<sod>When Spanish explorers, early trappers and hunters and gold miners visited and settled in Colorado, the state was populated by Native American nations. [[Westward expansion]] brought European settlers to the area and Colorado's [[recorded history]] began with treaties and wars with Mexico and Native American nations to gain territorial lands to support the transcontinental migration. In the early days of the Colorado gold rush, Colorado was a [[Territory of Kansas]] and [[Territory of Jefferson]]. On August 1, 1876, Colorado was admitted as a state, maintaining its territorial borders.<eod>
<sod>When Spanish explorers, early trappers and hunters and gold miners visited and settled in Colorado, the state was populated by Native American nations. [[Westward expansion]] brought European settlers to the area and Colorado's [[recorded history]] began with treaties and wars with Mexico and Native American nations to gain territorial lands to support the transcontinental migration. In the early days of the Colorado gold rush, Colorado was a [[Territory of Kansas]] and [[Territory of Jefferson]]. On August 1, 1876, Colorado was admitted as a state, maintaining its territorial borders.Colorado is the 8th biggest state in the USA.<eod>