Moving West Lesson 3

The Great Wagon Road In the early 1700s most cities and farms in the 13 colonies were near the Atlantic Ocean. Few colonists settled further west in the Piedmont. Settlers called this region the backcountry.

Waterfalls and no roads made travel to the back country hard. Settlers had to carry their supplies in wagons. Many people did not want to travel this way so they did not move inland. Settlers that did move west used an old Indian Trail.

Moving became more popular in the mid-1700s because the trail got bigger. It was then called The Great Wagon Road. The Great Wagon Road was the only way for wagons to get to the backcountry. It was dangerous traveling through the mountains with horses.

Life in the Backcountry Most people in the backcountry had simple lives. Many lived in one room log huts. Families burned wood in the fireplace to keep warm and cook. Adults probably slept on the floor and most children slept in the loft.

Settlers farmed and hunted. They made almost everything they needed like butter, soap, and candles. Life was full of dangers like wild animals and Indians. By the mid-1700s English settlers went as far west as the Appalachian Mountains.