Colorado Essay Example For Students

Colorado Essay TABLE OF CONTENTSOutlinePage1State FlagPage2Map of ColoradoPage3State Location, Geography and ClimatePage4U.S. Map with Colorado LocationPage6State Bird, Flower, Tree, Motto and SealPage7Ancient History of ColoradoPage8Recent History of ColoradoPage 10Plants and Animals of ColoradoPage 12Natural Resources MapPage 13Natural Resources and ProductsPage 14Special Features About ColoradoPage 15Recipes of ColoradoPage 16 BibliographyPage 17OutlineI. Colorado The Centennial Statea. Flagb. State Mapc. Location, Geography and Climated. USA / Colorado Mape. State Bird, Motto, Seal, Tree and FlowerII. Historya. Ancient Historyb. Recent History and Famous CitizensIII.Plantsa. Buffalo, Antelope, Jackrabbit and Other Animalsb. Various Plant Lifec. Colorados Natural ResourcesIV. Special Featuresa. Rocky Mountains b. Pikes Peakc. Sand Dunes National Monumentd. Aspene. State CapitolCOLORADOThe Centennial StateLocation, Geography and ClimateOn a map, Colorado is an almost perfect rectangle. With an a rea of 104,091 square miles, it ranks eighth among states in size. Colorado is located in the Central Time Zone of the United States. Also known as Mountain Time Zone, its clock runs an hour later that the Eastern Standard Time Zone and one hour ahead of the Pacific Standard Time Zone. The state itself is located somewhat in the center of the United States, just slightly southwest of center. It borders Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico. Colorado is called the top of the nation because its average elevation of 6,800 feet is higher than any other state. Its lowest elevation is 3,350 feet above sea level in the plains of Prowers County, and with its highest elevation of 14,433 feet at Mount Elbert, Colorado claims fifty three mountains that stand over 14,000 feet above sea level, also known as the Rocky Mountains. Colorado writer James Grafton Rogers has said, There is in the Rocky Mountains no gentle spring, no gradual awakening of life, Summer comes suddenly some day in June on the heels of winter. The climate in Colorado is pretty extreme. Throughout the year, altitude is a major factor in determining the temperature. In fact, the average temperature drops four degrees Fahrenheit with every 1,000 feet of elevation above sea level. January temperatures on the plains, average 28 degrees Fahrenheit, while temperatures at 10,000 feet in the mountains, average 18 degrees Fahrenheit. July temperatures average 74 degrees Fahrenheit on the plains, with a brisk 55 degrees Fahrenheit at 10,000 feet elevation in the mountains. Precipitation in Colorado averages about 15 inches per year, varying from as little as 12 inches in eastern Colorado to as much as 400 inches in some mountain areas. Mother Nature has granted Colorado plenty of fertile soil on the eastern plains, but sends most of the rainfall to the stony slopes of the western mountains. This occasionally causes flash floods and wreak havoc on the semi-arid land. Recent History of Coloradoand Famous CitizensColorado was admitted to the union on August 1, 1876 and was the 38th state. From studies in 1990, the population was 3,294,394 people. The capital of Colorado is Denver and the largest cities are Colorado Springs, Aurora, Lakewood and Pueblo. Gold was discovered in the San Juan Mountains in the late 1800s. Because the Ute Indians inhabited most of the land where gold was discovered, the discovery of gold resulted in the movement of the nomadic Utes to a reservation. At first the Utes tolerated reservation life, but eventually they began to rebel. The United States army was called in to contain the Utes after members of a forte were murdered. With the Utes tamed and the creation of many new mining communities like Durango and Montrose, Colorado saw the last of the frontier. The federal Homestead Act of 1862 allowed many people the chance to own their own land. Because of this, thousands of families moved to Colorado and began to ranch and farm. Gradually, agriculture replaced mining as Colorados leading industry. While agriculture was the dominant industry, gold, silver and coal mining remained important and made fortunes for many. However, mining companies and their investors were the real winners because miners lived poor and controlled lives in the mining company towns. As a result, many strikes occurred. The worst strike resulted in an episode called the Ludlow Massacre. Two women and eleven children were killed in the Ludlow Massacre when the National Guard set their tents ablaze in an effort to move them. During the depression of the late 1920s and 1930s, Colorados Great Plains became the Dust Bowl. Thousands of people abandoned their farms to stand in bread lines in Denver and other cities. Many people headed west, hoping to find a better life in California. The Second World War helped to lift Colorado and the nation from the depths of the Great Depression, as farmers and miners worked to support the war effo rt. Charles Riffe EssayOne of the regions most amazing sights is the Great Sand Dunes National Monument; a landscape of shifting duns that sometimes stand as high as 1,200 feet. In 1947, Chicago businessman, Joseph Pepcke saw potential in the decaying mining town of Aspen and began transforming it into one of the most glamorous resorts in Colorado. The State Capitol in Denver was modeled after the national capitol in Washington, D.C., and features a gold-plated dome. As befits the Mile High City, the thirteenth step to the entrance of the building is exactly 1 mile (1.6 km.) above sea level. Anasazi Bean Dip and Corny TortillasAnasazi Bean DipWhat you need:2 cans pinto beans1 medium onion, chopped1 teaspoon garlic, chopped1 teaspoon cumin teaspoon each salt and pepper1 cup sour cream1 cup salsa*Note: The Anasazi didnt have sour cream, but we added it to make your dip extra tasty. What you do:1. Drain the liquid from the beans. Put beans in food processor or blender and puree them for 3 seconds. Add the remaining ingredients except for sour cream and salsa. Puree until the mixture is well blended. 2. Pour mixture into a medium bowl and mix in sour cream and salsa. Stir thoroughly. 3. Pour dip into bowl and serve with whole, warm Anasazi corn tortillas or baked corn tortilla chips. Corny TortillasWhat you need:2 cups cornmeal (Masa Harina works best)1 cups warm waterteaspoon saltWhat you do:1. In a medium bowl, mix together cornmeal, water, and salt until dough isnt sticky. (If its too sticky, add more cornmeal; if its too dry, add more water.)2. Form dough into golf-ball-sized balls and pat with your hands to form paper-thin, 6-inch rounds. Place tortilla on hot, lightly oiled griddle and cook until brown. (Your tortilla isnt crispy yet, but you can still eat it. Spoon some dip on it and then roll the tortilla up to eat it!) 3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 4. Place the cooked tortillas on a cookie sheet and brush each one with oil. Then cut them into strips with a pizza cutter. 5. Bake for about 5-10 minutes or until crispy. 6. Once the chips have cooled a bit, dip them into the Anasazi bean dip and enjoy!BibliographyAmerica The Beautiful Colorado, by Deborah Kent, Childrens Press Chicago, 1992Illustrated World Encyclopedia, 1967WWW.State Governments.Colorado.Gov