Bent's Fort and the Fur Trade

Historic Maps of the Colorado Territory

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The United States looked very different in the early 1800s. Much of what we now know as the United States of America were territories that belonged to other countries. Here are some maps of what Colorado and the surrounding territories looked like at the time. Can you imagine what it would be like to explore these areas as a trader? What are three things that are different about these maps compared to the maps we see today?


The United States, 1836

This is a map of the United States in 1836.