9781422286173

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Rocky Mountain: Colorado, Utah, Wyoming

region for Spain in 1706. During the 18th century, the rights to Colorado passed from Spain to France in 1740, then back to Spain in 1763, and finally back to France in 1800. During this time there were few Europeans in the region. The only ones were fur trappers and hunters who dealt with the Native Americans that lived in the region. In 1803, the United States pur- chased the vast Louisiana territory from France, which included the northern part of Colorado. The Louisiana Purchase substantially increased U.S. territory, and at a rela-

that protected them from the harsh environment and animal predators. Meanwhile, an area located on the eastern portion of the Rocky Mountains served as an important migration route. From these early inhabitants arose Native American tribes such as the Utes, Apaches, and Comanche, among others. During the 16th century, the first Europeans arrived in the Colorado region. In the early 1540s, the Spanish conquistador Francisco Vásquez de Coronado led an expedition through the American southwest. Juan de Ulibarri later claimed the Colorado

A dinosaur fossil preserved in sedimentary rock that dates from the Upper Jurassic period, roughly 150 million years ago. Many fossils have been found in a rock formation known as the Morrison Formation, which is located in Colorado and Wyoming.