On August 1, 1876, Colorado was officially admitted to the United States as the 38th state. This marked a significant moment in American history, coming exactly 100 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, which earned Colorado the nickname the "Centennial State." Prior to statehood, Colorado had been part of several different territories, including Kansas, Nebraska, Utah, and New Mexico, until it was organized as the Colorado Territory in 1861. Its path to statehood was driven by rapid population growth due to gold and silver mining booms, particularly during the Pike’s Peak Gold Rush, which brought settlers and fortune seekers to the region in droves.
Statehood was not an easy or quick process for Colorado. Political disputes and delays from the federal government meant that multiple applications for statehood were either rejected or stalled. However, with the help of President Ulysses S. Grant, Colorado's final push for statehood succeeded. President Grant signed the proclamation on August 1, 1876, officially making Colorado the 38th state in the Union. The new state was seen as a vital addition to the western United States, rich in natural resources and full of promise for economic expansion and settlement.
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