1540-1542: Francisco Vazquez de Coronado explores Colorado searching for the Fabled Seven Cities of Cibola.

1803: The United States purchased what is now most of eastern Colorado from France. Napoleon Bonaparte acquired this land from Spain in 1800 and sold it to the United States in 1803 as a part of the Louisiana Purchase, which was signed by President Thomas Jefferson.

1859: A large number of settlers came to Colorado, creating areas such as Boulder and Denver, during The Colorado Gold Rush of 1859. This is considered the largest gold rush in American history.

1861: Congress chose the name "Colorado" for the territory that is now the state of Colorado. It was named after the red color of the Colorado River. The word Colorado is of Spanish origin and means "colored red".

1870: The Denver and Pacific Railroad was made to connect Denver to the Union Pacific Railroad at Cheyenne, Wyoming.

1876: Colorado became the 38th state. It is called the Centennial State because it was admitted to the Union one hundred years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

1893: The right to vote was granted to Colorado women on November 7.

1894: The capital, Denver, was completed.

1905: Believe it or not, the State of Colorado had three Governors in one day: Alva Adams, James H. Peabody, and Jesse F. Macdonald.

1913: The Big Snow of 1913 covered Colorado in snow up to 3-5 feet.

1943: The last Grey Wolf in Colorado died.

1958: The United States Air Force Academy was built close to Colorado Springs.

1972: Colorado was granted and rejected the award to host the 1976 Winter Olympics. Colorado is the only state to ever reject the award as the site of the olympics. The 1976 Winter Olympics were relocated to Innsbruck, Austria.

1999: Two gunman storm Columbine High School and systematically kill 15 people, including themselves.