How Many People Traveled the Oregon Trail? : And Other Questions about the Trail West [1 ed.] 9780761388302, 9780761353324

Citation preview

THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK

Miriam Aronin

IS

LERNER PUBLICATIONS • MINNEAPOL

Who What Why When HowWho Who Wh What Why Wher Why Where When Where When HowW When HowWho W Who What Why W y Where When How at Why Where W When HowWho Who W Copyright © 2012 by Lerner Publishing Group, Inc.

All rights reserved. International copyright secured. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the prior written permission of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc., except for the inclusion of brief quotations in an acknowledged review. Lerner Publications Company A division of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc. 241 First Avenue North Minneapolis, MN 55401 USA

For reading levels and more information, look up this title at www.lernerbooks.com. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Aronin, Miriam. How many people traveled the Oregon Trail? : and other questions about the trail west / by Miriam Aronin. p. cm. — (Six questions of American history) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978–0–7613–5332–4 (lib. bdg. : alk. paper) ISBN 978–0–7613–8830–2 (EB pdf) 1. Oregon National Historic Trail—Juvenile literature. 2. Frontier and pioneer life—West (U.S.)—Juvenile literature. 3. Overland journeys to the Pacific—Juvenile literature. 4. West (U.S.)—History—19th century—Juvenile literature. 5. Oregon Territory—History—Juvenile literature. I. Title. F597.A76 2012 978’.02—dc23 2011022552 Manufactured in the United States of America 3 – DOC – 9/1/15

Where When How hat Why Where W re Who WhenWhat How Why HowWho What W Who What Why W What Why Where Where When How wWho What Why hen How What Why Where W

Who What tents n o C Where f o Ta b l e 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Why . . . . . . . . . . . . N IO T C 6 U D O R T IN S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 When TRAILBLAZER TH PASS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 U O S How O T N R U T RE MP OFF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 U J S R E L Who E V A TR E TRAIL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H T G IN W O L L FO . . . . . 30 What . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S E 36 NEW HOM Where E TRAIL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . THE END OF TH a Whitman 42 Why ss ci ar N of y ar The Di : ce ur So y ar im Pr Trail Story 43 Tell Your Oregon When 4 4 e in el m Ti 46 Source Notes How raphy 46 Selected Bibliog 47 and Websites Who Further Reading 8 Index 4 What Where Why When How one

t wo

thr ee Four

FIVE SIX

The six que stio n hel p yo s u disc ov fact er the s!

CT I ON in New York U D I NTRO rried

S I E R R A N E VA D A

S I E R R A N E VA D A

M PA C I F I C

AN

AN

OCE

OCE

4

PA C I F I C

ma itman were g h W s u rc a M life by buyin d n d a ie s r s r a ti n m re r n he Narcissa P new rcissa bega a N . 6 tent. She k 3 8 a 1 r , e 8 th 1 e y g r g to on Februa ts and sewin o o b ’s n e m rdy oneymoon. h l a u s a pair of stu u , n u on. Instead m for her ti e a c th a v d e n e n fu ort, she would taking a sh . t o n re e w s last months ed ld w u ly o w w e t n a e th h T trek eved exhausting e. They beli il n h a w k th o r o to r w e was they und ch ard journey h e th west to tea , g s n n li a e v m a it h tr W were To the to do. They k r o w t n ta por ity. they had im ut Christian o ed b a n o g re O n. They join o in g s a n w ia a d In to gs in American eir belongin th d e k y the group c a a p M s n In a . m rs it e h d tra The W trappers and r fu d angers. The e d d lu y c n a in t m a ld th e ey h a group il. The journ ra T n ut of food. o o g n re O ru e ld u th o n c . They set out o dly diseases a e d h tc a c ld travelers cou uld break. o c s n o g a w Or their tes e United Sta th , e m ti t a At th control of d re a h s in ta ri and Great B rea included a is h (T . y tr n Oregon Cou ton, on, Washing g re O y a -d modern da.) Just a a n a C f o rt a Idaho, and p mans’ trip, it h W e th r e to few years aft gan flocking e b s n a c ri e though, Am Travelers packed everything the area. il ra T n in wagons like this one for s, the Orego In the 1840 r the trip west. te fo the main rou e m o c e b ld wou the But how did . rs le e v a tr e thes ute? about this ro w o n k rs le e trav il? e Oregon Tra th d e z la b o Wh

OREGON OREGON

S

U

U

I

I

C

C

O

O

MILLER COUN MILL TR (D ERISCO PUUN TETR BETWEEN YBE D Y (DISPUTE XASTW ANEE D N TEXAS AND D ARKANSAS TEAR TERRKA ITNS ORAS Y) TERRITORY) FL OR

FL OR

S

E

T

N

N

EA OC

STATE

STATE

Territory

Territory

DISPUTED LA ND DISPUTED LA ND TERRITORY TERRITORY BORDER BORDER STATE BORD ER STATE BORD ER OREGON TRAI L OREGON TR AIL

RY RITO ER AT ID

o

RY RITO ER AT ID

GU L F O F M GU LF EX ICOoF M E X IC

IC

T

D

E

N

I

S

NT

S

ER

LA

E

T

E

D

IC

E

X

X

I

IO RIV

NT

OH

R

ARKANSAS ARKA NS TERITORY TERI AS TORY

REPUBLICREPU BLI OF TEXAS OF TE C XA S

E T

ER

A

T

LA

IO RIV

A

T

AT

OH

I RIV PP

E

I RIV PP

SI

SI

M I S S IS

M I S S IS

M

E

R

D IS PU T EDD IS PU T ED B ET W EE N B ET W EE N M EX IC O A N MDEX IC O A N D T EXA S T EX A S

S

M I C HM I C H T E R RT EI RG A I G A I T R IN T N O R O R Y Y

EA

RI I N S T EU RN T A M O

N S T A I U N M O

DISPUTED BEDISPUTED BETWEE TWEEN MAINE AND CO MA AND COLONY N LOIN NYE OF NEW BRUNSWNE W BRUNSWICK OF ICK (U .K.) (U.K.)

OC

IS

D RIVER RI E OU IZ Y AN R RG TO D URINRIVEOR RI E OU TER IZ Y AN R RG TO U NO

SS

THE UNTIT HEEDUSNITED S TATES TATES IN ABOU INTA1B O6 UT 1836 83

DISPUTED DISPUTED BE TWEEN MICH TWEEN MICH TERRITORY TEBE IGAN IGAN ORY AND RU ANDRR RUITPE RT’S LANDPE (URT .K.)’S LAND (U.K.) M

AT

MI

(U .K .)

N

K Y R O C

K Y R O C

C.S O./B UNRI TTI RYSHCOUNTRY (U (U.S./BRITISH OW NERS RD HIUPP E RT R HIP OWNERSR T ’S ’SULPAEN DISPUTED) DISP UTED) (UL.KA.)N D

tect circle to pro a to in s n o dians. eir wag American In s rounded th r r le o ve ls a a tr im t n h d a At nig 1942) painte cks by wild – a 3 tt 4 a 8 m (1 o n fr o s s y Jack themselve g. William Henr r te in a p ame Wyomin n c a e b t a h Americ w in f Split Rock this scene o

5

Who What Where Why When How Who What Where TRAILBLAZERS Why first people to live in modern-day Oregon were When The American Indians. Then, in the 1500s, Spanish explorers How sailed their ships to the area, but they did not stay long. More than two hundred years later, U.S. president a group making Who Thomas Jefferson sent an expedition to explore the land a journey for a particular reason west of the Mississippi River. The explorers, led by What Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, reached Oregon 1805. Where inWhen they returned, Lewis and Clark wrote reports what they had seen. They said that the land in Why about Oregon Country was rich and beautiful. It had many When How one

American Indian Sacagawea interprets for Meriwether Lewis and William Clark during a meeting with the Chinook Indians of the Pacific Northwest. American artist Charles Russell painted this image in 1805.

6

beavers and otters, animals hunted for their warm furs. Clark especially admired the animal skins that American Indians in Oregon wore. He wrote that they were “more beautiful than any fur I had ever Seen.” That interested New York businessman John Jacob Astor. Astor thought he could make money buying and selling these furs. In 1810 he sent men to set up a trading post in Oregon. The fur traders named their new trading post after their boss. Fort Astor, or Astoria, became the first American settlement in Oregon Country.

WHO WAS JOHN JACOB

ASTOR?

ant r was an import John Jacob Asto rly ssman. By the ea American busine g furs. come rich tradin 1800s, he had be land in ht buildings and Astor later boug ealthy embers of the w New York City. M help their money to ed us ily m fa r to As e rk throughout th people in New Yo und even helped to fo 1800s. The Astors blic library. the city’s main pu

John Jacob Astor

7

Astoria did not get off to a promising start. Soon after they arrived, a group of the traders sailed up the Columbia River. On their trip, the ship’s captain started a fight with local American Indians. Most of the traders were killed in the fight. Only one man escaped. He brought the sad news back to Astoria. The men there knew they had to tell their boss the sad news. But John Jacob Astor lived in New York, thousands of miles away. The traders decided to send a small group of men back east with the message. They chose twenty-seven-year-old Robert Stuart to lead the group. Stuart and his men started out in June 1812 in canoes and then continued on horseback. They had no road to follow, so they traveled slowly. In September Crow Indians stole their horses. Soon it would be winter. Could the travelers cross the steep Rocky Mountains on foot? Luckily, Stuart found a flat route where the men a large, level could pass through safely. This narrow plain the height of the area without top of the sea or trees crossed the mountains at about 7,000 feet ocean. Sea level is used as the starting (2,134 meters) above sea level. But the travelers point to measure the were still far from their destination. They walked all height of landforms winter. On April 30, 1813, they finally reached Saint such as mountains. Louis, Missouri. From there, Stuart could ride to New York to deliver his message. Many men, women, and children would soon follow the traders’ path west. But this group was going east. Robert Stuart had blazed the Oregon Trail backward! 8

ITISH WHAT WERE THE BR DOING IN OREGON? e

ly on r was not the on John Jacob Asto rs. So ed in Oregon’s fu who was interest the ers. That’s why were British trad ce war eye on Astoria. On r ei th d ha sh iti Br m Oregon ere quick to clai broke out, they w ar, furs. After the w Country—and its (HBC) ’s Bay Company on ds Hu sh iti Br the ade. of Oregon’s fur tr h uc m d lle ro nt co mpany worked for the co John McLoughlin g furs, 46. Besides tradin from 1821 to 18 to many travelers in he also welcomed U.S. ts. He even helped es gu as e m ho s hi on. HBC e moving to Oreg settlers who wer in ny. It is no longer pa m co a as ts is still ex siness, though. the fur-trading bu

While Stuart and his men were traveling, the United States and Great Britain had gone to war— the War of 1812 (1812–1815). In 1813 British forces captured Astoria. The following year, the warring countries signed a peace treaty. They later promised to share control of Oregon Country.

N e x t Q u e s tio n

WHY

DID AMERICANS BEGIN GOING WEST?

Jedediah Smith survived a bear attack in 1824. Exploring the western United States brought many dangers.

two

Who What Where Why When How Who What Where Why When How Who What Where Why When How

RETURN TO SOUTH PASS

Americans had been so busy with the War of 1812 that they paid little attention to Robert Stuart’s new route. But not everyone had lost interest in the furs found in the West. In 1822 twenty-three-year-old Jedediah Smith joined a trading expedition to the Upper Missouri River. The next year, while Smith was leading a group of traders, Crow Indians told him about the rich furs west of the Rocky Mountains. They even told him the best way to reach those furs—over a high plain through the Rockies. This was the same path Robert Stuart had taken. Americans 10

later called it South Pass because it was south of Lewis and Clark’s route. It was easier than Lewis and Clark’s route too! Jedediah Smith’s search for furs took him to Oregon and California. To get there, he crossed South Pass several times. He quickly became an expert about traveling and trading in the West. Soon he took over the fur-trading business.

WHO WAS JEDEDIAH

SMITH?

er as an expert hunt w ith Sm ah di de Je ican lived in the Amer and trader who ntains ted into the mou wilderness. “I star g a firstation of becomin in rm te de e th with g myself wrote, “of makin rate hunter,” he aracter nted with the ch thoroughly acquai g out Indians, of tracin and habits of the and e Columbia River, the sources of th ing the mouth and of mak following it to its ent much to me.” Smith sp whole profitable ened wilderness. He op e th in s 20 18 e of th egon. He California and Or to es ut ro w ne up essful owner of a succ even became part s, he Within a few year trading business. als. met all of his go

Jedediah Smith 11

During the evenings, travelers sat around campfires, played music, and exchanged stories, resting up for the next day.

U.S. fur traders and trappers who worked mainly in the wilderness of the West

In the 1820s, almost all the travelers on the early Oregon Trail were traders and mountain men like Jedediah Smith. That was about to change. In 1830 Smith’s business partner, William Sublette, organized a group of ten wagons to travel together through South Pass. a group of wagons This became the first wagon train to make it through the that traveled Rockies. together on the Three years after Sublette’s wagon train crossed trail South Pass, a letter appeared in a New York Christian newspaper. According to the letter, Nez Percé Indians were asking questions about the “white man’s Book of Heaven.” 12

U.S. Christians were happy that the Nez Percé were interested in the Bible. Church leaders hoped the Nez Percé and members of other American Indian groups would become Christians too. Churches began sending people who try to convert others to missionaries west to teach about Christianity. Christianity One of those missionaries was Dr. Marcus Whitman from New York. Whitman first went to Oregon in 1835. The next year, he returned east and married Narcissa Prentiss. The two set out right away for Oregon to keep working as missionaries.

A Christian missionary preaches to American Indians and fur traders in the American West.

13

In the beginning, the journey was exciting. Narcissa liked having meals picnic-style on a blanket on the ground. Sometimes the travelers ate buffalo meat three meals a day. She enjoyed that too. “I never was so contented and happy before,” she wrote in her journal. Soon, though, the way became more difficult. The Whitmans and their group climbed steep mountains. They crossed countless rivers and streams. No matter how tired they became, they kept traveling.

Pioneers had to endure the hard journey through the Rocky Mountains. They struggled up steep mountainsides and through blinding snowstorms.

14

As they grew close to the end of their trip, the path became too rough for wagons. The Whitmans had to leave behind animals, such as horses or whatever their pack animals could not carry. mules, that At last, the newlyweds reached Oregon. They carry luggage a large object on a journey set up their mission at Waiilatpu. For the next or area that marks a certain ten years, the Whitman Mission would be an place and helps important landmark. It signaled to travelers that they people find their way had nearly arrived at their destination.

In 1930 William Henry Jackson painted this scene of the Marcus and Narcissa Whitman Mission in Oregon.

15

WRITERS D AN S T IS T R HOW DID A GON TRAIL? E R O E H T T C DEPI

fed tists and writers Like Jason Lee, ar In 1837 ms of the West. Americans’ drea ob Miller followed painter Alfred Jac cky as far as the Ro the Oregon Trail sketches e way, he made Mountains. On th Miller later turned of what he saw. gs of to thrilling paintin in es ch et sk e es th d trail s, landscapes, an American Indian hington mous writer Was landmarks. The fa es of hed The Adventur Irving also publis citing in 1837. This ex Captain Bonneville y story of an arm book told the true West. ails through the tr on s el av tr s ’ officer

Another missionary named Jason Lee also traveled to Oregon in the 1830s. Besides teaching American Indians, he was interested in bringing more U.S. Christians to settle in Oregon. In 1838 Lee went back east and began making speeches.

American artist Alfred Jacob Miller was inspired to paint the people and sights he saw along the Oregon Trail. In this scene, Oglala Lakota camp on the outskirts of Fort Laramie in Wyoming.

16

Missionary Jason Lee went to Oregon to spread the teachings of Christianity to American Indians. He later encouraged Christians from the East Coast to settle in the West.

He encouraged Americans to move west. He spoke about Oregon’s rich farmland. He talked about driving out the British and making Oregon Country the property of the United States. As Americans learned more about the area, many caught “Oregon fever.” They dreamed about a better life in the far West.

N e x t Q u e s tio n

WHERE

R JOURNEY DID PEOPLE BEGIN THEI ON THE OREGON TRAIL?

This engraving by Hermann Meyer shows the streets and courthouse of Independence, Missouri, in 1850. Independence was a jumping-off point for travelers leaving for the West.

thr ee

Who What Where Why When How Who What Where Why When How Who What Where Why When How

TRAVELERS JUMP OFF

In 1842 the Whitmans received a message from their church group. The group wanted to stop supporting its missions in Oregon. That winter Marcus Whitman returned to the East. He persuaded the group to change its plan. In spring 1843, he prepared to return to Oregon with the good news. When he reached Independence, Missouri, a people who surprise was waiting for him. Almost one thousand leave one emigrants were preparing to leave on the Oregon Trail! place to move to another Emigrants “jumped off,” or began their journey, at the Missouri River. Many started in Independence. Some jumped off from other towns such as Saint Joseph, 18

settlers in Missouri, and Council Bluffs, Iowa. Most pioneers traveled a new area, to their jumping-off points by steamboat. When they especially in the American arrived, they needed two or three weeks to buy supplies West and prepare for their trip. Many families sold all their possessions to pay for supplies for the journey. The first thing emigrants needed was a wagon. It had to be light enough to not wear out the animals that pulled it. It had to be large enough to carry supplies for the long journey. But it also had to be small enough to get through narrow mountain trails and tricky river crossings. Finally, it had to be sturdy enough to provide shelter.

A drawing by William Henry Jackson shows wagons, livestock, horses, and people making the dusty journey along the Oregon Trail. This landmark, known as Devil’s Gate, is along the Sweetwater River in Wyoming.

19

a type of covered wagon used on the Oregon Trail

One popular kind of wagon was called a prairie schooner. Its light-colored cover reminded people of the sails of a schooner, a kind of ship. A prairie schooner could carry around 1,000 to 1,500 pounds (454 to 680 kilograms) of supplies. It was about 4 feet (1.2 m) wide and 10 to 12 feet (3 to 3.7 m) long. In this small space, early emigrants had to fit everything they needed for their journey and their life in Oregon. The most important supplies were food for the months of travel. An emigrant family would need several hundred pounds of flour and several hundred more of bacon. They also packed sugar, salt, coffee, dried fruit, and other dry foods. Every family needed a heavy cooking pot and pan, sturdy tin dishes, and weapons. Guns were used for hunting or defense in case of meetings with unfriendly American Indians.

The inside of a prairie schooner was crammed with a family’s possessions. They might include furniture, a spinning wheel, silverware, pots and pans, and more.

20

Most emigrants brought along basic farm equipment, kinds of ch hi w se oo ch such as a plow, to use in Emigrants had to on the ll their wagons pu ld ou w s al im an not Oregon. A heavy cotton es were fast but Oregon Trail. Hors es rs Ho y. ne canvas cover kept the goods r the long jour strong enough fo thieves. Even r fo s et rg ta g in in the wagon out of the also made tempt from eating ten became sick of es rs ho , se or w d water wind, dust, and rain. s and drinking ba large male tough prairie gras t bu er di ere stur w es ul Oxen or mules pulled M l. cattle that can ai tr e along th panicked es im et m so ey Th pull heavy loads the bumpy wagons hard to control. rivers. Also, ng si os cr n he w and drowned to have stuffed full of supplies eight to ten mules emigrants needed . on ag w ed to pull a load along the trail. Little enough strength s (3.2 km) per ile m 2 ly on at Oxen traveled space was left for people mules or ere stronger than hour. But they w workers to ride inside. Instead, ld make good farm horses. They wou s nt ra ig em t Oregon. Mos almost everyone walked. when they got to ur or six oxen. fo to s on ag w r Their 2,000-mile (3,219 harnessed thei km) journey would take between four and six months. When the first large group of emigrants was ready to go, Dr. Whitman joined the gigantic wagon train. The pioneers were glad to have such an experienced traveler as their guide.

WHY OXEN?

N e x t Q u e s tio n

WHat

WAS LIFE LIKE ON THE OREGON TRAIL?

River crossings were tricky. Emigrants had to get their livestock and belongings across the river safely.

FOLLOWING THE TRAIL

four

Who What Where Why When How Who What Where Why When How Who What a boat or raft that carries goods or people Where over water Why When How

After emigrants jumped off, they followed the first part of the Oregon Trail through flat plains. The ground became rougher as travelers followed the Platte River west. This was one of the first rivers the emigrants had to cross. Crossing a river was not easy. Wagons had to be made waterproof and then dragged or floated to the other side. Once many people had started traveling west, travelers could pay for a ferry to carry their wagons across some rivers. On the trail, emigrants woke up and ate breakfast before dawn. By seven o’clock, the wagon train was 22

VE R

THE OREGON TRAIL

LU

O

MBI

RI

R

A

moving. Except for a short lunch break, they continued traveling until almost sunset. In that time, they traveled about 15 miles (24 km). Then they made camp and ate dinner. For a short time, they might sing, play music, dance, or play cards. Bedtime came early so the travelers could rest before their next long day.

C

CO

K MIS

Y

R

R

IDAHO

O

E

Chimney Rock

Courthouse Rock

PL

AT T E RIV

KANSAS

IS

Council Bluffs IOWA

NEBRASKA

Springs

SS

ER

SI

PP

I

R

Soda

MI

Independence Rock Fort Laramie

RI V E

Register Rock

I N S T A U N

ER

U

RIVE

M

S NA K

IV

WYOMING

SO

RI

Oregon

SAINt Joseph

Independence MISSOURI

Saint Louis

PA C I

FIC

This map shows the route of the Oregon Trail, from Independence, Missouri, west through the Rocky Mountains.

OC

OREGON TRAIL

EA

N

CURRENT STATE BORDER

23

GULF OF MEXICo

At night, men took turns keeping guard. Almost every man was armed with a gun. The emigrants feared American Indian attacks. However, most Indians were interested in trading, not in causing harm. As they traveled, emigrants looked for the famous landmarks along the way. One landmark, Courthouse Rock, looked like a castle. This gigantic rock formation could be seen from 40 miles (64 km) away. For the emigrants, that was about a three-day journey.

LANDMARKS

Travelers looked for Jail Rock, Courthouse Rock, and Chimney Rock as they crossed what became Nebraska on their way west.

N EB R A SK A to Fort Laramie (60 miles/ 97 km)

Scottsbluff 92

26

Mormon Pioneer Trail

Oregon Trail

CHIMNEY RO CK NATIONAL HISTORIC SIT E

385

North Platte River

88 SE ROCK

COURTHOU 71

JAIL ROCK

Bridgeport

Courthouse Rock (left) and Jail Rock (right) were two of the landmarks travelers looked for along the Oregon Trail. 24

Fort Laramie was a welcome sight for travelers after crossing the plains. They could rest before tackling the difficult journey farther west. Famed American artist Frederic Remington (1861–1909) created this print.

After traveling more than 600 miles (966 km), pioneers reached Fort Laramie, a trading post in what became Wyoming. There, travelers rested and repaired their wagons. If they had enough money, they could also buy more supplies. Most emigrants could not afford extra supplies. Instead, they became experts at using whatever they found on the trail. The travelers often hunted buffalo and other animals for food and fuel. Emigrants often ran out of wood for their campfires. Then they used dried buffalo droppings, called buffalo chips, instead. 25

GET HOW DID EMIGRANTS L? ALONG ON THE TRAI

ain to act ns chose a capt Most wagon trai rote rules Travelers also w as their leader. ments, ve, solve disagree ha be to w ho t abou vered the es. Rules even co im cr sh ni pu d an All the ons on the trail. order of the wag That up a lot of dust. ed ck ki s on ag w rolling ain the end of the tr at g in el av tr e mad ed to have any groups agre uncomfortable. M day. That ge places every the wagons chan front of d a turn in the way, everyone ha it was less dusty. the line, where

Of all the landmarks on the Oregon Trail, Independence Rock is one of the most famous. Emigrants who reached the huge, turtle-shaped rock by July 4 were making good time. They were likely to arrive at their destination before winter weather made travel very risky.

A wagon train passes Independence Rock in Wyoming. This painting was created by William Henry Jackson in 1865.

26

This wagon train continues westward after crossing the Rocky Mountains.

The emigrants slowly climbed into the an imaginary line across the mountains in Canada, the Rocky Mountains. At South Pass, they United States, Central America, crossed the Continental Divide. Still, the and South America that marks where water on one side flows exhausted emigrants were less than halfway west to the Pacific Ocean and to their destination. water on the other side flows The farther they traveled, the harder the east to the Atlantic Ocean way became. Flat plains gave way to hills and mountains. There were more rivers to cross. Dust and insects plagued the travelers. The emigrants walked through blazing sun and pouring rain. Their oxen became thin and weak from constantly pulling heavy wagons. 27

an often deadly disease that causes serious vomiting and diarrhea

About one in ten travelers did not survive the hardships of the trail. Deadly diseases such as cholera could spread quickly through a wagon train. Many people also suffered injuries and death from terrible accidents. The sad story of the Sager family shows some of the dangers emigrants faced. Catherine Sager was traveling with her parents and six brothers and sisters. On August 1, 1844,

THE WHAT HAPPENED TO DONNER PARTY?

ing. t was long and tir The journey wes e tempted to take Some people wer ese s, to save time. Th ff to cu or s, ut tc shor s. In could be dangerou es ut ro d ke ar m un followed and Reed families 1846 the Donner , and was rough, though a cutoff. The way r they slowly. In Octobe el av tr to d ha they a’s Sierra ntains of Californi ou m e th d he ac re to fall. avy snow began Nevada. Then he had ere trapped. They The emigrants w e or imals quickly froz an r ei Th . od fo little ed under agons were buri starved. Their w scuers owdrifts. When re 40-foot (12 m) sn the ry, forty-one of arrived in Februa ose still ers had died. Th el av tr en ev -s ty eigh ey had ng. To survive, th alive were starvi e dead. t the bodies of th been forced to ea

28

This memorial statue in California is dedicated to members of the Donner Party.

These stones outline the graves of two emigrants who died along the Oregon Trail. Accidents and sickness caused many of the deaths along the trail west.

Catherine tried to climb onto a moving wagon. Then, she recalled later, “My dress caught . . . and I was thrown under the wagon wheel.” The wheel crushed and badly broke one of her legs. Fortunately, Catherine survived. Her parents were not as lucky. Soon after Catherine’s injury, her father became ill and died. Before long, her mother caught a terrible disease called camp fever. Soon Mrs. Sager too was dead.

N e x t Q u e s tio n

WHERE

TLE?

DID THE EMIGRANTS SET

a form of typhus, a disease that causes high fever, chills, rashes, and confusion

This illustration, made in 1853, shows members of the Church of Latter-Day Saints leaving Illinois for Utah. They sought religious freedom in the West.

FIVE

Who What Where Why When How Who What Where Why When How Who able to produce large amounts What of plants such as farm crops Where Why When How

NEW HOMES

No matter what happened, the wagons rolled on toward Oregon. The determined pioneers walked alongside. After the Sagers’ parents died, other members of their wagon train helped the seven young orphans. When the group reached Waiilatpu, the Whitmans adopted the children. The other emigrants continued on. They made their new homes in the fertile farm country of Oregon’s Willamette River valley. Not all the travelers on the Oregon Trail were headed for Oregon, though. Mormons, or members of the Church of Latter-Day Saints, had a different destination in mind. 30

The Mormons had already tried to settle in New York, Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois. In each place, they faced persecution for their religious beliefs. Mormon beliefs at that time included allowing a man to marry more than one woman. Others especially disapproved of this practice. Finally, in 1844, the church’s founder, Joseph Smith, was murdered in Nauvoo, Illinois.

THE MORMON PIONEER TRAIL

VE R

U M BIA

RI

cruel treatment based on people’s beliefs or other differences

CO L

MIS

SO

UR

I

RI

Oreg on

VE

KE

V

IDAHO

E

R

Independence Rock

IS

M

RI

R

S NA

WYOMING

SI

SS

Chimney Rock

Salt Lake City UTAH

NEBRASKA Courthouse Rock

PL

AT T E R IV

P

Council Bluffs

IV E R

GREAT SALT LAKE

IP

IR

Fort Laramie

IOWA

ER

Nauvoo ILLINOIS

KANSAS

Independence

Saint Louis

MISSOURI

PA C I F

CONTINENTAL DIVIDE

AN CE IC O

MORMON TRAIL OREGON TRAIL CURRENT STATE BORDERS

31

GUL F OF MEX ICo

Mormon leader Brigham Young (in black hat) and his followers arrived in Utah in 1847. The Mormons settled on the shores of the Great Salt Lake. Their community would become Utah’s capital, Salt Lake City.

Brigham Young, the new Mormon leader, had seen enough. He decided to take his people west, to an area where they would be safe. Young wanted a place where few other settlers would bother them. He led the first group of Mormon travelers to modern-day Utah in 1847. When they reached the valley of the Great Salt Lake, he knew he had found the right spot. Young believed it was God’s will that the Mormons should settle there. More and more Mormons poured into the area over the coming years. Many were too poor to buy wagons and animals. Instead, they pushed their belongings in wheeled handcarts along the Oregon Trail. When the Mormons began moving to Utah, the area belonged to Mexico. But the United States and Mexico were .

32

at war. When the war ended in 1848, the United States gained control of much of the Southwest. The new American lands included Utah and California. The United States gained even more new land two years earlier. That’s when a distance north the British had given up control of all of Oregon or south of Country south of latitude 49° north, including the the equator, present-day states of Oregon and Washington. Many measured from 0 to 90 degrees settlers in these new areas wanted to take part in the U.S. government. In 1848 lawmakers set up the first official U.S. government in the far West— Oregon Territory.

THE WHAT HAPPENED TO WHITM AN MISSION?

measles le disease called In 1847 a terrib . Dr. e Waiilatpu area swept through th me eryone who beca ev d te ea tr an tm Whi cause ildren survived, be ill. Most white ch tural immunity, or a na their bodies had Cayuse e disease. Sadly, resistance, to th s. munity to measle im tle lit d ha s an Indi s died, e Cayuse patient When most of th ctor. On le blamed the do the Cayuse peop Cayuse group of angry November 29, a venge. At ission to take re m e th to in t ep sw including ople were killed, least fourteen pe e news cissa Whitman. Th Marcus and Nar akers ed convince lawm lp he y ed ag tr e of th needed a .C., that Oregon D n, to ng hi as W in ens. to protect its citiz new government

33

Statue of Dr. Marcus Whitman

The Power of M anifest Destiny

848) was ican War (1846–1 The Mexican-Amer Wyoming, ah, New Mexico, all about land—Ut Americans d California. Many an s, xa Te , da va Ne es should ved the United Stat in the 1840s belie ic and between the Atlant stretch all the way ticle one magazine ar 45 18 In . ns ea oc Pacific se “manifest ing with the phra el fe is th d se es pr ex the United nt that expanding destiny.” That mea s plan. t was clearly God’ States to the wes many destiny inspired st ife an m in f lie Be they were west. They felt e ov m to rs le tt se ission. great patriotic m taking part in a the helped persuade so al y in st de st Manife Mexico go to war with to t en m rn ve go U.S. lands. for the western

That same year, gold was discovered at Sutter’s Mill in California. By 1849 “forty-niners” were rushing to California to search for their own gold. Some traveled by boat. About twenty thousand more took the Oregon Trail. California’s exploding population put it on the fast track for U.S. statehood. In 1849 it asked to join the Union. There was just one problem. California wanted to become a free state—a state that would not allow slavery. This 1872 painting by John Gast is named American Progress. The female figure represents white Americans bringing farming, industry, and transportation to the Wild West. This, however, meant forcing American Indians from their homes and disrupting lives.

34

This group of gold miners was photographed in Taylorsville, California, in 1849. In that year, thousands of people seeking their fortunes traveled west in the great California gold rush.

But supporters of slavery did not like this plan. At last, supporters and opponents of slavery came to an agreement. The Compromise of 1850 allowed California to become a free state. The agreement also set up Utah Territory. The territory’s citizens would decide whether to allow slavery there. Over the next few years, tens of thousands of gold rush settlers poured into the Union’s newest state. Many came partway on the Oregon Trail.

N e x t Q u e s tio n

WHEN

ELING DID PEOPLE STOP TRAV ON THE OREGON TRAIL?

a settlement to a disagreement in which each side agrees to give up some of the things it wants

In 1900 Frederic Remington painted this image of a Pony Express rider changing horses. The entire Pony Express route was about 1,900 miles (3,058 km) long.

SIX

Who What Where Why When How Who What Where Why When How Who What Where Why When How

THE END OF THE TRAIL

By 1850 Oregon Territory, Utah Territory, and the state of California were part of the United States. As new settlers built homes, governments, and businesses, they often needed to send messages quickly between the East and the West. In 1860 three businessmen started the Pony Express to do just that. The owners hired speedy riders to carry mail on horseback between Saint Joseph, Missouri, and Sacramento, California. For much of the way, the riders followed the Oregon Trail. To keep up their speed, they stopped to change horses every 15 miles (24 km). Pony 36

Express riders could complete their journey in just ten days. Despite its fast riders, the Pony Express lasted less than two years. In 1861 the Western Union company set up a much quicker way to send messages over long distances. It system of sending built a telegraph line from the East to Salt Lake City. coded messages over electric wires Then it connected that line to other companies’ lines to San Francisco, California. Suddenly people could send urgent messages across the country almost instantly. With the telegraph, the Pony Express was no longer needed. New technology was beginning to take the place of the Oregon Trail.

HOW DID THE TELEGR

APH WORK?

people used s were invented, Before telephone s over send urgent new to s ne hi ac m ph telegra , telegraph ing electric wires Us s. ce an st di long s from place transmit message machines could or on . First, an operat tly an st in t os m al to place on one ed out a message pp ta d en g in nd the se ectricity y was pressed, el ke e th n he W y. ke ator on e wire. The oper flowed through th hen clicking sound. W a d ar he d en r the othe and the electric flow d, te lif as w y ke the erators ped. Telegraph op op st ng ki ic cl e th up of ing a code made sent messages us clicks icks. Each set of short and long cl ator on tter. As the oper le e on d te en es repr tened to d of the wire lis en g in iv ce re e th and she decoded them the clicks, he or al message. wrote out the fin

37

This early telegraph was used in the 1850s. Sending messages by telegraph soon put the Pony Express out of business.

Eight years after the telegraph arrived, another new going all the technology brought big changes to the West. In 1869 way across a continent, such as workers finished the Transcontinental Railroad. Its tracks North America stretched all the way across North America from east to west. The western branch of the railroad ran from Sacramento, California, to Omaha, Nebraska. The new train route was a much faster and easier way to travel than the Oregon Trail. Instead of spending months walking on rough ground, travelers who started in Omaha rode comfortably to the western coast in less than a week.

THE UNITED STATES MAJOR RAILROADS OFT 1869 IN ABOU

WASHINGTON TERRITORY MONTANA TERRITORY

WYOMING TERRITORY

Council Bluffs Omaha

SAINt Joseph as KANSAS Kans

City

OHIO

Nauvoo

Independence

Saint Louis

New York Philadelphia

Baltimore

MARYLAND

ILLINOIS MISSOURI

MASSACHUSETTS

PENNSYLVANIA

Cincinnati

Washington, D.C.

OKLAHOMA TERRITORY

C OC

EA N

LA

STATE TERRITORY TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD OTHER RAIL LINE CURRENT STATE BORDER

AT

IFI

NT

PA C

IC

NEW MEXICO TERRITORY

Detroit Chicago

IOWA

AN

CALIFORNIA

UTAH TERRITORY COLORADO TERRITORY

Boston

OCE

Sacramento

Salt Lake City

NEW YORK

I N

NEBRASKA

GREAT SALT LAKE

CH

A

San Francisco

MI

DAKOTA TERRITORY

G

IDAHO TERRITORY

GU LF OF ME XI Co

38

WHERE WAS THE AL TRANSCONTINENT T E D? RAILROAD COMPLE

as made ntal Railroad w ne ti on sc an Tr The ks. In 1862 ent sets of trac from two differ gan to, California, be en m ra ac S in workers Central g east for the in go ks ac tr g buildin kers in Meanwhile, wor d. oa ilr Ra c fi ci Pa Union d building the te ar st a, sk ra Omaha, Neb g west. s tracks headin Pacific Railroad’ ah, in Promontory, Ut in et m ks ac tr The wealthy San celebrate, one To . 69 18 ay ike M large railroad sp a d ha er ild bu had Francisco . On one side, he ld go re pu of t made ou ntinue the ed: “May God co rv ca ds or w e thes ilroad unites untry as the ra co r ou of ity un world.” Oceans of the the two great

After taking the train to California, those headed for Oregon could take a fairly short wagon trip to complete their journey. Not everyone could afford train tickets. Still, in the 1870s and the 1880s, fewer and fewer emigrants followed the wagon tracks of the Oregon Trail west.

On May 10, 1869, the last spike was driven into the tracks of the first Transcontinental Railroad. 39

By 1906 between two hundred thousand and five hundred thousand people had taken the Oregon Trail west. But almost no one was still traveling on the trail. Seventy-five-year-old Ezra Meeker worried that Americans would forget this important part of their history. He came up with a daring plan. When he was just twenty-one years old, Meeker had traveled from Iowa to Oregon with his wife and their newborn baby. More than fifty years later, he decided to return east the same way he had come. He packed his supplies in a wagon pulled by a team of two oxen. This time, he traveled alone. On his way, he stopped to make speeches about the importance of the Oregon Trail. He set up markers in places where the trail had passed. Meeker’s journey and the book he wrote about his experiences impressed many Americans— including President Theodore Roosevelt.

Ezra Meeker

40

In about 1910, a photographer captured Ezra Meeker on his journey along the Oregon Trail. Here he is pictured near Bellevue, Nebraska.

After meeting Meeker, President Roosevelt promised to give money to help preserve the historic trail. In 1910 Meeker made the overland journey one last time. Five years later, he crossed the trail in an early airplane. His travels taught Americans about the Oregon Trail. He helped make sure that this important part of our country’s history would never be forgotten.

N e x t Q u e s tio n

HOW

E DO WE KNOW ABOUT TH ELERS EXPERIENCES OF TRAV ON THE OREGON TRAIL?

Who What Primary Source: The Diary of Narcissa Whitman Where Why When How Who What Where Why When How Who What Where Why When How

Much of what we know about the Oregon Trail comes from the travelers themselves. Historians estimate that as many as three

thousand travelers on the trail wrote about their experiences in diaries or journals. That’s about one out of every two hundred emigrants! A primary source is a document written by a person who was alive

at the time of an event. It is often a firsthand description of something that happened in history. Letters, journals, and newspaper articles are examples of primary sources. The following primary source is

from Narcissa Whitman’s diary. It describes some of the hardships of traveling on the Oregon Trail.

25th [of July 1836].—Came fifteen miles [24 km]

to-day; encamped on Smith’s creek, a small branch of

Bear creek. The ride has been very mountainous—paths

winding on the sides of steep mountains. In some places the path is so narrow as scarcely to afford room for

the animal to place his foot. One after another we pass along with cautious step. . . .

Husband [Marcus Whitman] has had a tedious time

with the wagon to-day. It got stuck in the creek this

morning when crossing, and he was obliged to wade considerably in getting it out. After that, in going

between the mountains, on the side of one . . . the

wagon was upset twice; it was a greater wonder that it was not turning somersaults continually.

42

Who What n o g e Or r u o Y l l Te Where ry o St l i u o Y a . il r T traveling on the Oregon Tra to hspoepnedto nt ve Why ough, you ha are an emigra h t u , o e y r e e h t in g t or a a e g y Im r o t T n . e t l s na We r u e jo h t a in e it fe r li W n. start a new ot and wago fo y b e r e h t When periences. ng x li e e v r u ra o t y s g h t in n ib r c mo s e d st iend back ea letter to a fr from? you originally e , How r n a o g e r O r fo WHERE d re you heade (A ? g in o g u o y here else?) w e m WHERE are Who o s r o , h California, Uta the West? to g in o g u o What WHY are y ? y e n r u jo ou begin the ? WHEN did y Where long the trail a n e e s u o y ts have h ig s WHAT agon train? w r u o y in Why WHO else is travelers? r e h t o e h t h it u get along w o y o d HOW When How Who What Where Why When How Use W ho, w hat, w why, here when , and to thi H o w nk of other quest ions t o hel creat p you e you r stor y!

Who What Where Why When How Who What Where Why When How Who What Where Why When How

Timeline 1805 The Lewis and Clark expedition arrives in Oregon Country.

1811 John Jacob Astor’s men set up a fur-trading post at Astoria.

1812–1813 Robert Stuart blazes the Oregon Trail.

1813 British forces take over Astoria.

1822 Jedediah Smith heads west on a fur-trading expedition.

1830 William Sublette brings the first wagon train over the Rocky Mountains.

1836 Marcus and Narcissa Whitman travel over the Oregon Trail to settle in Oregon. Narcissa and Eliza Spalding, another missionary’s wife, are the first white women to follow the trail west.

1837 Washington Irving publishes The Adventures of Captain Bonneville. Alfred Jacob Miller uses the Oregon Trail as inspiration for his paintings.

1838 Missionary Jason Lee urges U.S. Christians to move west.

1843 A wagon train of about one thousand emigrants heads west. (This huge wagon train is sometimes called the Great Migration.)

44

1846 The United States and Great Britain agree to split Oregon Country at latitude 49° north. Everything north of that line will belong to the British. Everything south of it will belong to the United States.

1847 Brigham Young leads the first group of Mormons to the Great Salt Lake valley. Marcus and Narcissa Whitman and others at the Whitman Mission are murdered.

1848 The United States wins the Mexican-American War. Oregon becomes a U.S. territory. Gold is discovered at Sutter’s Mill in California.

1849 The California gold rush begins. Thousands of forty-niners head west in search of gold.

1850 Under the Compromise of 1850, California becomes a state, and Utah becomes a U.S. territory.

1869 The Transcontinental Railroad is finished. Passengers can ride from Omaha, Nebraska, to Sacramento, California.

1906 Ezra Meeker takes the Oregon Trail east by wagon.

45

Who What Where Why When How Who What Where Why When How Who What Where Why When How

Source Notes





7 Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, The Journals of Lewis and Clark, Journal of William Clark, November 20, 1805 (1804–1806; Project Gutenberg, 2005), http:// www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/8419/pg8419.html (August 10, 2011). 11 Stephen W. Sears, “Trail Blazer of the Far West,” American Heritage Magazine, 1963, 2011, http://www.americanheritage.com/content/trail-blazer-far-west (August 10, 2011). 12 David Dary, The Oregon Trail: An American Saga (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2004), 56. 14 Narcissa Whitman, “Diaries and Journals of Narcissa Whitman 1836,” The Oregon Trail, n.d., http://www.isu.edu/~trinmich/00.ar.whitman1.html (August 10, 2011). 29 Catherine Sager Pringle, “Across the Plains in 1844,” The Oregon Trail, 2011, http://www.isu.edu/~trinmich/00.ar.sager1.html (August 10, 2011). 39 National Park Service, “Golden Spike,” NPS, n.d., http://www.nps.gov/gosp/ historyculture/upload/Spikes.pdf (August 10, 2011). 42 Whitman, “Diaries and Journals.”

Selected Bibliography American Heritage, eds. Westward on the Oregon Trail. New York: American Heritage Publishing, 1962. Dary, David. The Oregon Trail: An American Saga. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2004. McCartney, Laton. Across the Great Divide: Robert Stuart and the Discovery of the Oregon Trail. New York: Free Press, 2003. Parkman, Francis. The Oregon Trail; The Conspiracy of Pontiac. New York: Library of America, 1991. Ridge, Martin, ed. Westward Journeys: Memoirs of Jesse A. Applegate and Lavinia Honeyman Porter Who Traveled the Oregon Trail. Chicago: R. R. Donnelly and Sons, 1989. Whitman, Narcissa. “Diaries and Journals of Narcissa Whitman 1836.” The Oregon Trail. N.d. http://www.isu.edu/~trinmich/00.ar.whitman1.html (August 10, 2011).

46

Further Reading and Websites Brill, Marlene Targ. The Rough-Riding Adventure of Bronco Charlie, Pony Express Rider. Minneapolis: Graphic Universe, 2011. Young Bronco Charlie dreams of being a Pony Express rider. In this graphic novel, he gets a chance to prove he’s ready. Figley, Marty Rhodes. Clara Morgan and the Oregon Trail Journey. Minneapolis: Millbrook Press, 2011. Read the story of an eleven-year-old girl traveling on the Oregon Trail with her family. Then perform the story as a Reader’s Theater play! Friedman, Mel. The Oregon Trail. New York: Children’s Press, 2010. Learn facts and trivia about the explorers and pioneers who traveled on the Oregon Trail. Harness, Cheryl. The Tragic Tale of Narcissa Whitman and a Faithful History of the Oregon Trail. Washington, DC: National Geographic, 2006. Follow the whole story of Narcissa Whitman’s life and her exciting trip west on the Oregon Trail. Historic Oregon City History Resources http://www.historicoregoncity.org/HOC/index.php?option=com_content&view= section&id=21&Itemid=75 See historical maps of Oregon and the Oregon Trail in the 1800s, and read articles about pioneer families and their travels on the Oregon Trail. Landau, Elaine. The Oregon Trail. New York: Children’s Press, 2006. This book outlines the basic highlights and hardships of life on the Oregon Trail. McNeese, Tim. The Oregon Trail: Pathway to the West. New York: Chelsea House, 2009. Follow the stories of individual travelers on the Oregon Trail. Oregon-California Trails Association http://www.octa-trails.org/ Explore the history of Americans’ movement west—from American Indians to settlers in prairie schooners—through detailed articles, primary sources, and more. Oregon National Historic Trail http://www.nps.gov/oreg/index.htm Website visitors can plan visits to National Park Service sites on the historic Oregon Trail as well as learn about the history of the trail. The Oregon Trail http://www.isu.edu/~trinmich/Oregontrail.html Read primary sources and fun facts about trail life, and explore sites that emigrants passed on the Oregon Trail. Sutcliffe, Jane. Sacagawea. Minneapolis: Lerner Publications Company, 2009. Find out how Sacagawea became part of Lewis and Clark’s expedition and how she was crucial to its success.

47

Expand learning beyond the printed book. Download free crossword puzzles, timelines, and additional website links for this book from our website, www.lerneresource.com.

Index

American Indians, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13, 16, 17, 24, 33, 34 Astor, John Jacob, 7–9, 44

oxen, 21, 27, 40

Clark, William, 6, 11, 44

rivers, 14, 19, 22 Rocky Mountains, 8, 10, 14, 27, 44

Pony Express, 36–37

diseases, 4, 28–29

Smith, Jedediah, 10–12, 44 South Pass, 11–12, 27 Stuart, Robert, 8, 9, 10, 44 supplies, 19–20, 25, 40

food, 4, 20, 25 Fort Laramie, 25 gold rush, 34–35, 45 Great Britain, 4, 9, 45

Transcontinental Railroad, 38, 39, 45

Independence, Missouri, 18

wagons, 4, 15, 19, 20, 22, 26, 32, 40 War of 1812, 9, 10 wars, 34, 45. See also War of 1812 Whitman, Marcus, 4, 13–15, 18, 21, 30, 33, 44–45 Whitman Mission, 15, 33, 45 Whitman, Narcissa Prentiss, 4, 13, 14, 15, 30, 33, 42, 44, 45

landmarks, 15, 19, 24, 26 Lee, Jason, 16–17, 44 Lewis, Meriwether, 6, 11, 44 Meeker, Ezra, 40–41, 45 Miller, Alfred Jacob, 16, 44 missionaries, 13, 16–17 Mormons, 30–32, 45

Young, Brigham, 32, 45

Photo Acknowledgments The images in this book are used with the permission of: © iStockphoto.com/DNY59, p. 1; © iStockphoto .com/David Gomez, pp. 1 (background) and all grass backgrounds; © iStockphoto.com/sx70, pp. 3 (top), 7 (left), 9 (top) 11 (right), 16 (top), 21 (top), 26 (top), 28 (left), 33 (left), 34 (top), 37 (left), 39 (top); © iStockphoto.com/Ayse Nazli Deliormanli, pp. 3 (bottom), 43 (bottom left); © iStockphoto.com/Serdar Yagci, pp. 4-5 (background), 43 (background); © iStockphoto.com/Andrey Pustovoy, pp. 4, 17 (top), 37 (right); © North Wind Picture Archives, pp. 4 (inset), 12, 13, 14, 25, 29 (top), 32, 36, 45; © Bill Hauser & Laura Westlund/Independent Picture Service, pp. 4-5, 23, 24 (inset), 31, 38; The Denver Public Library, Western History Collection, William Henry Jackson, WHJ-10628, p. 5; © MPI/Archive Photos/Getty Images, pp. 6, 26 (bottom), 27; © Hulton Archive/Getty Images, p. 7 (right); © Peter Newark American Pictures/ The Bridgeman Art Library, pp. 10, 11 (left), 44; The Denver Public Library, Western History Collection, William Henry Jackson, WHJ-10644, p. 15; The Granger Collection, New York, pp. 16 (bottom), 19; Library of Congress, pp. 17 (inset, LC-USZ62-113753), 40 (LC-USZ62-75502); © Fotosearch/Archive Photos/Getty Images, p. 18; © National Archives/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images, p. 20; © SuperStock/SuperStock, p. 22; © iStockphoto.com/Talshiar, p. 24 (top); © Phil Schermeister/National Geographic/Getty Images, p. 24 (bottom); © ABN Images/Alamy, p. 28 (right); © Image Asset Management Ltd./SuperStock, p. 30; © Richard Cummins/Design Pics Inc. - RM Content/Alamy, p. 33 (right); © Christie’s Images/SuperStock, p. 34 (bottom); © Huntington Library/SuperStock, p. 35 (top); © Science and Society/SuperStock, p. 37 (inset); © Andrew Joseph Russell/MPI/Archive Photos/Getty Images, p. 39 (bottom); The Denver Public Library, Western History Collection, J. G. Masters, Z-1957, p. 41 (top); The Art Archive/Gift of Ruth Koerner Oliver/Buffalo Bill Historical Center, Cody, Wyoming/6921.1, p. 43 (bottom middle). Front cover: © MPI/Archive Photos/Getty Images. Back cover: © iStockphoto.com/David Gomez. Main body text set in Sassoon Sans Regular 13.5/20. Typeface provided by Monotype Typography.

48

THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK

pendence, gathered in Inde le op pe nd sa ou e th had 1843, nearly on ates, and many In the spring of eastern United St e th just er as ov w l y al journe me from e trip. Yet their th Missouri. They ca rd fo af across to ek s tr on month eir possessi y, a four- to sixtr un Co to sell most of th on . Still, ip eg tr Or difficult oup set out for ne survived the yo er ev t beginning. The gr No . eg rs the Or on , valleys, and rive ns would travel ai tr on ag w plains, mountains e or m the 1800s, many . before the end of tern United States es w e th e m ca be t ha w Trail to reach

west? Americans moving So WHY were e journey? ld they face on th ou w s ip sh rd ha WHAT ? the Oregon Trail And WHO blazed

. history. d how it affected U.S an st we il tra nt about this importa Discover the facts

SIX

AMERICAN QUESTiONS OFHISTORY

How Did Slaves Find a Route to Freedom?

And Other Questions about the Underground Railroad How Did Tea and Taxes Spark a Revolution?

And Other Questions about the Boston Tea Party How Many People Traveled the Oregon Trail?

And Other Questions about the Trail West What Difference Could aWaterway Make?

And Other Questions about the Erie Canal

What Was the Continental Congress?

And Other Questions about the Declaration of Independence

What Was the Missouri Compromise?

And Other Questions about the Struggle over Slavery

A division of Lerner Publishing Group www.lernerbooks.com 009–012 ATOS: 5.5 Lexile: 850 Guided Reading: S* *Provided by a trained reading consultant

When Did Columbus Arrive in the Americas?

Who Was William Penn?

And Other Questions about Columbus’s Voyages

And Other Questions about the Founding of Pennsylvania

When Did George Washington Fight His First Military Battle?

Who Were the Accused Witches of Salem?

When Were the First Slaves Set Free during the Civil War?

Who Wrote the U.S. Constitution?

And Other Questions about the Emancipation Proclamation

And Other Questions about the Constitutional Convention of 1787

Where Did Sacagawea Join the Corps of Discovery?

Why Did English Settlers Come to Virginia?

And Other Questions about the French and Indian War

And Other Questions about the Lewis and Clark Expedition Who Was Sitting Bull?

And Other Questions about the Battle of Little Bighorn

And Other Questions about the Witchcraft Trials

And Other Questions about the Jamestown Settlement