Premium Essay

How Did The Oregon Trail

Submitted By
Words 334
Pages 2
The Oregon Trail was much more than a pathway to the state of Oregon. People did not actually take the trails to Oregon, but there were many trails that branched off from the Oregon Trail. The biggest was the California Trail. In 1849, the Gold Rush started in California and people took that trail to get there. That split off at Fort Hall. The trail was the only practical corridor to the entire Western United States. Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Idaho and Utah may not been part of the United States if not for the Oregon trails. The trail was the only way for settlers to get across the mountains.

The Oregon trails was safer if people traveled in large groups. The groups started off small, but grew larger after 1849. Nobody desired to cross the unknown prairies alone. Traveling in groups families where able to help one another in emergency situations. Group travel allowed them to hire a captain who was in charge of the wagon train party. Some family members did not like this person but they needed an experienced guide and they knew this person would be the law and order of the trail. Once the pioneers left their town, there were no police or sheriff to enforce the law. Officers and judges of the train were responsible for maintaining order and punishing to those who broke the rules. …show more content…
The real enemies of the pioneers were cholera (and other illnesses), poor sanitation and accidental gunshots. This was the worst of all the problems that took place on the trail. 1/10 people died while traveling the Oregon Trail. Many walked the entire 2000 miles barefoot.

The trail was used from 1843 until the 1870s. Union Pacific completed a railroad in 1869 and people started taking the train to San Francisco and then north to Oregon by

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Oregon Trail Research Paper

...Diseases on the Oregon Trail “You have died of cholera.” Children growing up while playing the Oregon Trail video game are familiar with these words. The Oregon Trail was extremely dangerous, and difficult to survive. Although you have probably heard of the diseases travelers faced on the famous trail, do you really know what they are, their effects, and how doctors ‘treated’ them? Travelers expanding westward not only had to avoid harsh weather, injury, and Native American attacks, but they also had to regularly fear fatal diseases. Cholera was the main killer on the Oregon Trail. “Spread through contaminated food or water, cholera released an enterotoxin that effectively flooded the intestines with excess water. This led to continual watery...

Words: 1063 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Manifest Destiny Research Paper

...Most people may believe that moving west hurt many cultures and that we shouldn’t have oppressed as many people as we did. I can agree that we could have moved westward more peacefully and without doing as much harm as we did. However, America was growing rapidly, and many people happened to be moving westward in search of more land and different opportunities, this includes immigrants. In the source, “Manifest Destiny: The Idea Behind America’s Spread to The West” it states, “Thanks to a high birth rate and brisk immigration, the U.S. population exploded in the first half of the 19th century. It more than quadrupled from about five million people in 1800 to more than 23 million by 1850. Such rapid growth drove millions of Americans westward in search of new land. The desire for new opportunities also was intensified by two economic depressions 1819 and 1839.” This source explains how America’s population was growing increasingly rapidly while people were also immigrating. People started to move west in search of land and a new life. During the population explosion, immigrants came over to the U.S. as well, looking for wealth and new opportunities. Immigrants were able to get jobs by moving westward in America. In order for America to continue...

Words: 827 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

California Trail

...The California Trail carried over 250,000 gold-seekers and farmers to the gold fields and rich farmlands of the Golden State during the 1840s and 1850s, the greatest mass migration in American history. The general route began at various jumping off points along the Missouri River and stretched to various points in California Oregon, and the Sierra Nevada. The specific route that emigrants and forty-niners used depended on their starting point in Missouri, their final destination in California, the condition of their wagons and livestock, and yearly changes in water and forage along the different routes. The trail passes through the states of Missouri, Kansas Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Oregon, and California. Before the trail was blazed, the Great Basin region had only been partially explored during the days of Spanish and Mexican rule. However, that changed in 1832 when Benjamin Bonneville, a United States Army officer, requested a leave of absence to pursue an expedition to the west. The expedition was financed by John Jacob Astor, a rival of the Hudson Bay company. While Bonneville was exploring the Snake River in Wyoming, he sent a party of men under Joseph Walker to explore the Great Salt Lake and find an overland route to California. Early settlers began to use the trail in the 1840's, the first of which was John Bidwell, who led the 1841 Bidwell-Bartleson Party. In 1842, a member of the Bidwell-Bartleson Party returned to Missouri on the Humboldt...

Words: 4471 - Pages: 18

Free Essay

The Journal of Helen Carpenter

...The Journal of Helen Carpenter The Journal of Helen Carpenter Alana Vess August 17, 2015 HIS/110 Timothy Hayburn The Journal of Helen Carpenter Dear Journal, it’s me Helen again. I know it’s been a long time since I have written but, to be honest I have just been too busy to write. I was married about five months ago to Mr. Aurelius Carpenter, “he is on the abolitionist side and while he was fighting for the free-state movement he was wounded and I helped nurse him back to his health (2012).” The year is now 1857 and we have decided to travel west to California and in doing so we will be taking the Oregon Trail. I must admit I am terrified, not only about traveling by oxen and wagon through this journey to the new land but also what or who we may cross paths with along the way. One good thing about our journey is my parents are traveling in their wagon behind us so if anything happens to myself or the baby while on this journey I have my mother to help. A few of our neighbors and friends have also decided to make this trek with us because the food and supplies are dwindling down back in Kansas. The bad thing about this journey is that wagon space is very limited so we have had to leave the majority of our belongings behind. With all of that aside we are hoping that California will be a better source for us and have better soil for gardening and...

Words: 1061 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Oregon Forest Practices Act Case Study

...The Oregon Forest Practices Act (OFPA) is designed to help protect and preserve the environment through use of sustainable forest management. While the OFPA does do a good job for setting standards it is still lacking in some areas. In this paper the size of stream buffers will be addressed, as well as yarding systems on slopes. While the OFPA already has regulations for stream buffers based on the classification of the stream, it is not enough and should be changed. The OFPA needs to address these problems because under the current regulations it is not properly protecting and preserving the environment of Oregon’s forest. Currently the OFPA evaluates stream buffers based on the classifications, these include two parts the size: small,...

Words: 1822 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Guided Reading

...extent did individualism, new religious sects, abolitionism, and women’s rights change American culture during the antebellum period (1820-1860)? Chapter 11: Religion and Reform 1800-1860 Individualism: The Ethic of the Middle Class Discuss the differing opinions on the lack of rigid class structures in America: Alexis de Tocqueville: Ralph Waldo Emerson: Transcendentalism: How did Second Great Awakening preachers like Finney adopt portion of Emerson’s philosophies regarding man? How did the main teachings of Transcendentalism differ from the teachings of most Protestant faiths of the time? Emerson’s Literary Influence (For each author describe their main literary focus and delineate between fiction or nonfiction) Henry David Thoreau: Margaret Fuller: Walt Whitman: Nathaniel Hawthorne: Herman Melville: Rural Communalism and Urban Popular Culture Utopias: Communalists: Shakers: marriage? Socialism: property ownership? Humphrey Noyes and Oneida: perfectionism: marriage? Joseph Smith: Mormonism: What was summary of Book of Mormon? How were Mormons accepted by those outside of their faith and what did this lead them to do? Brigham Young: Abolitionism -Skip (We will cover this in class) The Women’s Rights Movement Women became involved in what aspects of public life? What was meant by the statement that women belonged in a “separate sphere” from men? What role did women...

Words: 398 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Manifest Destiny

...Tammy Prater Survey of American History I HIST 2010 Spring 2014 “Manifest Destiny and American Territorial Expansion A Brief History with Documents” By Carrie Duncan Manifest Destiny is an event, and a philosophy, that changed how the United States expanded from thirteen colonies into what it is today. The term, Manifest Destiny, was first used in 1845 by John O'Sullivan, to give explanation for the United States' right of expansion. He stated that"...the right of our manifest destiny to over spread and to possess the whole of the continent which Providence has given us for the development of the great experiment of liberty and federaltive development of self government entrusted to us. It is right such as that of the tree to the space of air and the earth suitable for the full expansion of its principle and destiny of growth." 1 The principle behind Manifest Destiny has been around since Christopher Columbus first discovered the Caribbean. Many years after Columbus' discovery of the New World, Europe and Mexico were wanting to expand, and control new territories in North America. This want for new territory, would cause boundary issues and fears to arise soon after the Revolutionary War with the fledgling government of the United States. These boundary issues and fears would help the supporters, who wanted to expand the United States borders, to push for acquiring new territories in...

Words: 2589 - Pages: 11

Free Essay

Narrative

...and limitations, degree and elements of motivation, work ethic, beliefs, interests, vision, educational background, formative experiences, and professional goals” (Kise, 2006). Therefore, when a teacher is brainstorming a lesson plan, a coach can be a vital role in building teaching effectiveness. Purpose of the Lesson The purpose of this lesson is to build appropriate content concepts and build background knowledge of the unit, “The Gold Rush” in the fourth grade classroom. As part of the fourth-grade social studies curriculum, the teacher will be using the social studies series by incorporating other primary source materials, literature, and realia. The content topics for the Gold Rush unit includes the westward expansion, routes and trails to the West, the people who sought their fortunes, hardships, settlements, the discovery of gold, the life of miners, methods for extracting gold, and the impact of the Gold...

Words: 2090 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

Alaska the Brand

...“land of ice and snow”, the “land without summer”. Many of these images are from the stories and poetry of Robert Service, Jack London and their contemporaries. A good example of this writing is the poem “Cremation of Sam McGee”— see appendix II, (Service). All these extreme brand images dominated perceptions of Alaska prior to the discovery of gold in the Klondike in the late 1800s. After gold was discovered these negative perceptions were softened somewhat, though they remained rather negative—in large part due to the difficulty of living in the far north. Our Brand Survey We did a brand audit of Alaska to see how well Alaska has worked past these harsh criticisms. To accomplish this we surveyed local Alaskans, people from the “Lower 48”, and a few international people. Most of these surveys were done online using Survey Monkey (Survey Monkey). This has given us a comprehensive view of how people feel about Alaska—both within the state, from the lower 48, and internationally. We want to evoke responses that reflect people’s own thoughts, so we designed our question to keep out...

Words: 7487 - Pages: 30

Premium Essay

Video Games and Obese

...Turning Everyday Fun into Learning I grew up in a household where video games were a privilege that I had to earn. When I had done all my homework and chores, I was allowed to play video games for an hour a day. As I grew older my parents thought I could make my own choices and did not limit the amount of time I spent playing video games. Many people today think that video games cause children to become couch potatoes, act dumb, and be rude. As a young child, my parents taught me that responsibilities come before the reward. That is why I have a different opinion of video games. I believe that video games can be beneficial to individuals; however, there are limitations. They help children deal with cancer, improve literacy skills, gain educational skills, and stay fit, but individuals should be cautious about the genre of the game and the amount of play time. When these precautions are taken, video games can be a helpful tool for many. The first at home video game, Pong, was created by Allan Alcorn for the Atari. It consisted of two dimensional graphics and was the first game to attract people’s attention. To win, you had to be the first to defeat your opponent in this virtual game of table tennis. Soon after, the video gaming industry began expanding at an unimaginable rate. It took only 30 years to develop this multimillion dollar industry. New technology is opening doors for more advanced gaming systems and the industry is always increasing. We have come from a virtual...

Words: 2619 - Pages: 11

Premium Essay

Early Pacific Northwest History

...people, the geography, and the culture. First is the Era of the First People. Scientific theories suggest that man first came to the PNW via land bridges from Russia or perhaps waterways. Some legends suggest a similar nomadic journey following the migrating animals or the work of spirits or Gods who created companions for a lonely human; usually a mother figure. However they came to be, the First People, while split into different geographical and cultural groups, had many things in common. These groups: the Costal, Plateau, and Basin Indians, all used the resources of the PNW to their advantage. For the most part, all depended on hunting and gathering for food and resources. The Basin Indians, with more limited resources, did have to forage for food and resources at times. Salmon was favored heavily for both a food source and in various ceremonies. Each group had domesticated animals: horses, dogs, or sheep. The changes in this era are more focused on the growth of cultures and of population; establishing societies. The Coast Indians were separated geographically from other native peoples. They had their own local forms of society and government involving a very class conscious social structure. Wars or feuds among tribes were not uncommon. The Plateau Indians lived in small settlements along major tributaries and streams. They came together for trading purposes, harvest, or to defeat a common foe. Not hindered by geography, the Plateau Indians...

Words: 1001 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Roman Advancements

...the introduction of aqueducts, water was transported on dirt roads by horse and carriage. People would wait and wait for water and some would die because of the delay. Concrete made a water supply readily available to the roman’s and is the basis for water storage in today’s times. (Herring, Benjamin) Trade and commerce is necessary to gather resources that one country could not produce. For example, Rome could not produce certain fruits and vegetables because of a different climate. With the introduction to a stable concrete road, transportation was easier and safer for trade. “At the beginning of the century, the supply of good roads was nowhere near the growing demand. Most roads at the time were little more than improved wagon trails. In fact, many of the major...

Words: 1450 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Fire That Changed America Book Report

...This book intertwines with historical years of when strikes by labor unions shook major businesses, when settlement houses rose all around, a time when nativism and xenophobia existed, and when famous court cases such as Lochner v. New York and Muller V. Oregon encroached newspapers just as the Triangle trail...

Words: 644 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Mock Trail Essay

...depot Inc safety policies and practices • The store employees’ willingness to adhere to the policies • The condition of the store premises On the other hand, the strongest points that plaintiff’s lawyers will want to relieve is: • The stores procedures for banana displays • Whether Grocery Depot Inc acted reasonably to prevent the slip and fall Grocery Depot Inc defense lawyer Jacki, will be asking ten vital questions in her direct examination of D’Lake. Jacki believes the witness will be able to testify about the facts that support the defense’s case. 1. Mr. D’Lake please describe to the court the company’s safety policies and procedures. She would ask this question to establish the foundation of the store safety policies. 2. How does the store ensure employees are aware of the...

Words: 1020 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Indians

...life. A life that was once peaceful and prosperous for the Sioux Indians was about to change drastically. Throughout history, the Sioux Indians, had to fight physical and emotional battles, in trying to retain their land and dignity. Following a time line, the American Indians were treated unjustly, as I will show starting with the Bozeman Trail and continuing on with The Great Sioux Reservation, Custer’s expedition, Battle of the Little Big Horn, Ghost Dancers, Wounded Knee, Citizenship Act of 1924, The Indian Reorganization Act, and The American Movement(AIM). The terrains were rough, being brutal and forcibly tough, especially for the new settlers who came west, when there was talk of gold. John Jacobs and his partner John M. Bozeman established in 1863 a trail that went through Wyoming and Montana that connected the Oregon Trail. The Bozeman trail was much shorter and more direct, even though, it was a much better wagon road, however it had its flaws. It just happened to pass through the Lakota and Cheyenne’s hunting grounds. The Indians had warned the first wagon train against crossing. While some did...

Words: 3069 - Pages: 13