The Oregon Trail was a major route that people took when migrating to the western part of the United States. Between 1841 and 1869, hundreds of thousands of people traveled westward on the trail. Many of them traveled in
large wagon trains
using covered wagons to carry their belongings.
What was the main way of travel during the Oregon Trail?
From about 1811-1840 the Oregon Trail was laid down by traders and fur trappers. It could only be traveled
by horseback or on foot
. By the year 1836, the first of the migrant train of wagons was put together.
What was a typical of Travelling like on the Oregon Trail?
The trail was rough, full of holes and rocks, so
riding in a wagon was bumpy and uncomfortable
. Most emigrants walked alongside instead, unless they were ill. Many settlers walked the full 2,000 miles of the trail. Wagon trains typically traveled 15 to 20 miles a day—less if they had to cross a mountain or a river.
What did most pioneers travel in on their way on the Oregon Trail?
Most pioneers instead tackled the trail in more diminutive wagons that become known as
“prairie schooners”
for the way their canvas covers resembled a ship’s sail. These vehicles typically included a wooden bed about four feet wide and ten feet long.
Why did immigrants travel the Oregon Trail?
There were many reasons for the westward movement to Oregon and California.
Economic problems upset farmers and businessmen
. Free land in Oregon and the possibility of finding gold in California lured them westward. … Most of the pioneer families either followed the Oregon-California Trail or the Mormon Trail.
Can you walk the Oregon Trail today?
The 2,000-mile Oregon Trail was used by pioneers headed west from Missouri to find fertile lands. Today,
travelers can follow the trail along Route 66 or Routes 2 and 30
.
Why didn’t most pioneers ride in their wagons?
People didn’t ride in the wagons often,
because they didn’t want to wear out their animals
. Instead they walked alongside them, getting just as dusty as the animals. The long journey was hard on both people and animals. It was even hard on the wagons, which usually had to be repaired several times during the trip.
Did pioneers sleep in covered wagons?
Some pioneers did sleep in their wagons
. Some did camp on the ground—either in the open or sheltered under the wagon. But many used canvas tents. Despite the romantic depictions of the covered wagon in movies and on television, it would not have been very comfortable to travel in or sleep in the wagon.
How many died on the Oregon Trail?
Combined with accidents, drowning at dangerous river crossings, and other illnesses,
at least 20,000 people
died along the Oregon Trail. Most trailside graves are unknown, as burials were quick and the wagon trains moved on.
What if you were a child on the Oregon Trail?
As Josephine Jenkins sets off on the Oregon Trail with her mother and younger brothers to reunite with her father out West, she realizes that her beloved diary has gone missing. Meanwhile, her fellow traveler Stephen Byrd is sad to be leaving his friends behind as his family makes the move to Oregon.
Does the Oregon Trail still exist?
Although the original Oregon Trail led weary travelers from Independence, Missouri, to where Oregon City is located today, now, the Oregon Trail starts in Provincetown, Massachusetts,
and doesn’t end until Cannon Beach, Oregon
, turning it into a full cross-country trip.
What was the greatest cause of death on the Oregon Trail?
Emigrants feared death from a variety of causes along the trail: lack of food or water; Indian attacks; accidents, or rattlesnake bites were a few. However, the number one killer, by a wide margin, was
disease
. The most dangerous diseases were those spread by poor sanitary conditions and personal contact.
Why did the pioneers want Oregon?
Some Americans went to Oregon in the very early 1800s because they
wanted to participate in the fur trade
. … People went to Oregon hoping to claim land and to settle in the fertile Willamette Valley. These people hoped to farm in this region. Other people went to Oregon for the adventure of going to new places.
What made Oregon country so valuable to America?
The Oregon Treaty was one of the first successes of
Manifest Destiny
. The Oregon Territory, was valuable to both the U.S. and Britain. … The signing of the treaty in 1846 was important to Manifest Destiny because it showed the U.S. was willing to fight for westward expansion.
What were the dangers of moving West?
Obstacles included
accidental discharge of firearms, falling off mules or horses, drowning in river crossings, and disease
. After entering the mountains, the trail also became much more difficult, with steep ascents and descents over rocky terrain. The pioneers risked injury from overturned and runaway wagons.
Is the Oregon Trail game historically accurate?
A second section that the game was
relatively accurate was the amount of disease and death on the trail
. It was common for a member of a party to fall ill and die, and it is no different in the game.
