1. Westward Expansion Trails

2. Why Go West
Settlers following these 'Westward ways' were spurred by various motives
Escape religious persecution
Seeking gold
Various land acts
Settling newly claimed lands

3. National Trails System
The Act created a series of National trails "to promote the preservation of, public access to, travel within, and enjoyment and appreciation of the open-air, outdoor areas and historic resources of the Nation."
authorized three types of trails:
National Scenic Trails
National Recreation Trails
connecting-and-side trails

5. Two Major Wagon Networks
Missouri
Emigrant Trails
the Oregon, Mormon, and California Trails
Santa Fe de Nuevo México
Southern Trails
the Santa Fe Trail, the Southern Emigrant Trail, and the Old Spanish Trail.

7. Oregon Trail 2,200-mile, historic east–west, large-wheeled wagon route
connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon

8. 1811 to 1840-passable on foot or by horseback
By 1836-wagon trail had been cleared to Fort Hall, Idaho

10. Stops along the Trail Independence, Missouri
Missouri River flows into the Mississippi
trading post
By the 1840's, it was the most popular "jumping off" point for pioneers to stock their wagons with supplies before heading out to Oregon or California

11. Courthouse and Jailhouse Rock
Platte River valley
Courthouse Rock and its smaller companion, Jailhouse Rock, were among the first landmarks seen by pioneers heading west

12. Chimney Rock
twelve miles west of Courthouse and Jailhouse Rock
Chimney Rock was one of the most picturesque landmarks along the Oregon Trail.
signaled the end of the prairies as the trail became more steep and rugged heading west towards the Rocky Mountains.

13. Fort Laramie
Fort William in 1834 where the North Platte and Laramie rivers meet
protect and supply emigrant wagon trains

14. Independence Rock
Named for a fur trader's Fourth of July celebration in 1830
giant piece of granite is 1,900 feet long, 700 feet wide, and 128 feet high.
"Great Register of the Desert", more than 5,000 names of early emigrant were carved on this boulder

15. Fort Bridger
Jim Bridger began this fort as a trading post in 1842
Soda Springs
Natural bubbling pools of carbonated water
used the pools of water for medicinal and bathing purposes

16. Fort Hall
Established by Nathaniel Jarvis Wyeth in 1834 along the Snake River
usually abandoned their wagons at the fort and continued on foot with their animals
Fort Boise
established in 1834
supply point along the Oregon Trail until 1854

17. Founded in 1836 by Dr. Marcus Whitman
Whitman Mission
Founded in 1836 by Dr. Marcus Whitman
The Dalles
emigrants floated down the Columbia River in rafts through the stony river gorge.
Oregon City
Founded in 1842 near where the Willamette River flows into the Columbia River
first territorial capital of Oregon
Today, the city is a suburb of Portland, Oregon.

19. Mormon Trail
1,300-mile route that members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints traveled from 1846 to 1868

20. The Mormon pioneer run began in 1846 Brigham Young
follows much of the same route as the Oregon Trail and the California Trail
The Mormon pioneer run began in 1846
Brigham Young
President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1847 until his death in 1877
founded Salt Lake City
served as the first governor of the Utah Territory

21. California Trail
2,000 miles across the western half of the US from Missouri River towns to what is now the state of California

22. Throughout the 1840's settlers would develop short cuts
carried over 250,000 gold-seekers and farmers to the gold fields and rich farmlands of the Golden State during the 1840s and 1850s
Throughout the 1840's settlers would develop short cuts
Hastings Route
would save the pioneers miles on easy terrain
This "new" route would spell the death of many of those in the infamous Donner Party

23. Donner Party
April 16, 1846, nine covered wagons left Springfield, Illinois on the 2500 mile journey to California
group included 32 men, women and children
The Emigrants’ Guide to Oregon and California, by Landsford W. Hastings
Never been tested
others would join the group until its size numbered 87

25. Santa Fe Trail connected Franklin, Missouri with Santa Fe, New Mexico
Pioneered in 1821 by William Becknell
The route crossed Comancheria
the territory of the Comanche

26. Southern Emigrant Trail
also known as the Gila Trail, the Kearny Trail, and the Butterfield Stage Trail
followed the Santa Fe Trail to California

27. Old Spanish Trail
1,200 miles long, the trail ran through areas of high mountains, arid deserts, and deep canyons
connected Santa Fe, New Mexico with Los Angeles, California and southern California

28. Chisholm Trail
drive cattle overland, from ranches in Texas to Kansas railheads
trail marked by Jesse Chisholm

29. Bozeman Trail
overland route connecting the gold rush territory of Montana to the Oregon Trail.
important period was from

30. John Bozeman and John Jacobs scouted for a direct route from Virginia City, Montana to central Wyoming
Bozeman led the first group of about 2,000 settlers on the trail in 1864