By the mid-1800s, the United States had expanded to nearly the size it is today. Manifest Destiny is the belief that the US should stretch from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. The government now owned huge areas of land with no US citizens living on it. Why would the government encourage people to live in this open space?

Many pioneers, much like the original colonists, wanted a new start, land, or the chance to live as they pleased. They packed up all the belongings they could fit in a covered wagon and began the voyage west. These pioneers knew that they would most likely never see those they left behind again.

The Oregon Trail was a major route that people took when migrating to the western part of the United States. Between 1841 and 1869, hundreds of thousands of people traveled westward on the trail. Many of them traveled in large wagon trains using covered wagons to carry their belongings.

The Oregon Trail began in Missouri and ended in Oregon City, Oregon The Oregon Trail began in Missouri and ended in Oregon City, Oregon. It stretched for around 2,000 miles and through six different states including Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Idaho, and Oregon. Along the way, travelers had to cross all sorts of rough terrain such as the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevada Mountains. 

The main vehicle used to carry the pioneer's belongings was the covered wagon. Sometimes these wagons were called "Prairie Schooners", because they were like boats going over the vast prairies of the west. The wagons were made of wood with iron around the wheels like tires. The covers were made from waterproofed cotton or linen canvas. The typical covered wagon was about 10 feet long and four feet wide.

Most of the settlers used oxen to pull their wagons Most of the settlers used oxen to pull their wagons. The oxen were slow, but steady. Sometimes mules were used as well. A fully loaded wagon could weigh as much as 2,500 pounds. A lot of the time the pioneers walked alongside the wagons. Traveling wasn't too bad with the wagons on the flat terrain of the prairies, but once the settlers reached the Rocky Mountains, getting the wagons up and down steep trails was very difficult.

Traveling the Oregon Trail in the 1800s was a dangerous journey Traveling the Oregon Trail in the 1800s was a dangerous journey. However, the danger wasn't from Native Americans as you might think. As a matter of fact, many records show that Native Americans helped many of the travelers along the way.

RIVER CROSSINGS River crossings were a constant source of distress for the pioneers. Hundreds drowned trying to cross the Kansas, North Platte and Columbia Rivers--among others. In 1850 alone, 37 people drowned trying to cross one particularly difficult river--the Green.

WALKING Because most emigrants grossly overloaded their wagons, few could ride inside. Instead most walked--many made the entire 2,000 mile journey on foot. ACCIDENTS The emigrant wagons didn't have any safety features. If someone fell under the massive wagon wheels, death was instant. Many lost their lives this way. Most often, the victims were children.

WEATHER Great thunderstorms took their toll. A half-dozen emigrants were killed by lightning strikes; many others were injured by hail the size of apples. Pounding rains were especially difficult for the emigrants because there was no shelter on the open plains and the covered wagons eventually leaked.

CHOLERA Perhaps the biggest problem on the Trail was a mysterious and deadly disease--called cholera- for which there was no cure. Often, an emigrant would go from healthy to dead in just a few hours. Sometimes they received a proper burial, but often, the sick would be abandoned, in their beds, on the side of the trail. They would die alone. Making matters worse were animals that regularly dug up the dead and scattered the trail with human bones and body parts. Cholera killed more emigrants than anything else. In a bad year, some wagon trains lost two-thirds of their people.

Interesting Facts about the Oregon Trail Despite these and other dangers, hundreds of thousands of people attempted the journey. Would you? Interesting Facts about the Oregon Trail There were reports of the trail being littered with items that people cast off along the way. These included books, stoves, trunks and other heavy items. It took about five months for a wagon train to make the journey. Although much of the trail has been built over through the years, around 300 miles of it has been preserved and you can still see the ruts made from the wagon wheels.

Load Up Your Wagon !! The pioneers were able to bring very little with them. When they left their homes in the east, they had to leave most of their belongings. The covered wagon was mostly filled with food. It took over a 1,000 pounds of food to feed a family of four on the trip out west. They took preserved foods such as hard tack, coffee, bacon, rice, beans, and flour. They also took a few basic cooking utensils such as a coffee pot, some buckets, and an iron skillet. The pioneers didn't have room for a lot of fancy items. They only had room to pack two or three sets of tough clothing. They packed candles for lighting and a rifle to hunt with along the way. Other items included tents, bedding, and basic tools such as an axe and a shovel.

Load Up Your Wagon!! Game You are about to embark on a journey following the Oregon Trail. What should you pack? Decide what items should go in your wagon. Be mindful of the weight limit! Record your decisions in the column marked Quantity (QT) Remember, there are no shops along the way. Think abut problems you may encounter and be prepared! You already own a wagon and 2 oxen to pull it. Each day (or turn) you will need one “Meal for 4” to feed your family.

This is what the game board looks like This is what the game board looks like. On your turn, you will pull a card and follow the directions. Then roll the dice to move. Everyone will start with 2 oxen and a wagon and so will roll 2 dice. If something happens to one ox, you will roll 1 die. If something happens to the other ox, you have to walk. You will move 2 spaces per turn. If something happens to an ox after you have lost both, you will turn around and head home! If you run out of food, you and your family will die!