WARM UP

• Would you be willing to travel 2,000 miles by foot to have a better life in another state?

• Why or why not?

THE OREGON TRAIL

•  The Oregon Trail is a 2,000-mile (3,200 km) historic east-west wagon route and emigrant trail that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon and locations in between.

•  Thousands of U.S. residents left the settled eastern states in the first part of the 19th century and followed the Oregon Trail in search of new land and opportunities in the West. Along the way they encountered disease, accidents and difficult terrain.

•  People traveled the trail in covered wagons that were typically 12 feet in length and 4 feet wide. The wagons had to hold all the provisions of a family and any belongings they had brought with them.

•  River crossings on overcrowded boats were extremely dangerous. According to Idaho State University, 37 people drowned in 1850 trying to cross just one river (the Green). Cholera epidemics, wagon accidents and even lightning strikes caused many deaths among the travelers.

THE 8 PARTS OF THE TRAIL

•  The Great Plains

•  Platte River

•  Rocky Mountains

•  South Pass

•  Great Basin

•  Blue Mountains

•  Columbia River

•  Willamette Valley

THE GREAT PLAINS

•  Saturday April 23, Still in camp, it rained hard all night, and blew a hurricane almost. All the tents were blown down, and some wagons capsized. Evening, the boys have been hunting all day. Dreary Times, wet and muddy, and crowded in the tent, cold and wet and uncomfortable in the wagon. No place for the poor children.

THE PLATTE RIVER

•  Here the diarists started reporting the cracking of lips, the drying of nostrils, the transition from turf to bunch grasses, the change of the earth’s colors from greens to browns and tans, the sighting of unfamiliar animals – bison, pronghorns, jackrabbits, prairie dogs, horned toads – and the dry clarity of light that made distance deceptive.

ROCKY MOUNTAINS

•  Here the trail became more rugged. Wagons lagged behind and pack animals slowed to 2-3 miles per hour. On this route trees had to be cut, boulders pried and pushed aside, and detours made around deep valleys.

SOUTH PASS

•  In the high passes, snowstorms impeded movement, and there was no grazing available to animals or game to be hunted for food.

THE GREAT BASIN

•  This part was a dusty, dreary one. Following the snake River, the travelers were confined to its steep banks and 55 foot high scorched bluffs. Water was often unattainable, and impassable gorges and canyons broke up the trail.

BLUE MOUNTAINS

•  The climb through these mountains was difficult. To lift the wagons up, ropes, pulleys, winches, and chains were used. To descend, the same system was used, which took even more strength to prevent wagons from tumbling downward.

COLUMBIA RIVER

•  The Columbia River was a very swift river with many rapids. While passengers rafted down the river, the animals plodded along the sheer, narrow footpath beside the river. Fall winds swept up the Columbia River at such high speeds that the rafts stood still on the water for days. Many pioneers died on the Columbia River.

WILLAMETTE VALLEY

•  Once the pioneers arrived at the Willamette Valley, they were struck by the view of lush, flat valley. They had traveled 2400 miles to reach this valley.

Take A Chance On The Oregon Trail!

The Oregon Trail is a tough road to take, so make sure you follow these tips to survive the journey!

Do’s

1.  Make sure you pack lightly, its hard work on the ox to pull a lot of weight.

2.  …………

3.  ………….

Dont’s

1.  Make sure you don’t forget to bring lots of rope to help over the Mountains.

2.  ……………..

3.  …………….

Create a flyer of Do’s and Don’t’s for

The Oregon Trail

1. You are someone who successfully traveled the Oregon Trail from Independence, Missouri, to the Willamette Valley in Oregon. You want to share your experience and insight to help those who have yet to make the journey.

2. Your flyer must include: a. An appropriate title b. A brief introduction to the reader that explains why this

advice is worthwhile. c. A section with 5 do’s, each one should be at least 3

sentences d. A section with 5 don’ts, each one should be at least 3

sentences e. An image or drawing that represents the Oregon Trail.