Go West!

The Oregon Trail & The Mormon Trail

The Way to New Land

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After the Whitmans returned, they told of

good land for anyone who wanted it
Why did the Pioneers go West? (pg 124)
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To find free farmland

For adventure

John C. Fremont
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People didnt know how to get to the West

The government sent John C. Fremont to plot a route to
the West
Traveled on trails used by Indians and fur traders and
made a map of the trails
Took an artist to draw sketches of the land
Worked with wife to write a report after returning
Wrote about the good things the team had seen and the
beautiful wildflowers and tall grasses of the prairie
Told of the rich soil good for farming

The Oregon Trail

Independence, Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon

Was the Oregon Trail only one trail?

No, it was a group of trails that started from different towns

along the Missouri River (jumping off places)

Covered Wagons
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Called prairie schooners because a sailing ship was called

a schooner and thats what the covered wagons looked
like
Groups traveled in a wagon train and moved very slowly12 miles per day
Covered wagons carried food, tools, and clothes, and
belongings
Most people walked beside the wagon
Wagons formed circles at nighttime. In the center the
families would build a fire and cook dinner

What pulled the Wagons? (Pg

128)
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Horses
n Expensive, but moved the fastest
n Needed better food and care
Mules
n Cheaper and could pull more than horses
n Could eat tougher and drier grasses
Oxen
n Cheapest, but moved the slowest
n Could pull heavier loads and not picky eaters

Danger on the Trails

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Not an easy adventure-Why? (pg 129)

Hot and dusty weeks of walking
If it rained, the wagons got stuck in the
mud
Crossing rivers was a challenge because
there were no bridges
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Sometimes built rafts to carry wagons across

river

Independence Landing,
Missouri

Many pioneers arrived by boat at Independence Landing on the Missouri River

and began gathering supplies for their journey in the town of Independence,
Missouri.

Ft. Kearny,
Nebraska

The interior of Ft. Kearny

(CAR-nee) and a replica
Blacksmith Shop and wagons.

Ft. Kearny,
Nebraska

Ft. Kearnys Powder

Magazine was built
into a hill. Ammunition
and weapons were
stored here.

Sod House near Ogallala,

Nebraska

A signed warned visitors to close the

wagon wheel gate or nearby cows
could get in and rub on the sod house,
knocking it down.

Windlass Hill,
Nebraska
Here, covered wagon travelers
faced the most difficult terrain
since their departure from
Missouri. One man said:

I cannot say at what angle we

descend, but it is so great that
some go so far as to say, the
road hangs a little past the
perpendicular.

Oregon Trail Ruts on Windlass

Hill

Ash Hollow,
Nebraska
A nice resting spot for tired travelers
after descending Windlass Hill.

Pioneer Grave Ash Hollow

Cemetery

Nathan Pattison, 23, and Rachel

Pattison, 18, had only been married 2
months when Nathan wrote in his
journal, Rachel taken sick in the
morning, died in the night. She died
of cholera. Nathan never remarried
and died at 67 years old.

Courthouse and Jail Rocks,

Nebraska

Chimney Rock, Nebraska

The chimney is eroding over time. Several feet were

knocked off the top by lightning in 1995.

Scotts Bluff,
Nebraska

Scotts Bluff,
Views from the Nebraska
summit of
Scotts Bluff named in
memory of Hiram Scott,
employee of the Rocky
Mountain Fur Company.

Scott was deserted by his

companions and left to die in
1828. His bleached bones were
found a year later. He had
crawled 60 miles before dying.

Oregon City,
Oregon

A plaque in stone marks the

official End of the Oregon Trail at
Abernethy Green in Oregon City.
These large covered wagons are 3
learning centers you can visit.

Gold Fever!

Gold Rush of 1849

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Gold was discovered in California

Mostly men went to strike gold
Some brought families to California
Most traveled along the Oregon Trail
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Did all gold seekers become rich? (pg 130)

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Continued west to California: Oregon-California Trail

Few people struck it rich by finding gold, but instead sold food,
tents, clothes, and other supplies to gold seekers

Called miners 49ers (like the football team )

The Mormon Trail

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Why did the Mormons move west? (pg 131)

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The Mormons were treated badly by people in Ohio, Missouri,

and Illinois, so they moved West for religious freedom

Bringham Young, their leader, led 3,000 people across

Mississippi River, traveled across Iowa, and camped on
Nebraska side of the Missouri River
Omaha tribe helped many of them survive the winter
In the spring, they traveled along the north side of the
Platte River towards Utah