Unit Overview: In what ways did settlement affect Colorado?

In this unit, students will examine the significant historical period of Westward Expansion and Settler Colonialism in Colorado. They will analyze how the gold rush and the influx of settlers shaped early Colorado settlements and the resulting impact on Indigenous Peoples. The discovery of gold led to a wave of migration and the emergence of boomtowns throughout the state. Settlers established schools and churches in these settlements, which brought about confrontations and forced new arrangements between settlers and Indigenous Peoples. Students will engage in critical analysis of primary sources, explore multiple perspectives, and consider the long-lasting impacts on the political, cultural, and geographic landscape of present-day Colorado. This unit will foster empathy, historical thinking skills, and an understanding of the complexities of past events and their ongoing effects on the state. Students will explore the lasting impacts of these events and how the movement of people continues to influence Colorado today.

The highlighted evidence outcomes are the priority for all students, serving as the essential concepts and skills. It is recommended that the remaining evidence outcomes listed be addressed as time allows, representing the full breadth of the curriculum.

Students Can (Evidence Outcomes):

• Draw inferences about Colorado history from primary sources such as journals, diaries, maps, treaties, oral histories, etc. (1.1.a)

• Identify cause-and-effect relationships using primary sources to understand the history of Colorado’s development.  (1.1.b)

• Explain, through multiple perspectives, the human interactions among people and cultures that are indigenous to or migrated to present-day Colorado. Including but not limited to: historic tribes of Colorado, the Ute Mountain Ute, Southern Ute, Spanish explorers, trappers, and traders. (1.1.c)

• Identify and describe how political and cultural groups have affected the development of the region. Including but not limited to: African American, Latino, Asian American, Indigenous Peoples, religious groups, and European settlers. (1.1.d)

• Discuss the multiple perspectives of settler colonialism/Westward Expansion and the impact on the political and cultural landscape of the region presently known as Colorado. (1.1.e)

• Explain the relationship between major events in Colorado history and events in United States history during the same era. Including but not limited to: Colorado statehood, the Ludlow and Sand Creek Massacres, creation of national parks in Colorado, the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl, Amaché, Chicano movement, and busing in Denver.  (1.2.b)

• Describe both past and present interactions among the people and cultures in Colorado. For example: African Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans, Indigenous Peoples, LGBTQ, and religious groups. (1.2.c)

• Describe how the physical environment provides opportunities for and places constraints on human activities.  (2.2.a)

• Explain how physical environments influenced and limited immigration into the state.  (2.2.b)

• Analyze how people use geographic factors in creating settlements and have adapted to and modified the local physical environment.  (2.2.c)

• Describe how places in Colorado are connected by movement of goods, services, and technology. (2.2.d)

Possible Assessments:

• Chapter 4 from Colorado Story

  • Chapter Assessment

  • Writing Activities

  • DBQ Item Set

  • Lessons 1-3 Review

Instructional Resources & Notes:

• Chapter 4 from Colorado Story lessons 1-3

• Go the the Source Activity from Colorado Story

• Lesson Suggestions from Colorado Story