Uintah Ute bands including the bands named

Cumumba Cumumba (also called Weber Utes and Cumumba Utes) is a Native American tribe of mixed Shoshone and Ute heritage who lived above Great Salt Lake, near what is now Ogden, Utah. Cumumbas were classified as members of the Uintah tribe by the U.S. g ...

Pahvant Pahvant (''Pavant, Parant, Pahva-nits'') was a band of Ute people that lived in present-day Utah. Called the "Water People", they fished and hunted waterfowl. They were also farmers and hunter-gatherers. In the 18th century they were known to be f ...

, San Pitch, Sheberetch, Tumpanawach, and Uinta-ats — native to eastern Utah.

Early European claims

Early

Iberia The Iberian Peninsula (), ** * Aragonese and Occitan: ''Peninsula Iberica'' ** ** * french: Péninsule Ibérique * mwl, Península Eibérica * eu, Iberiar penintsula also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in southwestern Europe, defi ...

n claims in the

New World The term ''New World'' is often used to mean the majority of Earth's Western Hemisphere, specifically the Americas."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: Oxford University Press, p. 3 ...

* Christopher Columbus (''Cristòffa Cómbo'') leads his first voyage from August 3, 1492, to March 15, 1493. :Columbus led the first

southern Europe Southern Europe is the southern regions of Europe, region of Europe. It is also known as Mediterranean Europe, as its geography is essentially marked by the Mediterranean Sea. Definitions of Southern Europe include some or all of these countrie ...

an expedition to the

Americas The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World. Along with th ...

. Columbus substantially underestimated the

circumference of the Earth Earth's circumference is the distance around Earth. Measured around the Equator, it is . Measured around the poles, the circumference is . Measurement of Earth's circumference has been important to navigation since ancient times. The first kno ...

and mistook the

Lucayan Archipelago The Lucayan Archipelago (named for the original native Lucayan people), also known as the Bahama Archipelago, is an island group comprising the Commonwealth of The Bahamas and the British Overseas Territory of the Turks and Caicos Islands. The a ...

and the

Greater Antilles The Greater Antilles ( es, Grandes Antillas or Antillas Mayores; french: Grandes Antilles; ht, Gwo Zantiy; jam, Grieta hAntiliiz) is a grouping of the larger islands in the Caribbean Sea, including Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, and ...

for the southern islands of the

Japanese Archipelago The Japanese archipelago (Japanese: 日本列島, ''Nihon rettō'') is a archipelago, group of 6,852 islands that form the country of Japan, as well as the Russian island of Sakhalin. It extends over from the Sea of Okhotsk in the northeast to t ...

. Nevertheless, this expedition became the basis for the

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...

claim to all of the Americas. Spain and Portugal

Pope Alexander VI Pope Alexander VI ( it, Alessandro VI, va, Alexandre VI, es, Alejandro VI; born Rodrigo de Borja; ca-valencia, Roderic Llançol i de Borja ; es, Rodrigo Lanzol y de Borja, lang ; 1431 – 18 August 1503) was head of the Catholic Churc ...

issues his papal bull ''Inter Caetera'' on May 4, 1493. :After receiving accounts of the first voyage of Columbus,

Valencia Valencia ( va, València) is the capital of the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Valencian Community, Valencia and the Municipalities of Spain, third-most populated municipality in Spain, with 791,413 inhabitants. It is ...

n Pope Alexander VI issued this papal bull that split the non-Christian world into two halves for

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

exploration, conquest, conversion, and exploitation. The eastern half went to the

King of Portugal This is a list of Portuguese monarchs who ruled from the establishment of the Kingdom of Portugal, in 1139, to the deposition of the Portuguese monarchy and creation of the Portuguese Republic with the 5 October 1910 revolution. Through the n ...

and the western half (including almost all of the

) went to the

Queen of Castile This is a list of kings and queens of the Kingdom of Castile, Kingdom and Crown of Castile. For their predecessors, see List of Castilian counts. Kings and Queens of Castile Jiménez dynasty House of Ivrea The following dynasts are de ...

and the

King of Aragon This is a list of the kings and queens of Aragon. The Kingdom of Aragon was created sometime between 950 and 1035 when the County of Aragon, which had been acquired by the Kingdom of Navarre in the tenth century, was separated from Navarre in ...

. *The

Treaty of Tordesillas The Treaty of Tordesillas, ; pt, Tratado de Tordesilhas . signed in Tordesillas, Spain on 7 June 1494, and authenticated in Setúbal, Portugal, divided the newly discovered lands outside Europe between the Portuguese Empire and the Spanish Emp ...

is signed on June 7, 1494. :This treaty signed by the

Portuguese Empire The Portuguese Empire ( pt, Império Português), also known as the Portuguese Overseas (''Ultramar Português'') or the Portuguese Colonial Empire (''Império Colonial Português''), was composed of the overseas colonies, factories, and the l ...

and the

established a new demarcation

meridian Meridian or a meridian line (from Latin ''meridies'' via Old French ''meridiane'', meaning “midday”) may refer to Science * Meridian (astronomy), imaginary circle in a plane perpendicular to the planes of the celestial equator and horizon * ...

farther west than the meridian established by the papal bull ''Inter Caetera''. This gave Portugal a much greater portion of

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

but kept the rest of the

under Spanish purview.

Pope Julius II Pope Julius II ( la, Iulius II; it, Giulio II; born Giuliano della Rovere; 5 December 144321 February 1513) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 1503 to his death in February 1513. Nicknamed the Warrior Pope or th ...

sanctioned the treaty with his papal bull ''

Ea quae pro bono pacis Ea quae pro bono pacis (''For the promotion of peace'') was a bull issued by Pope Julius II on 24 January 1506 by which the Treaty of Tordesillas, which divided the world unknown to Europeans between Portugal and Spain, but lacked papal approval as ...

'' issued on January 24, 1506. *

Vasco Núñez de Balboa Vasco Núñez de Balboa (; c. 1475around January 12–21, 1519) was a Spanish explorer, governor, and conquistador. He is best known for having crossed the Isthmus of Panama to the Pacific Ocean in 1513, becoming the first European to lead an ...

claims the ''Mar del Sur'' (Pacific Ocean) and all adjacent lands for the

on September 29, 1513. :The members of the Balboa expedition became the first

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

ans to reach the eastern Pacific Ocean. The Balboa claim included all of the

west of the

Continental Divide A continental divide is a drainage divide on a continent such that the drainage basin on one side of the divide feeds into one ocean or sea, and the basin on the other side either feeds into a different ocean or sea, or else is endorheic, not ...

Spanish Empire 1492-1821

Territorial claims of the

in the area of the present State of Colorado: Landing of Columbus (2)

Columbus Columbus is a Latinized version of the Italian surname "''Colombo''". It most commonly refers to: * Christopher Columbus (1451-1506), the Italian explorer * Columbus, Ohio, capital of the U.S. state of Ohio Columbus may also refer to: Places ...

claims

San Salvador San Salvador (; ) is the capital and the largest city of El Salvador and its eponymous department. It is the country's political, cultural, educational and financial center. The Metropolitan Area of San Salvador, which comprises the capital i ...

for the

Catholic Monarchs of Spain The Catholic Monarchs were Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon, whose marriage and joint rule marked the ''de facto'' unification of Spain. They were both from the House of Trastámara and were second cousins, being both ...

on October 12, 1492. :

, 1492-1821 :Columbus landed on the

Taíno The Taíno were a historic Indigenous peoples of the Caribbean, indigenous people of the Caribbean whose culture has been continued today by Taíno descendant communities and Taíno revivalist communities. At the time of European contact in the ...

island of

Guanahani Guanahaní is an island in the Bahamas that was the first land in the New World sighted and visited by Christopher Columbus' first voyage, on 12 October 1492. It is a bean-shaped island that Columbus changed from its native Taíno name to San Sa ...

in the

Bahamas The Bahamas (), officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the West Indies in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic. It takes up 97% of the Lucayan Archipelago's land area and is home to ...

which he renamed San Salvador and claimed for Queen Isabel I of Castile and the King Fernando II of Aragon. This claim became the founding basis for the

Hernán Cortés Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro Altamirano, 1st Marquess of the Valley of Oaxaca (; ; 1485 – December 2, 1547) was a Spanish ''conquistador'' who led an expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire and brought large portions of w ...

defeats

Cuauhtémoc Cuauhtémoc (, ), also known as Cuauhtemotzín, Guatimozín, or Guatémoc, was the Aztec ruler (''tlatoani'') of Tenochtitlan from 1520 to 1521, making him the last Aztec Emperor. The name Cuauhtemōc means "one who has descended like an eagle" ...

and seizes

Tenochtitlán , ; es, Tenochtitlan also known as Mexico-Tenochtitlan, ; es, México-Tenochtitlan was a large Mexican in what is now the historic center of Mexico City. The exact date of the founding of the city is unclear. The date 13 March 1325 was ...

on August 13, 1521. :

Viceroyalty of New Spain New Spain, officially the Viceroyalty of New Spain ( es, Virreinato de Nueva España, ), or Kingdom of New Spain, was an integral territorial entity of the Spanish Empire, established by Habsburg Spain during the Spanish colonization of the Amer ...

, 1521-1821 :Upon his conquest of the

Aztec Empire The Aztec Empire or the Triple Alliance ( nci, Ēxcān Tlahtōlōyān, Help:IPA/Nahuatl, �jéːʃkaːn̥ t͡ɬaʔtoːˈlóːjaːn̥ was an alliance of three Nahua peoples, Nahua altepetl, city-states: , , and . These three city-states ruled ...

, Cortés renamed

México Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

and proclaimed the establishment of Nueva España (New Spain). *

Francisco Vázquez de Coronado Francisco Vázquez de Coronado y Luján (; 1510 – 22 September 1554) was a Spanish conquistador and explorer who led a large expedition from what is now Mexico to present-day Kansas through parts of the southwestern United States between 15 ...

leads an expedition north from Compostela on February 23, 1540. :Coronado led an extensive expedition north from

New Spain New Spain, officially the Viceroyalty of New Spain ( es, Virreinato de Nueva España, ), or Kingdom of New Spain, was an integral territorial entity of the Spanish Empire, established by Habsburg Spain during the Spanish colonization of the Am ...

in search of the mythical

Seven Cities of Gold The myth of the Seven Cities of Gold, also known as the Seven Cities of Cibola (), was popular in the 16th century and later featured in several works of popular culture. According to legend, the seven cities of gold referred to Aztec mythology r ...

. The expedition explored the future

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...

s of

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Tiguex , OfficialLang = None , Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ker ...

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

Oklahoma Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...

Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...

, and possibly

Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of t ...

Juan de Oñate Juan de Oñate y Salazar (; 1550–1626) was a Spanish conquistador from New Spain, explorer, and colonial governor of the province of Santa Fe de Nuevo México in the viceroyalty of New Spain. He led early Spanish expeditions to the Great Pla ...

establishes the Spanish colony of

Santa Fe de Nuevo Méjico Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa, is a legendary figure originating in Western Christian culture who is said to bring children gifts during the late evening and overnight ...

on July 12, 1598. :

Santa Fé de Nuevo Méjico Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa, is a legendary figure originating in Western Christian culture who is said to bring children gifts during the late evening and overnight ...

, 1598–1821 :Oñate established the colony of Santa Fe de Nuevo Méjico at the village of

San Juan de los Caballeros Ohkay Owingeh (Tewa: Ohkwee Ówîngeh ), known by its Spanish name as San Juan de los Caballeros from 1589 to 2005, is a pueblo and census-designated place (CDP) in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico. Ohkay Owingeh is also a federally recognized tribe ...

adjacent to the

Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo Ohkay Owingeh ( Tewa: Ohkwee Ówîngeh ), known by its Spanish name as San Juan de los Caballeros from 1589 to 2005, is a pueblo and census-designated place (CDP) in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico. Ohkay Owingeh is also a federally recognized tribe ...

at the confluence of the río Bravo (Rio Grande) and the río Chama. At its greatest extent, the colony encompassed all of the present

and portions of

Utah Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...

Wyoming Wyoming () is a U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the south ...

Nebraska Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the southwe ...

, and the

Mexican state The states of Mexico are first-level administrative territorial entities of the country of Mexico, which is officially named Mexico, United Mexican States. There are 32 federal entities in Mexico (31 states and the capital, Mexico City, as a sepa ...

Chihuahua Chihuahua may refer to: Places *Chihuahua (state), a Mexican state **Chihuahua (dog), a breed of dog named after the state **Chihuahua cheese, a type of cheese originating in the state **Chihuahua City, the capital city of the state **Chihuahua Mun ...

. *The

is signed on February 22, 1819, and takes effect on February 22, 1821. :On February 22, 1819, the

and the

signed the Treaty of Amity, Settlement, and Limits Between the United States of America and His Catholic Majesty. This treaty took effect two years later on February 22, 1821. The Spanish Empire ceded

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

, land east of the Sabine River, and claims north of the

41st parallel north The 41st parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 41 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Europe, the Mediterranean Sea, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America, and the Atlantic Ocean. At this latitude the sun is vis ...

to the United States. The United States ceded a southwestern portion of the

Mississippi River basin The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it fl ...

to the Spanish Empire. *The

Treaty of Córdoba The Treaty of Córdoba established Mexican independence from Spain at the conclusion of the Mexican War of Independence. It was signed on August 24, 1821 in Córdoba, Veracruz, Mexico. The signatories were the head of the Army of the Three Guaran ...

is signed on August 24, 1821. :

Santa Fe de Nuevo México Santa Fe de Nuevo México ( en, Holy Faith of New Mexico; shortened as Nuevo México or Nuevo Méjico, and translated as New Mexico in English) was a Kingdom of the Spanish Empire and New Spain, and later a territory of independent Mexico. The ...

1821–1848 :With this treaty signed at Córdoba on August 24, 1821, the

acknowledged the independence of the

Mexican Empire Mexican Empire may refer to: * First Mexican Empire, the regime under Agustín de Iturbide (Agustín I) from 1821 to 1823 * Second Mexican Empire The Second Mexican Empire (), officially the Mexican Empire (), was a constitutional monarchy est ...

Kingdom of France 1682-1764

Territorial claim of the

Kingdom of France The Kingdom of France ( fro, Reaume de France; frm, Royaulme de France; french: link=yes, Royaume de France) is the historiographical name or umbrella term given to various political entities of France in the medieval and early modern period. ...

to the

* La Salle claims

La Louisiane Louisiana (french: La Louisiane; ''La Louisiane Française'') or French Louisiana was an administrative district of New France. Under French control from 1682 to 1769 and 1801 (nominally) to 1803, the area was named in honor of King Louis XIV, ...

for

King Louis XIV of France , house = Bourbon , father = Louis XIII , mother = Anne of Austria , birth_date = , birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France , death_date = , death_place = Palace of Versa ...

on April 9, 1682. :

, 1682–1762 :Having descended the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...

to its

mouth In animal anatomy, the mouth, also known as the oral cavity, or in Latin cavum oris, is the opening through which many animals take in food and issue vocal sounds. It is also the cavity lying at the upper end of the alimentary canal, bounded on ...

, La Salle claimed the entire Mississippi River basin for the King of France on April 9, 1682. This claim ignored Native Americans living in the region. The

disputed the southwestern extent of this claim as encroaching upon its province of

and later

. This dispute became moot with the signing of the Treaty of Fontainebleau on November 23, 1762, but arose again with the signing of the

Third Treaty of San Ildefonso The Third Treaty of San Ildefonso was a secret agreement signed on 1 October 1800 between the Spanish Empire and the French Republic by which Spain agreed in principle to exchange its North American colony of Louisiana for territories in Tuscany. ...

on October 1, 1800. With the

of 1803, the question of the southwestern extent of

Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...

became a dispute between the

and the Spanish Empire. *The Treaty of Fontainebleau is signed on November 23, 1762, but not announced until September 30, 1764. :

La Luisiana La Luisiana is a city located in the province of Seville, Spain. According to the 2005 census (INE INE, Ine or ine may refer to: Institutions * Institut für Nukleare Entsorgung, a German nuclear research center * Instituto Nacional de Estad� ...

, 1762-1801 :Fearing the loss of all his

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

n territories as a result of the

Seven Years' War The Seven Years' War (1756–1763) was a global conflict that involved most of the European Great Powers, and was fought primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific. Other concurrent conflicts include the French and Indian War (1754� ...

(the

French and Indian War The French and Indian War (1754–1763) was a theater of the Seven Years' War, which pitted the North American colonies of the British Empire against those of the French, each side being supported by various Native American tribes. At the ...

in North America), King Louis XV of France made this secret pact transferring

to his cousin King Carlos III of Spain. Despite the transfer to Spain, the region remained largely

Francophone French became an international language in the Middle Ages, when the power of the Kingdom of France made it the second international language, alongside Latin. This status continued to grow into the 18th century, by which time French was the l ...

Kingdom of Spain 1762-1803

Territorial claims of the

Kingdom of Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

in the

*The Treaty of Fontainebleau is signed on November 23, 1762, but not announced until September 30, 1764. :

, 1762-1801 : King Louis XV of France transferred

to King Carlos III of Spain with this secret pact. *The

is signed on October 1, 1800. :Seeking to restore French presence in the

, French First Consul Napoléon Bonaparte pressured King Carlos IV of Spain to agree to this secret pact to transfer

to the

French Republic France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

in exchange for French claims in

Tuscany Tuscany ( ; it, Toscana ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of about 3.8 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence (''Firenze''). Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, art ...

. *The Treaty of Aranjuez is signed on March 21, 1801. :

, 1801–1803 :This treaty between the

and the

set the terms for the "restoration of

to France." *The

transfers control of

to the

on November 30, 1803. :In a ceremony at Nueva Orleans (New Orleans) on November 30, 1803, Spanish Governor Juan Manuel de Salcedo transferred control of La Luisiana to French Governor Pierre Clement de Laussat. This formal transfer of power was made solely to accommodate the

. On March 9, 1804, a similar ceremony was held at San Luis (St. Louis).

French Republic 1800-1803

Territorial claims of the

in the

: *The

is signed on October 1, 1800. :Seeking to restore French presence in the

, French First Consul Napoléon Bonaparte pressured King Carlos IV of Spain to agree to this secret pact to transfer

to the

in exchange for French claims in

. *The Treaty of Aranjuez is signed on March 21, 1801. :

, 1801–1803 :This treaty between the

and the

set the terms for the "restoration of

to France." *The

is signed on April 30, 1803, announced on July 4, 1803, ratified on October 20, 1803, and transferred on December 20, 1803. :

, 1803 :Wishing to guarantee American navigation rights on the

U.S. President The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...

Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States from 18 ...

offered to purchase the Mississippi River port of

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster. ; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...

from the

. Concerned with the potential cost of future campaigns, French First Consul Napoléon Bonaparte countered with an offer to sell the entire territory of

to the United States. Agreeing to a price of 80 million

French franc The franc (, ; sign: F or Fr), also commonly distinguished as the (FF), was a currency of France. Between 1360 and 1641, it was the name of coins worth 1 livre tournois and it remained in common parlance as a term for this amount of money. It w ...

s or $15 million

U.S. dollar The United States dollar ( symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the officia ...

s, A Treaty between the United States of America and the French Republic was signed on April 30, 1803. *The

transfers control of

to the

. On March 9, 1804, a similar ceremony was held at San Luis (St. Louis). *The

transfers control of

to the

on December 20, 1803. :On December 20, 1803, in a ceremony at La Nouvelle-Orléans (New Orleans) only 20 days after the transfer of Spanish control, French Governor Pierre Clement de Laussat transferred control of La Luisiana to U.S. Governor William Claiborne. On March 10, 1804, a similar ceremony was held at Saint-Louis (St. Louis).

Mexico 1821-1848

Territorial claims of

south and west of the Adams–Onís border: Agustin de Iturbide

*The

is signed on August 24, 1821. :

1821–1823 :With this treaty signed at Córdoba on August 24, 1821, the

acknowledged the independence of the

. :

1823–1824 :

Mexican Republic Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guate ...

1824–1835 *The Treaty of Limits is signed on January 12, 1828, extended on April 5, 1831, and takes effect on April 5, 1832. :On January 12, 1828, the

and the

United Mexican States Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

signed the Treaty of Limits between the United States of America and the United Mexican States. On April 5, 1831, the signatories extended the ratification period with an Additional Article to the Treaty of Limits concluded between the United States of America and the United Mexican States, on the 12th day of January, 1828. This treaty took effect one year later on April 5, 1832, and affirmed the border established between the United States and the

by the

. :

1835–1846 *The

declares its independence from the

on March 2, 1836. :In 1829, the

banned slavery. Many

Texian Texians were Anglo-American residents of Mexican Texas and, later, the Republic of Texas. Today, the term is used to identify early settlers of Texas, especially those who supported the Texas Revolution. Mexican settlers of that era are referr ...

Anglo-American Anglo-Americans are people who are English-speaking inhabitants of Anglo-America. It typically refers to the nations and ethnic groups in the Americas that speak English as a native language, making up the majority of people in the world who spe ...

immigrants in the Mexican state of

Coahuila y Tejas Coahuila y Tejas, officially the Estado Libre y Soberano de Coahuila y Tejas (), was one of the constituent states of the newly established United Mexican States under its 1824 Constitution. It had two capitals: first Saltillo (1822–1825) for ...

, owned slaves. Seven years later on March 2, 1836, the Texians declared their independence as the Republic of Texas. The Mexican Republic refused to recognize the Republic of Texas, although the

recognized the Republic in 1837. *The

annexes the Republic of Texas as the State of Texas on December 29, 1845. :On December 29, 1845,

James K. Polk James Knox Polk (November 2, 1795 – June 15, 1849) was the 11th president of the United States, serving from 1845 to 1849. He previously was the 13th speaker of the House of Representatives (1835–1839) and ninth governor of Tennessee (183 ...

signed the Joint resolution for the admission of the State of Texas into the Union. The United States assumed the territorial claims of the Republic of Texas upon the annexation. The

asserted that the annexation was a violation of the Treaty of Limits. This dispute led to the

. *The

declares war on the

on May 13, 1846. :On May 13, 1846,

signed An act providing for the prosecution of the existing war between the United States and the Republic of Mexico. The

persisted until 1848. *The United States Army of the West seizes Santa Fe on August 15, 1846. :The 1,700 man Army of the West under the command of General Stephen Kearny seized the Nuevo México capital of Santa Fe with little resistance. General Kearny declared himself military governor of New Mexico on August 18, 1846, and established a civilian provisional government of New Mexico. :

1846–1863 *The

is signed on February 2, 1848, and takes effect on May 30, 1848. :

Mexican Cession The Mexican Cession ( es, Cesión mexicana) is the region in the modern-day southwestern United States that Mexico originally controlled, then ceded to the United States in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848 after the Mexican–American War ...

, 1848–1850 :On February 2, 1848, the

and the

signed the Treaty of Peace, Friendship, Limits, and Settlement between the United States of America and the United Mexican States at Guadalupe Hidalgo. This treaty took effect on May 30, 1848, ending the

. Mexico ceded its extensive northern territory to the United States.

Republic of Texas 1836-1845

Territorial claim of the

between the

and the Adams–Onís border: Houston-sam-by-wb-cooper

*The

declares its independence from the

on March 2, 1836. :

disputed with the

, 1836–1845 :On March 2, 1836,

immigrants in the Mexican state of

, declared their independence as the Republic of Texas. The Mexican Republic refused to recognize the Republic of Texas, although the

recognized the Republic in 1837. The

claimed as its eastern and northern border the Adams–Onís border with the

and as its western and southern border the

to its

headwaters The headwaters of a river or stream is the farthest place in that river or stream from its estuary or downstream confluence with another river, as measured along the course of the river. It is also known as a river's source. Definition The ...

, thence north along meridian 107°32′35″ west to the Adams–Onís border with the United States. *The

annexes the Republic of Texas as the State of Texas on December 29, 1845. :

State of Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by bo ...

disputed with the

, 1845–1848 :On December 29, 1845,

signed the Joint resolution for the admission of the State of Texas into the Union. The United States assumed the territorial claims of the Republic of Texas upon the annexation. The

asserted that the annexation was a violation of the Treaty of Limits. This dispute led to the

United States 1803 to present

Historical

political divisions of the United States The United States of America is a federal republic consisting of 50 states, a federal district (Washington, D.C., the capital city of the United States), five major territories, and various minor islands. Both the states and the United ...

in the area of the present State of Colorado: 02 Thomas Jefferson 3x4

*The

is signed on April 30, 1803, announced on July 4, 1803, ratified on October 20, 1803, and transferred on December 20, 1803. :

, 1803 :Wishing to guarantee American navigation rights on the

offered to purchase the Mississippi River port of

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster. ; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...

from the

. Concerned with the potential cost of future campaigns, French First Consul Napoléon Bonaparte countered with an offer to sell the entire territory of

to the United States. Agreeing to a price of 80 million

s or $15 million

s, A Treaty between the United States of America and the French Republic was signed on April 30, 1803. The

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

ratified the treaty on October 20, 1803. On October 21, 1803, President Jefferson signed Louisiana Purchase, An Act to enable the President of the United States to take possession Oct. 31, 1803, of the territories ceded by France to the United States, by the treaty concluded at Paris, on the thirtieth of April last; and for the temporary government thereof. Louisianatransfer exposition1904 vc180

*The

transfers control of

to the

on December 20, 1803. :

Unorganized territory Unorganized territory may refer to: * An unincorporated area in any number of countries * One of the current or former territories of the United States that has not had a government "organized" with an "organic act" by the U.S. Congress * Unorganize ...

created by the

, 1803–1804 :On December 20, 1803, in a ceremony at La Nouvelle-Orléans (New Orleans) only 20 days after the transfer of Spanish control, French Governor Pierre Clement de Laussat transferred control of La Luisiana to U.S. Governor William Claiborne. On March 10, 1804, a similar ceremony was held at Saint-Louis (St. Louis). The Louisiana Purchase remained unorganized and under military control until it was divided on October 1, 1804, into the

Territory of Orleans The Territory of Orleans or Orleans Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from October 1, 1804, until April 30, 1812, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Louisiana. History In 1804, ...

south of the 33rd parallel north and the

District of Louisiana The District of Louisiana, or Louisiana District, was an official and temporary United States government designation for the portion of the Louisiana Purchase that had not been organized into the Territory of Orleans or "Orleans Territory" (the p ...

north of the 33rd parallel north. *The

and the

are created on October 1, 1804. :

, 1804–1805 :On March 26, 1804,

signed An Act erecting Louisiana into two territories, and providing for the temporary government thereof. The Act created the

on October 1, 1804 from the portion of the

north of the 33rd parallel north. The District remained under the jurisdiction of the

Indiana Territory The Indiana Territory, officially the Territory of Indiana, was created by a United States Congress, congressional act that President of the United States, President John Adams signed into law on May 7, 1800, to form an Historic regions of the U ...

until it was reorganized as the

Territory of Louisiana The Territory of Louisiana or Louisiana Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 4, 1805, until June 4, 1812, when it was renamed the Missouri Territory. The territory was formed out of the ...

on July 4, 1805. *The

is created on July 4, 1805. :

, 1805–1812 :On March 3, 1805,

signed An Act further providing for the government of the district of Louisiana. The Act reorganized the

as the

on July 4, 1805. The Territory was reorganized as the

Territory of Missouri The Territory of Missouri was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from June 4, 1812, until August 10, 1821. In 1819, the Territory of Arkansas was created from a portion of its southern area. In 1821, a southeas ...

on June 4, 1812. James Madison (cropped 3x4 close)

*The

is created on June 4, 1812. :

, 1812–1821 :On June 4, 1812,

James Madison James Madison Jr. (March 16, 1751June 28, 1836) was an American statesman, diplomat, and Founding Father. He served as the fourth president of the United States from 1809 to 1817. Madison is hailed as the "Father of the Constitution" for hi ...

signed An Act providing for the government of the territory of Missouri. The Act reorganized the

as the

. On January 30, 1819, the northern border of the Territory with

Rupert's Land Rupert's Land (french: Terre de Rupert), or Prince Rupert's Land (french: Terre du Prince Rupert, link=no), was a territory in British North America which comprised the Hudson Bay drainage basin; this was further extended from Rupert's Land t ...

was altered by the

Anglo-American Convention of 1818 The Convention respecting fisheries, boundary and the restoration of slaves, also known as the London Convention, Anglo-American Convention of 1818, Convention of 1818, or simply the Treaty of 1818, is an international treaty signed in 1818 betw ...

. On March 2, 1819, the United States created the

Territory of Arkansaw The Arkansas Territory was a territory of the United States that existed from July 4, 1819, to June 15, 1836, when the final extent of Arkansas Territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Arkansas. Arkansas Post was the first territor ...

from the southern portion of the Territory. On February 22, 1821, the

reduced the southwestern extent of the Territory. The Territory existed until the admission of the

State of Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...

into the

on August 10, 1821. *The

is signed on February 22, 1819, and takes effect on February 22, 1821. :On February 22, 1819, the

and the restored

, land east of the Sabine River, and claims north of the

to the United States. The United States ceded a southwestern portion of the

to the Spanish Empire. JamesMonroe

*The

Missouri Compromise The Missouri Compromise was a federal legislation of the United States that balanced desires of northern states to prevent expansion of slavery in the country with those of southern states to expand it. It admitted Missouri as a Slave states an ...

is signed on March 6, 1820. :On March 6, 1820,

James Monroe James Monroe ( ; April 28, 1758July 4, 1831) was an American statesman, lawyer, diplomat, and Founding Father who served as the fifth president of the United States from 1817 to 1825. A member of the Democratic-Republican Party, Monroe was ...

signed Missouri Compromise, An Act to authorize the people of the Missouri territory to form a constitution and state government, and for the admission of such state into the Union on an equal footing with the original states, and to prohibit slavery in certain territories. The

allowed Missouri to become a

slave state In the United States before 1865, a slave state was a state in which slavery and the internal or domestic slave trade were legal, while a free state was one in which they were not. Between 1812 and 1850, it was considered by the slave states ...

, but prohibited slavery in the

western territories The Western United States (also called the American West, the Far West, and the West) is the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. As American settlement in the U.S. expanded westward, the meaning of the term ''the Wes ...

north of the

parallel 36°30′ north The parallel 36°30′ north is a circle of latitude that is 36 and one-half degrees north of the equator of the Earth. This parallel of latitude is particularly significant in the history of the United States as the line of the Missouri Com ...

. *The Missouri Statehood Proclamation issued on August 10, 1821. :

previously the northwestern portion of the Missouri Territory, 1821–1854 :On August 10, 1821,

certified that the conditions for

statehood A state is a centralized political organization that imposes and enforces rules over a population within a territory. There is no undisputed definition of a state. One widely used definition comes from the German sociologist Max Weber: a "sta ...

had been fulfilled and issued Proclamation 28 — Admitting Missouri into the Union. The remaining northwestern portion of the

became

unorganized territory Unorganized territory may refer to: * An unincorporated area in any number of countries * One of the current or former territories of the United States that has not had a government "organized" with an "organic act" by the U.S. Congress * Unorganize ...

. *The Treaty of Limits is signed on January 12, 1828, extended on April 5, 1831, and takes effect on April 5, 1832. :On January 12, 1828, the

and the

by the

*The

annexes the Republic of Texas as the State of Texas on December 29, 1845. :On December 29, 1845,

signed the Joint resolution for the admission of the State of Texas into the Union. The United States assumed the territorial claims of the Republic of Texas upon the annexation. The

asserted that the annexation was a violation of the Treaty of Limits. This dispute led to the

. *The

declares war on the

on May 13, 1846. :On May 13, 1846,

signed An act providing for the prosecution of the existing war between the United States and the Republic of Mexico. The

persisted until 1848. Stephen W

*The United States Army of the West seizes Santa Fe on August 15, 1846. :The 1,700 man Army of the West under the command of Brigadier General Stephen Kearny seized the Nuevo México capital of Santa Fe with little resistance. General Kearny assumed command as the first U.S. military governor of New Mexico. On September 22, General Kearny appointed

Charles Bent Charles Bent (November 11, 1799 – January 19, 1847) was an American businessman and politician who served as the first civilian United States governor of the New Mexico Territory, newly acquired by the Military Governor, Stephen Watts Kearny, ...

as the first U.S. civilian governor of New Mexico. *The

is signed on February 2, 1848, and takes effect on May 30, 1848. :On February 2, 1848, the

and the

. Mexico ceded its extensive northern territory to the United States. :

created by the

, 1848–1850 :On May 30, 1848, the northern portion of the

ceded to the United States becomes

*The Provisional State of Deseret is formed on March 10, 1849. : Provisional State of Deseret, 1849–1851 :On March 10, 1849, the Mormon settlers of the Great Salt Lake Valley formed the Provisional Government of the State of Deseret.

Brigham Young Brigham Young (; June 1, 1801August 29, 1877) was an American religious leader and politician. He was the second President of the Church (LDS Church), president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), from 1847 until his ...

was elected

Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

. Deseret encompassed almost all of the present

s of

and

Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. N ...

, and portions of

Oregon Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...

Idaho Idaho ( ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canada–United States border with the province of British Columbia. It borders the states of Montana and Wyom ...

, and

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

, although only the

Wasatch Front The Wasatch Front is a metropolitan region in the north-central part of the U.S. state of Utah. It consists of a chain of contiguous cities and towns stretched along the Wasatch Range from approximately Provo in the south to Logan in the north ...

was occupied. The United States created the

Territory of Utah The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah, the 45th state. ...

on September 9, 1850. Deseret served as the ''

de facto ''De facto'' ( ; , "in fact") describes practices that exist in reality, whether or not they are officially recognized by laws or other formal norms. It is commonly used to refer to what happens in practice, in contrast with ''de jure'' ("by la ...

'' government of the Great Salt Lake Valley until the Provisional State was dissolved on April 4, 1851. *The

Compromise of 1850 The Compromise of 1850 was a package of five separate bills passed by the United States Congress in September 1850 that defused a political confrontation between slave and free states on the status of territories acquired in the Mexican–Ame ...

is approved on September 9, 1850. :

Territory of New Mexico The Territory of New Mexico was an organized incorporated territory of the United States from September 9, 1850, until January 6, 1912. It was created from the U.S. provisional government of New Mexico, as a result of '' Nuevo México'' becoming ...

, 1850–1912 :

, 1850–1896 :On September 9, 1850,

Millard Fillmore Millard Fillmore (January 7, 1800March 8, 1874) was the 13th president of the United States, serving from 1850 to 1853; he was the last to be a member of the Whig Party while in the White House. A former member of the U.S. House of Represen ...

signed three bills: New Mexico Territory, An Act proposing to the State of Texas the Establishment of her Northern and Western Boundaries, the Relinquishment by the said State of all Territory claimed by her exterior to said Boundaries, and of all her Claims upon the United States, and to establish a territorial Government for New Mexico, History of California, An Act for the admission of the State of California into the Union, and Utah Territory, An Act to establish a Territorial Government for Utah. The Territory of Utah existed until January 4, 1896, when it was admitted into the

as the Utah, State of Utah. Utah statehood was delayed over the issue of

polygamy Crimes Polygamy (from Late Greek (') "state of marriage to many spouses") is the practice of marrying multiple spouses. When a man is married to more than one wife at the same time, sociologists call this polygyny. When a woman is married ...

in the Territory. The Territory of New Mexico existed until January 6, 1912, when it was admitted into the

as the

State of New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Tiguex , OfficialLang = None , Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ker ...

. New Mexico statehood was delayed due to the Spanish origins of the Territory. Franklin Pierce - Cropped

*The

Kansas–Nebraska Act The Kansas–Nebraska Act of 1854 () was a territorial organic act that created the territories of Kansas and Nebraska. It was drafted by Democratic Senator Stephen A. Douglas, passed by the 33rd United States Congress, and signed into law by ...

is signed on May 30, 1854. :

Territory of Kansas The Territory of Kansas was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 30, 1854, until January 29, 1861, when the eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the free state of Kansas. T ...

, 1854–1861 :

Territory of Nebraska The Territory of Nebraska was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 30, 1854, until March 1, 1867, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Nebraska. The Nebraska ...

, 1854–1867 :On May 30, 1854,

Franklin Pierce Franklin Pierce (November 23, 1804October 8, 1869) was the 14th president of the United States, serving from 1853 to 1857. He was a northern Democrat who believed that the abolitionist movement was a fundamental threat to the nation's unity ...

signed An Act to Organize the Territories of Nebraska and Kansas. This act superseded the

and provided for the voters of the territories to decide for themselves whether to permit

slavery Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...

. The

unwittingly led to the

. The Territory of Kansas existed until January 29, 1861, when it was admitted into the

as the

State of Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...

. The Territory of Nebraska existed until March 1, 1867, when it was admitted into the

as the

State of Nebraska Nebraska () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas ...

*The Provisional Territory of Jefferson is formed on October 24, 1859. : Provisional Territory of Jefferson, 1859–1861 :On October 24, 1859, the settlers in the Pike's Peak region formed the Provisional Government of the Territory of Jefferson and elected

Robert Williamson Steele Robert Williamson Steele (January 14, 1820 – February 7, 1901) was governor of the extralegal Territory of Jefferson, which existed in the western United States from 1859 to 1861, when it was replaced by the Territory of Colorado. Early life ...

. The Jefferson Territory extended from the

102nd meridian west The meridian 102° west of Greenwich is a line of longitude that extends from the North Pole across the Arctic Ocean, North America, the Pacific Ocean, the Southern Ocean, and Antarctica to the South Pole. The 102nd meridian west forms a great ...

to the

110th meridian west The meridian 110° west of Greenwich is a line of longitude that extends from the North Pole across the Arctic Ocean, North America, the Pacific Ocean, the Southern Ocean, and Antarctica to the South Pole. The 110th meridian west forms a great ...

and from the

37th parallel north The 37th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 37 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Europe, the Mediterranean Sea, Africa, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America, and the Atlantic Ocean. At this latitude the Su ...

to the

43rd parallel north The 43rd parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 43 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Europe, the Mediterranean Sea, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America, and the Atlantic Ocean. On 21 June the sun averages, wi ...

, and encompassed all of the present

and portions of

, and

. The United States created the

on February 28, 1861. The Jefferson Territory served as the ''

'' government of the region until Governor Steele proclaimed the government disbanded on June 6, 1861. *The Kansas Statehood Act is signed on January 29, 1861. :

previously the western portion of the Kansas Territory, 1861 :On January 29, 1861,

James Buchanan James Buchanan Jr. ( ; April 23, 1791June 1, 1868) was an American lawyer, diplomat and politician who served as the 15th president of the United States from 1857 to 1861. He previously served as secretary of state from 1845 to 1849 and repr ...

signed An Act for the Admission of Kansas into the Union as a free state. The remaining western portion of the

became

. This area was incorporated into the

30 days later on February 28, 1861. William_Gilpin_(governor)

*The

Colorado Organic Act The Colorado Organic Act was enacted in Colorado Territory in 1861. It passed by Congress and signed by President James Buchanan on February 28, 1861, and established four-year terms for Governor, Secretary and Legislative Assembly of the territor ...

is signed on February 28, 1861. John Long Routt (cropped) 3

, 1861–1876 :On February 28, 1861,

signed An Act to provide a temporary Government for the Territory of Colorado as a free territory. The Territory of Colorado replaced the Provisional Territory of Jefferson and comprised the

previously the western portion of the

and portions of the

, the

, and the

. The Colorado Territory existed until it was admitted into the

as the

on August 1, 1876. *The Colorado Enabling Act is signed on March 3, 1875. :On March 3, 1875,

Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant ; April 27, 1822July 23, 1885) was an American military officer and politician who served as the 18th president of the United States from 1869 to 1877. As Commanding General, he led the Union Ar ...

signed An Act to enable the people of Colorado to form a constitution and State government, and for the admission of the said State into the Union on an equal footing with the original States. *The Colorado Statehood Proclamation issued on August 1, 1876. :

, since 1876 :On August 1, 1876,

certified that the conditions of the Colorado Enabling Act had been fulfilled and issued Proclamation 230 — Admission of Colorado into the Union.

Maps

United States 1789-03-1789-08.png, Map of the United States after the

Constitution of the United States The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, in 1789. Originally comprising seven articles, it delineates the natio ...

was ratified on United States 1800-07-10-1802.png, Map of the United States after the secret

transferred the

colony of

la Luisiana La Luisiana is a city located in the province of Seville, Spain. According to the 2005 census (INE INE, Ine or ine may refer to: Institutions * Institut für Nukleare Entsorgung, a German nuclear research center * Instituto Nacional de Estad� ...

to the

on United States 1803-04-1804-03.png, Map of the United States after the

took effect on United States 1804-10-1805-01.png, Map of the United States after the creation of the

on United States 1805-07-1809.png, Map of the United States after the creation of the

on United States 1812-06-1812-12.png, Map of the United States after the creation of the

on United States 1821-07-1821-08.png, Map of the United States after the

took effect on United States 1821-08-1822.png, Map of the United States after

Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...

was admitted to the

on United States 1836-03-1836-06.png, Territorial claims of the

, United States 1845-12-1846-06.png, Map of the United States after

was admitted to the

on United States 1848-02-1848-05.png, Map of the United States after the

was signed on United States Central change 1849-03-12.png, Map of the United States after the creation of the provisional

State of Deseret The State of Deseret (modern pronunciation , contemporaneously ) was a proposed state of the United States, proposed in 1849 by settlers from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) in Salt Lake City. The provisional state ...

on United States 1850-1853-03.png, Map of the United States after the creation of the

and the

on United States 1854-1858.png, Map of the United States after the creation of the

and the

on United States Central change 1859-11-07.png, Map of the United States after the creation of the provisional

Territory of Jefferson The Territory of Jefferson was an extralegal and unrecognized United States territory that existed from October 24, 1859 until the creation of the Colorado Territory on February 28, 1861. The Jefferson Territory, named for Founding Father and Un ...

on United States 1861-01-1861-02-04.png, Map of the United States after the admission of

to the

on United States 1861-02-28-1861-03.png, Map of the United States after the creation of the

on United States 1876-1884.png, Map of the United States after

was admitted to the

on United States 1959-08-present.png, Map of the United States as it has been since

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...

was admitted to the

Notes

References

External links

State of Colorado websiteHistory Colorado website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Territorial evolution of Colorado Colorado geography-related lists Colorado history-related lists Geography of Colorado History of Colorado Colorado, Territorial evolution of Colorado, Territorial evolution of Colorado, Territorial evolution of

Indigenous peoples

Early European claims

Spanish Empire 1492-1821

Kingdom of France 1682-1764

Kingdom of Spain 1762-1803

French Republic 1800-1803

Mexico 1821-1848

Republic of Texas 1836-1845

United States 1803 to present

Maps

See also

Notes

References

External links