Utah ACLS Certification and Recertification

UTAH ACLS CERTIFICATION AND RECERTIFICATION

About Utah

Utah became the 45th state in 1896. The state capitol of Utah is Salt Lake City with a population of 178,097 people (2005 Census). Salt Lake City is also the largest city in the state, with the second largest being Provo with 113,459 people (2005 Census). The total population of Utah is 2,763,885 people (2010 Census). Utah is comprised of 82,144 square miles of high plateau and canyons in the southeast, flat desert area in the west, salt flats in the northwest, and Middle Rockies running from the northeast, east to west. The state flower is the sego lily. The state bird is the California gull. The state insect is the honeybee.

The first explorers to the area in 1776 were Franciscan friars Escalante and Dominguez. American frontiersman Jim Bridger discovered the Great Salt Lake in 1824. The Mormons, in an attempt to escape from religious persecution, fled to the west in 1847 and established a settlement at what is now Salt Lake City. The area of Utah was acquired by the United States under a treaty that ended the Mexican War in 1848. Shortly thereafter, in 1869, the transcontinental railroad was established and completed upon the driving of a golden spike at Promontory Summit.

Throughout the nineteenth century, the Mormon’s faced difficulties with the federal government because of their open polygamy. In 1890 the Mormon Church renounced polygamy. Utah has long since been a producer of gold, copper, silver, lead, and other minerals. Over the years, oil also has become a large production. Utah is a largely agricultural state with a high emphasis on livestock and farming. Although these sources of income have long since provided for the state, in recent years, tourism has been on the increase, which as significantly aided in the income of the state.

There are over 11,000 miles of streams and 147,000 acres of lakes perfect for fishing in the state. There are a host of national parks and landmarks for visitors, as well as historical places such as the Mormon tabernacle and Monument Valley. Prominent historical figures and famous people from Utah include Philo Farnsworth, Butch Cassidy, Donny and Marie Osmond, Brigham Young, and others.