Colorado History: Do Colorado

The West is a dry and mountainous region that is divided into two sections.  The Mountain states are located in the northwest part of the United States.  The Pacific states create the western border of the United States.

The Mountain States

The Mountain states are Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming.  Most of these states are home to the largest section of the Rocky Mountains.  The Rocky Mountains are the tallest  mountains in the United States.  They begin in the Pacific state of Alaska and stretch south through the Mountain and Southwest states before ending in the country of Mexico.  The beauty of the Rocky Mountains attract millions of visitors to the Mountain states each year.

The Mountain states cover a large area of land in the United States, but are populated with the fewest number of people.  Wide open spaces with snow covered mountains in the background make the Mountain states a perfect place for people who seek peace and quiet. 

The Economy of the Mountain States

Very little rain falls in the Mountain states.  For this reason, few crops are grown.  Instead, sheep and cattle are raised on large ranches that cover thousands of acres.  Minerals are also plentiful in the Mountain states.  The world's largest copper deposit is located in Butte, Montana.  Gold, silver, lead, and other important minerals are mined in the Mountain states as well.  The Mountain states are also rich in coal, oil, and natural gas.  The next time you eat a hamburger or light a fire in your fireplace, you can thank the ranchers and miners in the Mountain states for providing those natural resources.

The Pacific States

The Pacific states include Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington.  Just as this area's name suggests, each of the Pacific states borders the Pacific Ocean.  The Pacific states are unique because two of the states, Alaska and Hawaii, do not border any other states. 

Alaska, our largest and most northern state, is separated from the United States by the country of Canada.  Hawaii, our most southern state, is actually a chain of islands in the Pacific Ocean.

High and Low Points of the Pacific States

Like the Mountain states, the Pacific states are characterized by mountains.  The Coast Ranges are low hills next to the Pacific Ocean.  The Cascade Range extends from northern California to British Columbia in Canada.  The Klamath Mountains rise up between the Pacific states of California and Oregon.

Volcanoes form the mountainous areas of Hawaii.  Volcanoes are holes int he earth that erupt with melted rock, ashes, and gas.  As these materials cool and harden, they form mountains.  The islands of Hawaii are actually the tops of volcanoes that were built up from the floor of the Pacific Ocean.

Between mountain ranges are low points known as valleys.  Valleys in the Pacific states are fertile areas perfect for growing crops.  Oregon's Willamette Valley and California's Central Valley are two of the richest farming areas in the United States.