Name:_____________________________________________

1. In the 1840s and 1850s, 500,000 people walked and rode west on the Oregon Trail, the
main pathway to the Pacific coast. The Oregon Trail was
miles long, and the !est way to cross the "ocky #o$ntains
%. & gro$p of pioneer wagons tra'eling together was called a wagon train. &t night the
pioneers p$lled the wagons into a to corral the animals and to
protect themsel'es and their !elongings.
(. #ost co'ered wagons were p$lled !y , which were strong,
cheap, and co$ld li'e on prairie grasses along the way.
4. The Prairie )chooner was a type of co'ered wagon $sed !y the pioneers. The tires were
made of .
5. *hen they arri'ed at the campsite for the night, the cooks wo$ld r$sh to collect the !est
to $se as f$el for the campfires.
+. #any pioneers tra'eled west to homestead or esta!lish their own farms. )ome were
seeking their fort$nes. In 184,, news of the inspired
tho$sands to set off to -alifornia.
.. The wagon trip west was long and dangero$s. /ame two of the dangers the pioneers
faced on the trail. and
.
8. 0ook at the list of pioneer families and click on one of the names. 1elow, write the name
of the pioneer family yo$ chose and three facts a!o$t their trip west.