Diseases and serious illnesses caused the deaths of nine out of ten pioneers. Such diseases as cholera, small pox, flu, measles, mumps, tuberculosis could spread quickly through an entire wagon camp. Cholera was the main scourge of the trail.
What do you think were some of the dangers of going west by wagon train?
Wagon trains
Sandstorms were common crossing the plains . Also thunder storms, flooding or droughts could put a party in danger. Wagon trains could also be hit by disease. Cholera or typhus could strike and affected families would be left behind so as to not to spread the disease.
What were the greatest dangers wagon trains faced in the Old West?
One of the biggest killers was disease, namely cholera, diphtheria, and dysentery . People also drowned at river crossings, fell under wagon wheels, and simply succumbed to exhaustion. Accidental shootings were also a concern, as many emigrants had little experience with guns.
What kind of dangers did the pioneers face?
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.
What were 5 different dangers along the Oregon Trail?
- Disease.
- Gunshot wounds.
- Accidents.
- River crossings and drowning.
- Weather.
What dangers did migrants face to the West?
This page describes in detail the many hazards that pioneers faced in their travels west. From crippling diseases, to wagon accidents, dangerous weather, wild creatures, and attacks by Native Americans , life was very difficult on the journey west.
What were the two main causes of death along the trail?
Nearly one in ten who set off on the Oregon Trail did not survive. The two biggest causes of death were disease and accidents .
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.
What was the main item that pioneers brought with them in their covered wagons?
The pioneers would take with them as many supplies as possible. They took cornmeal, bacon, eggs, potatoes, rice, beans, yeast, dried fruit, crackers, dried meat , and a large barrel of water that was tied to the side of the wagon. If the pioneers could take a cow, they would.
What were the dangers of going west?
Major threats to pioneer life and limb came from accidents, exhaustion, and disease . Crossing rivers were probably the most dangerous thing pioneers did. Swollen rivers could tip over and drown both people and oxen. Such accidents could cause the loss of life and most or all of valuable supplies.
What type of animal did most pioneers use to pull their wagons?
Horses were very expensive so most pioneers used oxen or mules to pull their wagons. Both were strong, steady and able to cross rough terrain.
What was the most common problem on the Oregon Trail?
Throughout the trail’s existence, numerous accidents were caused by negligence, exhaustion, guns, and animals. Wagon accidents were the most common, with both children and adults sometimes falling off or under wagons and being crushed under the wheels.
Why did most people on the Oregon trail walk instead of ride in their wagons?
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 . ... With this in mind, settlers typically preferred to ride horses or walk alongside their wagons on foot.
How did they treat cholera on the Oregon Trail?
Emigrants treated the sick with pain medications such as camphor, the oil of the Asian camphor tree, and laudanum , a bitter-tasting, addictive tincture made from opium, but victims often died within a matter of hours— healthy in the morning and dead by noon.
How many settlers 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 is not one of the six states the Oregon Trail passed through?
The trail from Independence to Oregon City crossed portions of six present-day states. The first 16 miles were in Missouri, then the trail crossed into Kansas for 165 miles, Nebraska for 424 miles, Wyoming for 491 miles, Idaho for 510 miles and finally Oregon for 524 miles.
