THE OREGON TRAIL

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THE OREGON TRAIL

• Tracy Hendrickson
• 2006

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Objectives

• Students will be able to summarize the events in
  westward expansion, including peoples
  motivation, their hardships, and Missouri as a
  jumping off point to the west.

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Oregon Territory

• Made up of what is now
• A. Oregon
• B. Washington
• C. Idaho
• D. Parts of Montana
• E. Parts of Wyoming

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Reasons for Heading West

• Free land
• Economic Opportunities
• Fur trade
• Adventure
• To find gold
• Religious Freedom
• Excellent farmland

5
Covered Wagon

• Waterproof canvas top
• Wheels smaller in the front to make sharp turns
  easier.
• Pulled by oxen (stronger)
• Prairie Schooner looked like boats sailing
  across the grassy green waves

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Wagon Trains

• Group of covered wagons heading west together
• Leader selected to make major decisions
• Council met to discuss and report on different
  problems

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Trail Guide

• Fur trappers and traders who had made the trip
  before
• Knew the best ways to travel the trails

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Things to take on the Trail

• Flour yeast
• Water
• Seeds
• Candles
• Household utilities
• Guns
• Ammunition

• Favorite dishes
• Family pictures
• Childrens favorite toys
• Clothing
• Notions
• Tools
• blankets

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Jumping Off

• Refers to the location where preparations for the
  journey to Oregon Country began.
• Many travelers would join a wagon train
• The trails west started in these cities in
  Missouri
• Independence
• Westport Landing (now part of Kansas City)
• St. Joseph

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Best Time to Travel

• Too Early Spring rains caused trail to become
  to muddy wagon wheels get stuck.
• Too Early grass wouldnt be tall enough for the
  oxen and cattle.
• Too Late Cross mountain in early winter
  snowstorms
• Perfect time After the spring rains when the
  sun was shining and grass was growing tall

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Crossing Rivers

• Large flat boats called scows would carry wagons
  across rivers
• Horses, cows, and oxen had to swim
• Indian rafts
• Seal wagon with tar candle wax mixed with ashes

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Dangers Difficulties

• Mud (wagon wheels stuck)
• Ground too dry (dust)
• Sicknesses
• Children and Adults injured or killed by wagon
• Dangerous mountain passages
• Unfriendly, hostile Indians (steal cattle
  horses)

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Children Chores

• Milk cows
• Get water from river
• Watch cattle
• Help cook
• Wash dishes
• Help skin prepare buffalo or deer
• Collect wood or buffalo chips
• Shake out blankets quilts
• Hang beef jerky to dry

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Animals on the Trail

• Buffalo
• Prairie dogs
• Rattlesnakes
• Owls
• Wolves
• Coyotes
• Jackrabbits
• Wild turkeys
• Sage hens
• Lizards
• antelope

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How did they get more supplies along the trails?

• Forts
• Ft. Laramie (40 days to reach it)
• Ft. Bridger (up to 30 more days)
• Ft. Hall
• Indians trade
• Trade with other pioneers

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Wagons Over Mountains

• Oxen
• Tie rope to back of wagon, other end to a tree,
  and PULL!

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Landmarks Used for Direction

• Chimney Rock (Nebraska)
• Independence Rock (Wyoming)
• Soda Springs
• Steamboat Springs
• Devils Backbone
• Continental Divide (wagons would cross at South
  Pass halfway Oregon!)

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Fantastic Facts
Tidbits
19
Activities
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Credits, Citations, References

• http//www.isu.edu/7Etrinmich/Oregontrail.html
• Missouri Now and Then, McCandless, Perry
  William E. Foley. University of Missouri Press,
  Columbia, 2001.
• If You Traveled West in a Covered Wagon. Levine,
  Ellen. Scholastic, 1986.
• Appleseeds Growing Up on the Oregon Trail.
  September 1999. Buckley, Susan and Barbara
  Burt. Cobblestone Publishing Company.
• History Comes Alive Teaching Unit Pioneers.
  Moger, Susan. Scholastic Professional Books,
  2000.