WebQuest
Colorado History: Do Colorado
Colorado, the eighth largest state, is one of six Mountain states located in the West region of the United States. You have already read that Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming are the other Mountain states in the West region.
Remember, most of the Mountain states are home to the largest section of the Rocky Mountains. The Rocky Mountains are the tallest mountains in the United States.
This doesn't mean that Colorado is made up entirely of mountains. Like the rest of the United States, Colorado is divided into regions. Colorado's three major land regions include the Great Plains, the Rocky Mountains, and the Colorado Plateau regions. You will soon learn that each region has its own special characteristics, making it an important piece of the great state of Colorado.
The Great Plains Region
Today, all of Colorado's major towns and cities are located in the Great Plains region of Colorado. Irrigation makes it possible for farmers in the Great Plains region to grow crops of alfalfa, oats, and rye and raise cattle, goats, and sheep. What was once known as the "Great American Desert" is part of the "Breadbasket of the World" because farmers in the Great Plains region grow so much of the world's wheat.
More than 100 different kinds of plants and trees grow in the grasslands of the Great Plains region. These include buffalo grass, wildflowers, prickly pear cacti, yucca, and cottonwood trees.
The Rocky Mountain Region
In Colorado, the Southern Rockies cover the middle two-fifths of the state. The Colorado Rockies are often called the "Roof of North America" because more than 50 mountain peaks rise above 14,000 feet.
The Continental Divide is an imaginary line that runs along the tops of the mountains in Colordo's Rocky Mountain region. Rivers west of the Continental Divide run into the Pacific Ocean. Rivers east of the Continental Divide flow into the Mississippi River system before emptying into the Atlantic Ocean.
Plenty of precipitation and lower temperatures are found in the higher elevations of the Rocky Mountain region. The San Juan mountains in the southwestern part of the Rocky Mountain region receive nearly 80 inches of precipitation each year in the form of snow. Only fir, spruce, and pine trees can survive the strong winds and cold temperatures in the part of the Rocky Mountain region. In the lower elevations, pinon, juniper, aspen, cottonwood, and maple trees grow. Wildflowers blanket the mountains in the spring and summer.
The Colorado Plateau Region
Millions of years ago, the mesas of the Colorado Plateau region were covered with thick green plant life. Today, this region is mostly dry grassland with only a few trees and shrubs. The wide open spaces are used by farmers who grow peaches, apples, cherries, and plums. Ranchers graze their herds of cattle and sheep on the region's grasslands.
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