First Inhabitants
The first inhabitants of Colorado arrived between 18,000 and 10,000 BCE to hunt prehistoric animals such as mammoths. They crossed the Bering Land Bridge, which connected Asia to North America.
Basket Makers
The Basket Makers were a group of hunter-gatherers who settled in Colorado and weaved baskets from the local yucca plants. They inhabited the mesas in the western part of the state until around 100 CE, when they moved on in search of new food sources.
Anasazi
The Anasazi, or "Cliff Dwellers," arrived in Colorado around 400 CE. These farmers carved homes out of mountainsides, which have been preserved by Colorado's dry weather and can still be seen today in Mesa Verde National Park. The Anasazi left the area around 1300.
Spanish Explorers
Spanish explorers arrived in Colorado in 1540, led by Francisco Vasquez de Coronado, who was in search of rumored cities made of gold. He never found what he was seeking, and his men left without settling.
French Explorers
French explorers arrived in Colorado in 1682 and claimed a large section of the eastern part of the state, naming it Louisiana (after King Louis of France).
Statehood
In 1803, the eastern and central areas of Colorado became part of the United States in the Louisiana Purchase--a contract negotiated by President Thomas Jefferson. The Colorado Territory became the 38th state in 1876.
