The Oregon Trail

THE OREGON TRAIL Many people who migrated to the western part of the United States took a major route known as the Oregon Trail. Hundreds of thousands of people traveled westward on the trail from 1841 to 1869. Many made the journey in large covered wagon trains. ROUTE The Oregon Trail stretched around 2,000 miles, starting in Independence, Missouri and ending in Oregon City, Oregon. The route went through six different states including Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Idaho, and Oregon. Travelers were faced with rough terrain like the Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevada Mountains. It took about 5 months to make the journey along the Oregon Trail. MOTIVATION Why leave home and travel 2,000 miles to settle unknown land? Many pioneers sought to escape overcrowding and poverty in their cities in the eastern United States. Some were escaping crimes or creditors. Others wanted land of their own, made possible by the Homestead Act, which allowed all citizens to obtain 160 acres for free. Some were encouraged to join friends or family who had already moved west. WAGONS Covered wagons were the main vehicle used to carry pioneers’ belongings. Most pioneers purchased modified or manufactured wagons designed for the trip. Wagons were sometimes known as “Prairie Schooners” because they were like boats traveling over the prairies of the western United States. The wagons were made from wood. Iron was placed around the wheels, like tires. Waterproof cotton or linen canvas was used to make wagon covers. Most wagons were around 10 feet long and four feet wide. Oxen were typically used to pull the wagons. Although they were slow, they were steady. Mules were sometimes used too. A fully loaded wagon could weigh up to 2,500 pounds. Pioneers often walked beside the wagon. In flat terrain, traveling was relatively easy. However, once settlers reached the Rocky Mountains, the wagons were extremely difficult to get up and down the steep trails. ©Teaching to the Middle WAGON TRAINS Wagons traveled together in a straight line. A wagon master, or captain, was in charge of the wagon train. They directed the wagons to form a circle for protection from bandits and other dangers at night. Captains decided when the wagon trains would break for the night and where to cross rivers. The captain acted as a judge if there were arguments. Scouts knew routes and rode ahead on horseback to watch for danger. Scouts also assisted the captain. Wagon trains usually left from Missouri or Iowa. Wagon train businesses took reservations. People booked passage, but paid their own supplies including oxen and wagons. They usually arrived in Missouri or Iowa in the fall, spent the winter preparing for their trip, and left on the wagon train in the spring. OBSTACLES The Oregon Trail was dangerous in the 1800s. The real danger was not from Native Americans, but diseases, like cholera. Some other obstacles were bad weather, accidents, snake bites, and robbers while traveling along the trails. Dust was a major problem and got in pioneers eyes and made it difficult to breathe. PROVISIONS Pioneers could not bring much with them on their journey. Most left the majority of their belongings when they left the east. Covered wagons were mostly filled with food. A family of four required over 1,000 pounds of food for trip out west. They packed preserved foods like hard tack, coffee, beans, rice, flour, and bacon. They took basic cooking utensils with them such as a coffee pot, buckets, an iron skillet. They did not have room for luxury items. Most packed two or three sets of tough clothing. Candles were used for lighting and a rifle for hunting. Some other items were bedding, tents, and basic tools like an axe and shovel. People often littered the trail with items they cast off along the way like books, stoves, trunks, and other heavy items. TRAILS The Oregon Trail was the most frequented route, but there were other trails that led out west too. The California Trail branched off the Oregon Trail in Idaho and went south to California. The Mormon Trail stretched from Council Bluffs, Iowa to Salt Lake City, Utah. The Oregon Trail remained popular until the transcontinental railroad connected the east and west in 1869. TODAY The United States Congress officially named the path the Oregon National Historic Trail in 1978. Much of the trail has been built over throughout the years, but around 300 miles has been preserved and you can still see ruts from the wagon wheels. ©Teaching to the Middle Name _____________________________________________ THE OREGON TRAIL IDENTIFY: Use the word bank to identify each description. Missouri captains oxen cholera Homestead Act covered scouts Prairie Schooner Mormon 1. Common disease on the Oregon Trail 2. Nickname of covered wagons 3. Where the Oregon trail started 4. Organized wagon trains 5. Gave free land to settlers in the west 6. Used to pull wagons 7. Wagon used on the Oregon Trail 8. Trail that led to Utah 9. Rode ahead of wagon trains TRUE OR FALSE?: Place a check in the correct column. STATEMENT T F 10. The Oregon Trail was around 1,000 miles in total. 11. Bandits were common along the Oregon Trail. 12. Pioneers typically rode in the wagons. 13. Horses usually pulled covered wagons. 14. Around 300 miles of the Oregon Trail was preserved. 15. It took about 5 months to travel the Oregon Trail. 16. The Oregon Trail traveled through ten states total. ©Teaching to the Middle MULTIPLE CHOICE: Choose the best answer. 17. A. B. C. D. What is the main reason pioneers traveled in wagon trains? They were faster. They were safer. They made it easier to traverse the difficult terrain. They kept each other company. 18. Which of the following was NOT a task of a wagon train captain? A. To decide when the wagons would stop for the night. B. To decide where to cross rivers. C. To settle arguments among pioneers. D. To ride a horse ahead to check for danger. 19. What mostly made up the contents of a covered wagon? A. Sleeping quarters B. Personal belongings, such as clothing C. Food D. Weapons 20. Which of the following best completes the analogy? Oregon City: Oregon :: Independence : ________________ A. Missouri B. Utah C. Wyoming D. Kansas 21. Which of the following was NOT a common motivation for traveling along the Oregon Trail? A. Start a new settlement on their own land B. Escape creditors to whom they owed money C. Escape a crime they committed D. To move to a large city out west 22. A. B. C. D. Why were covered wagons sometimes called “Prairie Schooners?” They were uncomfortable. They looked like boats traveling across prairies. They traveled together. They faced many dangers. ©Teaching to the Middle