Moving+West

Purpose – Sent by President Jefferson to: • To find easy water way to Pacific • Establish claims in west • Scientific Discoveries • Find trading posts Achievements • Geography and mapping (Perception of northwest) • Better understanding of natural resources • Friendships with Native Americans (help with food scarcity) Effects: Sparked American interest in west & strengthened US claim to area
 * __Meriweather Lewis and William Clark – May 1804__**

• William Becknell traveled it and is credited with finding the trail • Carried the goods of the east from the west. • This trail was very popular for some time, but with the introduction of the railroad, the trail wasn’t really used.
 * __Santa Fe Trail – William Becknell__**

__**California Trail – George Donner**__ • At 62, Donner led about 100 people from Springfield, Ill. to Cal. However, he was not prepared for dangers of trip • They took shortcuts that didn’t work slowing down the trip. • At eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains, the group was stopped at Donner Pass by snow leading them to food scarcity. • A group of pioneers successfully left to get help

__**Oregon Trail**__ • The Oregon trail was mapped out by fur trading companies. They hired people called mountain men. Mountain men are very poor, nomadic men living in outdoors and exploring west searching for beavers for their fur • These companies were successful until not needed any more. • John Fremont explored Oregon Trail in 1842 • Under orders to make west seem attractive so did sparking America’s big move west

__**Zebulon Pike and Stephen Long**__ • Pike explored the southwest for headwaters but was caught by Spanish authorities and spent time in jail. He described the west as just a big desert. • Long described went on a scientific expedition to the West and described it as uninhabitable. He also had problems in the engine of his steamboat hurting his trip.

__**Trip Problems**__ • Indians: Specifically Santa Fe Trail • Spanish: Zebulon Pike • Weather and Food: George Donner at Donner Pass • Transportation: Stephen Long

Many people in today’s world move and relocate to different towns, counties, and even states. What are some reasons that families might have to do that? The reasons why people move today were similar to the reasons why people moved back when Western Expansion was popular. The reasons why the pioneers moved west was because the rumor of gold in California (Gold Rush), farming land in the west, job opportunity, and spiritual reasons. But even with all of the hype of moving west, the trek to get there was not as easy as the pioneers originally thought.

To get west many jobs had to be performed. At first these jobs were either assigned to men (driving the wagon, hunting for food, protect the family, get fire wood, etc.) and woman (making dinner, clean the wagon, change the bed sheets, milking the cows). As time went on the woman started to take control of some of the men’s jobs. This can be seen as a step for woman to become equal to men.

Many disasters happened on the way to the west. People were trampled by the wagon and the oxen pulling the wagon could die and you could be stranded. It was not an easy journey to the west because wagons had to travel up high mountains like the ones in the Rocky Mountain range. Also people traveled during the winter during cold temperatures. People also travel close and tight together. These two things usually lead to disease. Diseases like typhoid, dysentery, and mountain fever killed many pioneers. Along the way the pioneers could also be trampled and killed by floods and prairie fires.

__**Sources**__ "Discover the Rivers of Lewis and Clark." //Lewis and Clark Trail Travel and the History of Lewis and Clark's Corps of Discovery Historic Path//. Web. 15 Mar. 2010. .

"Discoverers of the Oregon-Trail." //Idaho State University//. Web. 15 Mar. 2010. .

"Sante Fe Trail." //Spartacus Educational - Home Page//. Web. 15 Mar. 2010. .

"Stephen H. Long Trail." //Follow the Explorers//. Web. 15 Mar. 2010. .