W. Hamilton 1981 The Laramide compressive deformation of the craton was caused by a clockwise rotation of about 2-4o of the Colorado Plateau region relative to the continental interior, during late Late Cretaceous and early Tertiary time. Late Paleozoic and Neogene deformation of the craton also were produced by motion of a southwestern subplate relative to the continental interior. -from Author application/pdf en Plate-tectonic mechanism of Laramide deformation. article