From the early to mid-1830s (and particularly through the years 1846–1869) the Oregon Trail and its many offshoots were used by about 400,000 settlers, farmers, miners, ranchers, and business owners and their families .
Why did missionaries use the Oregon Trail?
Determined to spread Christianity to American Indians on the frontier , doctor and Protestant missionary Marcus Whitman set out on horseback from the Northeast in 1835 to prove that the westward trail to Oregon could be traversed safely and further than ever before.
Why did missionaries travel the Oregon Trail?
Determined to spread Christianity to American Indians on the frontier , doctor and Protestant missionary Marcus Whitman set out on horseback from the Northeast in 1835 to prove that the westward trail to Oregon could be traversed safely and further than ever before.
Why did travelers on the Oregon Trail travel in groups?
While wagon trains frequently traveled together by choice, factors such as weather and trail conditions often resulted in unintended “bunching” along the route. One of the main reasons for this phenomenon was that groups generally had to embark at approximately the same time each year.
Why did the missionaries travel west?
Missionaries moved west to convert American Indians to Christianity . Crossing the steep Rocky Mountain terrain in wagons was difficult, but proved that women were capable of making the journey. The missionaries were sometimes attacked by hostile Indian warriors.
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 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 .
Can you still hike the Oregon Trail?
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 did Pioneers go to Oregon?
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.
Why is the Oregon Trail so important?
The Oregon Trail has attracted such interest because it is the central feature of one of the largest mass migrations of people in American history . Between 1840 and 1860, from 300,000 to 400,000 travelers used the 2,000-mile overland route to reach Willamette Valley, Puget Sound, Utah, and California destinations.
What was the main reason for Travellers on the Mormon Trail?
They chose to travel on the north side of the Platte River in order to avoid competition for forage and food with the emigrants on the Oregon Trail across the river.
Who found the Oregon Trail?
Robert Stuart of the Astorians (a group of fur traders who established Fort Astoria on the Columbia River in western Oregon) became the first white man to use what later became known as the Oregon Trail. Stuart’s 2,000-mile journey from Fort Astoria to St.
What happened at the end of the Oregon Trail?
The final wagon stop on the Oregon trail, Oregon City welcomes visitors with food, drink, museums and outdoor activities. Oregon City was the end of the trail for many because it was where land claims were granted for Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Wyoming.
Who were the most famous missionaries on the Oregon Trail?
Perhaps the most significant of the pioneers to the Northwest was Marcus Whitman , a physician who had become a Congregational missionary.
How did the United States gain control of Oregon Country?
In 1846 the Oregon Treaty was signed between the US and Britain to settle the boundary dispute. The British gained the land north of the 49th parallel, including the Vancouver Island and the United States received the territory south of the parallel.
Why is it called the Oregon Trail?
This road to the Far West soon became known by another name—the Oregon Trail. ... For the most part they were farmers—family men, with wives and children—who had a common goal of seeking a promised land of milk and honey in far-off Oregon, about which they knew as little as they did about how to get there.
