History Colorado

Explore how Colorado has changed from the 1600s to today. What do you notice about the cultural groups in the region and how they change over time?

Maps of Colorado (1600-Today)

Record anything you may be thinking now, then

 rejoin your group for the last question.

Engagement 3: Take a Stand (Independent & Group)

The clues spell out the name of a Spanish town in Colorado. What does the word mean in English? Tell your teacher when you escape the room!

BONUS: Escape Room!

As you read about the impacts of the Mexican-American War in the slides, thing about if they are positive or negative. Who and what was most impacted?

The Mexican-American War

The town of San Luis is the longest continually-inhabited non-indigenous or non-native settlement in Colorado, meaning people have lived there since the town was first settled in 1851. San Luis was part of the New Mexico territory until Colorado became a territory in 1861. The Hispanics who founded the town of San Luis came from New Mexico and spoke Spanish. They moved into the valley to farm and to raise sheep and other animals. 

Colorado's Oldest Town: San Luis

Read the dilemma, then answer the following question. 

When you're done, it will be time to discuss with your group

Engagement 3: Take a Stand (Independent)

Discuss with your group and record your ideas.

Engagement 3: Take a Stand (Group)

The territory Mexico lost to the United States after the war has a unique culture and history. This region - historians call it "the Borderlands" - has been claimed by multiple American Indian tribes as well as France, Spain, Mexico, and the United States. Explore the timeline to understand why.

Timeline of Events

Think about the timeline and the maps that you just explored.

Go through the slides and complete each step to answer the Guiding Question.


Engagement 1: Color, Symbol, Image

Step In, Step Out, Step Back protocol show above.

Engagement 2: Step In, Step Out, Step Back

As you explore the information on each slide; did the impact of the war last for a short period of time or a long period of time? Who and what were most impacted?

Lasting Impacts

Welcome to the Borderlands of Southern Colorado, an ancient crossroads. They have a violent history of conquest and enslavement, but also traditions of beauty and diversity. A place where Indigenous cultures blend with Spanish, Mexican, and American traditions to create a unique identity unlike any other in the world. This identity lives within the people of the Borderlands, and it goes with them wherever they move. Borderlands people don’t stay still. By choice, by force, or by necessity, they have moved a lot. They are mobile people who have lived beyond boundaries and between languages. They are people who live "sin fronteras" - without borders.

Educator Overvie -  Colorado Borderlands (Grades 6-8).pdf

Directions for Engagement activities found below;

Take a Stand Student Handout for Engagement 3 can be printed for students (optional): 

Colorado Borderlands

Civics and Government

Social Studies

Geography

U.S. History

When Colorado’s constitution was written in 1876, it was published in both Spanish and English. This acknowledges the fact that much of Colorado was once part of Mexico and, at the same time, shows the influence of early Hispanic legislators from places like San Luis in the creation of our constitution.

Casimiro Barela was born in 1847 and moved to Trinidad, Colorado in 1867. He published newspapers and raised sheep, cattle, and horses. He was elected justice of the peace in Trinidad when he was just twenty-two. He later served as county assessor, territory representative, and county sheriff for Las Animas. In 1875, Barela helped to write Colorado’s State Constitution. He fought to ensure that the constitution was published in English, Spanish, and German, making him a hero to many. He became a senator in 1876. In office, he supported women’s right to vote, pushed for New Mexico statehood, and made Columbus Day a holiday in 1907.

Which of these names are Spanish? Do you know what they mean? Continue through the slideshow to find out.

A color postcard of Boulder, Colorado, with flatiron mountains in the background, white border.

Picture postcard, Beautiful Boulder, Colo.

A color postcard showing an aerial view of the Fitzsimons Army Hospital in Aurora, Colorado.

Picture postcard, Fitzsimons Army Hospital

A color postcard showing a panorama of Salida Colorado. Rounded corners.
Printed on back, top left corner: "Panorama of Salida, Colorado. On the Arkansas river on U.S. Highways 285 and 50."

Picture Postcard, Salida, Colorado

Pueblo means “village” or “people” in Spanish.

View of a busy Main Street in Pueblo (Pueblo County), Colorado. Shows pedestrians, parked cars and trolley car (number "74," Streetline: "Fairmount Park"). A banner on the trolley reads: "All of a Sudden Earnest, Centennial Auditorium, April 19th." Signs on buildings read: "Women's Ready To Wear The Unique Sam Moch," "Hotel Hot and Cold running water in every room," "The Grand Movies," "Western U[nion] Telegr[aph] and Ca[ble] Of[fice]," "The Hext Music Co." "Spoors Smokehouse Billiards," "The Ray Moch [C]lothing Co."

Photograph, Main Street, Pueblo

Alamosa means “cottonwood” in Spanish.

A postcard with an aerial view of Alamosa, Colorado.

Postcard, Alamosa

Mesa Verde means “green table” in Spanish.

Copy print depicting Cliff Palace at Mesa Verde National Park in 1908. Image was photographed by an unidentified photographer during a packhorse trip made by James S. James and honeymooners Mr. and Mrs. Townsend.

Photograph, Cliff Palace, Mesa Verde National Park

Rio Grande means “large river” in Spanish.

View of Wagon Wheel Gap Valley and the Rio Grande River, including some ranch buildings, in Mineral County, Colorado.
View of Wagon Wheel Gap valley and probably the Rio Grande river and ranch buildings, Mineral County, Colorado.

The date of this photograph was determined when it was digitized and cataloged between the years 1994-1997 as part of the PhotosWest: Western History Imaging Project coordinated by the Denver Public Library. This project was funded through a three-year grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Boettcher Foundation.

Negative, Wagon Wheel Gap below THT Station

Sangre de Cristo means “blood of christ” in Spanish.

View of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range, clouds, and Poncha Pass in Chaffee County, Colorado. A lake is nearby.

Negative, Sangre de Cristo Mountains from Poncha Pass

Today, Spanish is the second most common language spoken in Colorado.

Resource Kits

Object Library

Museums

Colorado Borderlands

Lasting Impacts

Guiding Question

Colorado Constitution