Mountain men and trappers of utah Foundations of Social Studies

Your notes should look like this . . . Mountain Men and Trappers - The Spanish U.S. Government When you take these notes you are looking for important people, reasons for exploration and outcomes of exploration for each of the 3 groups (hint: there will be more than 3 things to write down for each group )

Mountain Men Mountain men were trappers who trapped for themselves, and traded with the Indians. Employees of American, British, or Mexican fur companies. Around 3,000 men, women, and children went west to trap. They dress like Native Americans(shirts and pants made of leather). Around their neck they wore a “possibles sack”-it held a mold to make bullets, a knife, a flint, a tin cup, and other useful items. Trappers lived and ate off of the land.

Greeting the trappers Cache: a hiding place in the ground used for provisions or treasures used by mountain men.

Rendezvous! Usually happened in July Mountain Men brought their furs The Indians also came Managed by large fur companies The fur companies bought the furs and brought supplies for the mountain men to purchase Was a time of celebration, dancing, and singing Trappers received about 10 dollars for a pelt which is equivalent to 100 dollars today But the traders charged high prices for their supplies

Indian trapper conflict Many times the Indians were friendly and even served as guides along the rivers and trails The Indians sometimes let the trappers winter in their lodges However Indians did not like trappers on their land disturbing their way of life They often stole horses and furs Historians used to look at the mountain men in positive terms seen as “winning the west” Today historians look at it differently, talking about the costs to American Indians

Peter skene ogden Worked for Hudson Bay company Cache Valley and Ogden regions His journal is the earliest written account of northern Utah Described the land as swarming with black crickets, air filled with seagulls, and he called Ogden a hole because it was surrounded by mountains Ogden and the Ogden river are named after him

Jim bridger Worked for the Ashley - Henry fur company Came to Utah at 20 years old Great story teller Trapped in Cache Valley along the Bear River When he came to the Great Salt Lake he thought he discovered the Pacific Ocean After his trapping days he stayed in the west and started a trading post in Wyoming known as Fort Bridger

Jedediah smith Worked for the Ashely-Henry fur company When he first came to the west he took a rifle and a bible He was attacked by a grizzly bear and lost an ear First man to travel across the length and width of Utah. Discovered no rivers flowed out of the Great Salt Lake to the Pacific Ocean Very prejudice against the American Indian, which is ironic because after he left Utah he was killed by a Comanche Tribe.

James beckwourth and Etienne provost Worked for the Ashely-Henry fur company Born a slave in Virginia He was also an explorer, miner, army scout, and business man Adopted by the Crow Indian tribe Married a Crow woman Wrote a book about his life Etienne Provost Trapper from New Mexico He believed he was the first to see the Great Salt Lake He guided many expeditions into the valleys Established Indian trading posts along the shores of the Great Salt Lake and Utah Lake Attacked by an Indian tribe in Utah: first recorded conflict between the white man and Indians in the territory Provo and the Provo River are named after him

James beckwourth and Etienne provost

OUtcomes By the early 1840’s the trapping business was over because fashion had changed Mountain men had hunted so many beavers that only a few remained These men became guides for pioneers, map makers, some ran posts and stores, and others went on to become explorers for the government The contact between these men and the Indians changed the Indian life style forever, including hunting strategy, the introduction of guns, metal objects, and clothing styles In order for the Indians to get what they wanted from the white man they started killing more animals, so the supply of animals began to run low Opened up Utah for other European immigrants Video Clip: Trailblazers and Scouts- Chapter 3 (SM)