Chapter 13 Section 1

The Lure of Oregon In the 1820’s the white settlers owned much of the land between the Appalachians and the Mississippi River. Many settlers wanted to move farther west to grow crops.

Along the pacific coast the sol is fertile and the weather is mild all year round, with much rainfall. Further in land there were dense forest that covered the mountain range. These parts were filled with beavers and other types of fur-bearing animals! For this reasons many fur trappers were the first whites to go to the Oregon country.

Competing Claims In the countries clamed Oregon United States, Great Britain, Spain, and Russia. In 1818 United states and Great Britain agreed to occupy Oregon jointly!

Fur Trappers in the Far West At first only few people came to Oregon and they came for the furs. Since furs could be sold in china for huge profits, English fur trappers stopped along the coast before crossing the Pacific. Only a few hardy men actually settled in Oregon.(KNOWN AS MOUNTAIN MEN)

Lives Filled With Danger These Fur Trappers made good profits by selling their furs however this came with many dangers. There were long and cold winters that called for much needed survival skills. They also had to watch out for bears, wildcats, or any other animal that could attack in the forest. Food was scarce, they'd eat anything even ants. Trappers also spent winters in Native American villages.

Trading Furs Routine of a mountain man Fall and spring was the time for them to start setting up their traps. Then around July they traveled out of the wilderness to meet with fur traders. They went to a place called the rendezvous. The first day at the rendezvous was mainly for entertainment and then the trappers and traders would begin to bargain! Although fur trading was very common in the 1820’s by the 1830’s it was dying. Trappers had killed so many animals many were scarce. Especially beavers, this resulted in beaver hats going out of style.

Jedediah Smith - led settlers through the Rockies trough South Pass ( Wyoming). Manuel Lisa - Latino fur trader that led a trip up the Missouri River in 1807, he also founded Fort Manuel (first outpost on the upper Missouri River ). James Beckwourth – An African American slave who escaped slavery and then was accepted as a chief for the Crow Indians. He also discovered the major mountain pass through the Sierra Nevadas that later became a major route to get to Canada. In a thirst for fur the mountain men search all over the west. They followed Indian trails through the Rocky Mountains. Important People

Missionaries were the first white American settlers in the Oregon Country. Along with them was the Whitman family. Marcus and Narcissa Whitman were married in 1836 then headed out for Oregon. When they arrived they had planned to baptize the Natives. The Whitmans had built their own mission near the Columbia River, then they began to help the Cayuse Indians setting up mission schools, clinics. But by 1840 more and more Americans were moving to Oregon, this arose many conflicts because Americans were settling on Indian land. Not only this bad thing happened in 1847 there was also a huge breakout of measles killing many people including the Whitmans and 12 other missionaries.

Despite the deaths many pioneers still went to Oregon. They were attracted by the glorious tales of wheat taller than man and tulips 5ft around. Oregon Fever was so common that every spring the Oregon Trail was clogged with wagons and pioneers.

SCHEDULE At Dawn the family wakes up. Girls will help their mother make food and boys would help their father with saddling all the horses and oxen. By six am the train would be on its way after a while it breaks for a noonday meal. But after that the wagon will travel till 6 or 7 p.m. Most pioneers started with large amount of luggage but as they continued on they left some of their belongs behind to lighten the load. Other than having to lose most of their luggage they also faced many dangers like the risk of drowning in the spring.

On the way pioneers often traded with native Americans. The pioneers would trade cloths and tools for food from the Native Americans

50,000 people made to Oregon From 1840 to 1860 But now the U.S. wanted to own Oregon Alone

Oregon Country- Term used in the early 1800s for the region of the Rock Mountains, including present day Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and parts of Wyoming, Montana, and Canada. Mountain Man - trapper who explored and hunted in Oregon in the early 1800s Rugged Individualist – person who follows his or her own independent course in life Rendezvous- French word meaning “get-together “ ; yearly meeting where mountain men trade furs Oregon Trail – route to Oregon used by wagon trains in the 1800s

Why were settlers and trappers attracted to Oregon and the far west ? How did mountain men help explore lands in the far west ? What Role did missionaries play in the settlement of Oregon? What hardships did settlerrs face on wagon trains to the west?