Trails Out West Research Paper

In the middle of the 19th century, the Oregon Trail was the main pathway for American emigrants who were searching for new lands. While most Oregon bound traveled a route that passed by landmarks, Missouri, Kansas, Wyoming, Nebraska, Idaho, and Oregon there was never one set of wagon ruts leading west. The route was considered too demanding for the women and children or covered wagons to navigate.In 1836 that's when it all changed by Marcus and Narcissa Whitman. BothWhitman, took a small party of wagons from St.Louis to the Walls Valley.In 1843 Marcus Whitman, helped lead the first major wagon train for around 1,000 settlers along the Oregon Trail. In about ten years, 50,000 settlers traveled by the Oregon Trail each year.

My life as a female pioneer taking the journey down the Oregon Trail was one of hardship and adventure. During the early 1800s settlers began to explore new territory in the New World looking for new opportunities. Through the pioneer journeys of Lewis and Clark a route through America was discovered that would take settlers to new land in the Pacific Northwest portion of the country. To reach the new land pioneers, such as I, had to travel down what became known as the Oregon Trail.

Though Oregon had given away all its free land by 1855, more would still continue to migrate to California and Oregon for many years. Hundreds and thousands traveled the Oregon Trail, and though approximately one in ten died from illness and accident, many more remained to settle and farm the land. They believed it was their divine right to do so. Today, some historic land marks and wagon ruts remain as monuments to the Oregon Trail. Many of the brave and bold from the east traveled its path, with ambition and hope in their hearts. Many would never see the lands they wanted to settle in.

The Oregon Trail was a very important aspect in the history of our country’s development. When Marcus and Narcissa Whitman made the first trip along the Oregon Trail, many Americans saw a window of opportunity. The Oregon Trail was the only practical way to pass through the Rockies. Pioneers crammed themselves into small wagons to try to make it to the unsettled land; however, 10% of these pioneers died on the way due to disease and accidents.

When the California Gold Rush took off almost everyone wanted to try their luck in California, and the first thing they had to do is get there. If you on the eastern side of the United State or from European you had two choices to get to California they were the sea or land route, but if you were on the Pacific Ocean coast you direct sea route to there. The land route took you across the great United State through some of its most extremes weather and terrain, and traveler had survived the untamed west on their own and what they bring. Also, they had to struggle against diseases outbreaks such as Cholera which the text said, “As many as 1500 travelers died from Cholera along the Overland Trail in 1849” (Gillon, 298). The most popular route

This topic the Oregon Trail deals with all these people were looking for a better life or some freedom to practice their religion for themselves along with their families. Saw that they needed to move somewhere else and many of them decided to move west and take the Oregon trail or move to the state of California. Even though they knew it wasn't easy there was many trails that they had to go threw. They decided to take on that idea to leave for the Oregon trail.

Trains can offer an efficient way to transport goods over very long distances, it's not a surprising fact in the 1850’s T’was a time of westward expansions for the united states, as the gold rush’s of both california and nevada pushed Americans further right into the heart of the west to have them prosper into a super power.

The land route is across the Great Plains along the Oregon Trail or across the continental United States, mainly along the California trail.

The Oregon tail was the longest overland route in the westward growth in the United States. The Oregon Trail is a 2,200 mile (3,500km) route from Missouri to Oregon and California. The first emigrants to make the journey were Marcus and Narcissa Whitman who made the trip in 1836. Few years later the Whitman Family and eleven other were killed by a party of Cayuse Native American on November 29, 1847. The Oregon Trail helped the United States carry out its cultural goal of Manifest Destiny, that is, to expand the nation from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. Settlers could not leave too early nor too late, if they do decide to leave early there would be no grass for the animals to consume, if they left too late they would have a chance of

1.Overland Trail from Missouri R. To Oregon&CA long,dangerous,tedious&exhausting-separated from family&homeland-still streamed to W.(5千to O,3千CA in 1845&48)-bc provided economic opportunities& healthy surrounding(appeal to panic of 1837&malaria stroke farmers), also bc men seeking for sense of adventure&women seeking for ideal home-travel in group bc fear of natives&need help passing river&mt- often elected a leader of the “train”-democratic but not accepted unanimously- everyone had to accept benefit/bad of new community.

During the years the tracks were being made, the first settlers began to move westward. Once gold was discovered in these areas, people started to travel across the nation to find gold in California. Chinese Immigrants soon began discovering the gold while mining. Traveling overland before the railroad was completed, took approximently five to six months. Travelers were through rugged mountains and arid desert. “The transcontinental railroad would make it possible to complete the trip in five days at a cost of $150 for a first-class sleeper.” (Digital History). This was an ever lasting change in America. Going from $1,000 and a five to six month trip, to an $150 and five day trip was drastic. Even though, the railroad took many years to connect, it has still been used in todays society.

Americans main purpose was to spread civilization as well as knowledge. Many Indians were moved from their lands and a lot of deaths and killing took place in this process. Moving the Indians " lead to the "Trail of Tears." The Trail of Tears was a "series of forced removals of Native American nations from their ancestral homelands in the Southeastern United States to an area west of the Mississippi River that had been designated as Indian territory." In 1851 the discovery of gold also became very huge that also caused the west migration.

During the times of the Gold Rush People faced many challenges with traveling. People brought overloads of supplies with them. The travelers had supplies that was so heavy and they had loads of it. Traveling all that way with all that bulky equipment and supplies. Journeying across was a hard and difficult task, plus fourth month. When the gold rush started all around the world wanted to go to california no matter what it took. They were willing to take a chance even if they was no gold. Traveling was very hard back then and

Women went on the Oregon trail to follow their husbands. Land to the west was a new opportunity for families to have financial freedom and a new start. The west meant new opportunities and a way to get out of debt. Catherine Haun and her husband, middle class and educated, fell into financial hard times. They wanted to go on the journey to get out of their debt. They felt as if heading west would be a firmer way to make money than the ways they tried in the past: “It was a period of National hard times and we being financially involved in our business interest near Clinton, Iowa, longed to go to the new El Dorado and ‘pick up’ gold enough with which to return and pay off our debts” (Haun 166) (Sic). As well as the financial benefit, the Haun’s also saw the journey as romantic. They saw it as a romantic wedding tour, or honeymoon, as they had only been married for a few months (Haun 166). Women also

Today is the day! I get to visit the Rocky Mountains. I have never seen the Rocky Mountains. Also, I am going on their 100th anniversary. The Rocky Mountains have been there for over 300 million years. In 2015, Rocky Mountain National Park was the third most visited national park with over 4.1 million visitors. I have to get there early because it will be packed. The temperature can drop up to 20 degrees on top of the mountains, so I better bring a jacket.