Located in the central part of the United States, Colorado has a wide variety of landscapes. Every year, millions of tourists come to visit this state.
What does the state flag and nickname mean
Colorado is nicknamed “The Centennial State” or “the Centennial State” in French. This nickname originates from the year Colorado joined the Union of States. On July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence of the United States, written by Thomas Jefferson, called into question the sovereignty of the British Empire. Thirteen colonies sign the Declaration of Independence and claim their sovereignty. The Union of States is formed. Colorado joined the Union in 1876the centennial year of the United States Declaration of Independence. The name Colorado comes from “color red”, “red color” in French, which designates the mountainous territories of the state and its atypical ocher color. It was the Spanish explorers who first designated Colorado by the color red because of the Colorado River. For the variety of its landscapes, Colorado is sometimes nicknamed “Colorado Colorado”.
The Colorado flag also echoes the state colors. Blue represents the sky and white represents the snow that falls regularly in mountainous parts of the state. The yellow circle designates Colorado’s mineral wealth, particularly gold. This yellow circle is surrounded by a red C which recalls the name of the state and the Colorado River which Spanish explorers discovered. Blue and red are the same colors as the United States flag. This flag was adopted by the State in 1911.
On the state seal several symbols recall its history. The eye of the divinity sits at the top of the seal accompanied by the motto “Sine Numine Nil” which means “nothing without Divinity”. The ax symbolizes state authority. Three snow-capped mountains stand above the hammer and pickaxe. These two tools are on a gold background to echo mining and gold.
The major dates in the history of Colorado
1803: Part of the current territory of Colorado was ceded to the United States by France during the sale of Louisiana.
1861: Colorado is formed as a territory. It was during this period that the state borders were formed.
1863-1865 : The Colorado War. American settlers accompanied by private militias faced a Native American coalition made up of Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes. In 1864, the Sand Creek massacre caused the death of 450 Native Americans, including women and children. First described as a success by the American press, the massacre will over time become one of the symbols of the violence suffered by Native American peoples.
1876: The centennial of the United States Declaration of Independence and Colorado’s entry into the Union. It is the 38th state of the United States.
1893: Colorado women gain the right to vote. It was the second state in the Union to grant women the right to vote after Wyoming.
Area, capital, wealth…: the main components of the State
Colorado is the 21st most populous state in the United States. With more than 5,700,000 inhabitantsit ranks behind Wisconsin and its 5.9 million inhabitants. Much of the population is concentrated in Denver with 750,000 people living in the state capital. It is the 26th most populous city in America. The entire territory of Colorado is located above 1000 meters above sea level. The lowest point is 1100 meters at the Arikaree River. It is the 8th largest American state with 269,000 km².
Colorado bases its economy on tourism. The diversity of its landscapes attracts an average of 90 million tourists each year. This large flow of people brings in more than $27 billion to the state. Many well-known ski resorts, such as Aspen, attract tourists from all over the world but also from the United States during the winter. The national park of Mesa Verde is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s a must-see in the area for anyone interested in learning more about the history of rocky regions in America. Agriculture is also important to Colorado’s economy. Wheat and cereals are mainly grown there. Finally, numerous oil deposits are exploited in the territory.
Democrats or Republicans: who votes and why?
Historically, Colorado is part of the Republican clan like many states in this region. For several years, this trend is starting to reverse. In urban areas, the population is turning more and more towards the Democrats. In 2020, it was Joe Biden, Democratic candidate, who won the state of Colorado with 55% of the vote. In 2016, Hillary Clinton also won this state with 48%.
Colorado sees two ways of life colliding. On the one hand, the rural areas which still vote mainly for the Republican Party. Urban areas, for their part, are turning more towards the Democratic camp. The rural vote can be explained by Colorado culture. The wide open spaces and “Wild West” culture were able to develop individualism in this region. Colorado is also a state ahead on environmental issues. The Democratic Party is much more interested in these issueswhich can explain part of their electorate.
How many electors?
Colorado is not the most important state to win in US elections. With only 9 major votersColorado, Alabama and South Carolina are very far from the most important states like California and its 55 major electors. The Republican Party is trying to reclaim Colorado, which went to the Democrats in the last two US presidential elections.
