Trails West Ch 13.1

Trails West Before we leaned…  President Jefferson moved the border of the United States westward with the purchase of the Louisiana Territory in Now we will learn…  Thousands of adventurers and pioneers followed trails to the West to settle the land and make their fortunes.

Mountain Men  Mountain Men: Trappers and explorers of early 19 th Century of western U.S.  General importance to American history:  1. Opened up West with the discovery and creating of trails.  2. Provided knowledge of Far West.  Mountain Men: Trappers and explorers of early 19 th Century of western U.S.  General importance to American history:  1. Opened up West with the discovery and creating of trails.  2. Provided knowledge of Far West.

Famous Mountain Men  Jim Beckwourth  1. African-American mountain man  2. Discovers a pass (Beckwourth Pass) which cuts through the Sierra Nevada's to gold fields  Jedediah Smith  1. Discovers South Pass in Wyoming. It is a low pass with less snow.  2. The Oregon Trail and Mormon Trail pass through this South Pass.  Jim Beckwourth  1. African-American mountain man  2. Discovers a pass (Beckwourth Pass) which cuts through the Sierra Nevada's to gold fields  Jedediah Smith  1. Discovers South Pass in Wyoming. It is a low pass with less snow.  2. The Oregon Trail and Mormon Trail pass through this South Pass.

Rendezvous  A. What? A yearly meeting of mountain men and traders at selected sites.  B. Who? William Ashley is giving credit for starting the yearly rendezvous.  A. What? A yearly meeting of mountain men and traders at selected sites.  B. Who? William Ashley is giving credit for starting the yearly rendezvous.

Heading West  Why go west?  A. Traders in search of new markets to sell goods and set up stores  B. Find jobs if unemployed  C. Avoid the law  D. Get rich:  Land speculators bought huge amounts of land hoping to make money. They would sell smaller sections of their land in order to make a profit.  Better farmland in the west  Manufacturers and Merchants  E. Religious reasons  Why go west?  A. Traders in search of new markets to sell goods and set up stores  B. Find jobs if unemployed  C. Avoid the law  D. Get rich:  Land speculators bought huge amounts of land hoping to make money. They would sell smaller sections of their land in order to make a profit.  Better farmland in the west  Manufacturers and Merchants  E. Religious reasons

Trails West: half a million settlers made the trek west in the twenty years before the Civil War.

Santa Fe Trail In 1821 Mexico gained independence from Spain. Mexico welcomed American traders. William Becknell pioneered a new route that became the Santa Fe Trail. It connected the Old Spanish Trail. He also found a shortcut (Cimarron Cut-off) that avoided steep slopes, but passed through a deadly dessert. The Santa Fe Trail went from Independence, Missouri to Santa Fe, New Mexico. People in New Mexico were eager for new merchandise. Many traveled the Santa Fe Trail to Santa Fe New Mexico in search of new markets for goods. This trail was primarily for American traders.

Oregon Trail The Oregon Trail ran from Independence, Missouri to the Oregon Territory. Tales of Oregon’s great land and climate tempted people to travel there. The first settlers of the Oregon territory were missionaries, including Marcus & Narcissa Whitman. People wrote highly about the Oregon Territory, including how the sun always shone there and wheat grew as tall as six feet! Many farmers moved to Oregon Territory, known as “Oregon Fever.” This caused unfriendly relations with Great Britain, since they also occupied Oregon Territory. The Oregon Trail ran from Independence, Missouri to the Oregon Territory. Tales of Oregon’s great land and climate tempted people to travel there. The first settlers of the Oregon territory were missionaries, including Marcus & Narcissa Whitman. People wrote highly about the Oregon Territory, including how the sun always shone there and wheat grew as tall as six feet! Many farmers moved to Oregon Territory, known as “Oregon Fever.” This caused unfriendly relations with Great Britain, since they also occupied Oregon Territory.

Mormon Trail While most pioneers went in search of wealth, the Mormons went for religious reasons. The Church of the Latter Day Saints was started in NY by Joseph Smith. He was killed in Illinois by an anti-Mormon mob, since not all agreed with the Mormon teaching. Ex. Polygamy- allowing a man to have more than one wife at a time. Brigham Young, the next Mormon leader, moved his people out of the U.S. and into Utah on the Mormon Trail. Utah at that time was a part of Mexico and he hoped his people would be left in peace. The Mormon Trail started in Nauvoo, Illinois and continued to Salt Lake City, Utah. The Church of the Latter Day Saints (Mormons) settled at Salt Lake City, Utah. Since Utah has little rainfall, the Mormons built dams and canals that caught water in the hills and carried it to the farms in the valleys below.

Trails West  Prairie Schooners- small farm wagons used to transport people westward.  The animal with a prized pelt which was almost trapped to extinction was the beaver.  The most prominent wild large hoofed animal on the Plains was the buffalo.  At night time and in dangerous times, wagons westward would form a circle for protection. “Circle the wagons.”  Prairie Schooners- small farm wagons used to transport people westward.  The animal with a prized pelt which was almost trapped to extinction was the beaver.  The most prominent wild large hoofed animal on the Plains was the buffalo.  At night time and in dangerous times, wagons westward would form a circle for protection. “Circle the wagons.”