1. The Oregon Trail

5. Independence, Missouri was the “jumping off” point for emigrants traveling the Oregon Trail

8. A. The Great Plain
The first stage of the Oregon Trail. This plain was a “carpet of fresh green grass”.
During the summer, storms occurred frequently creating mud. Rain was also a problem because it soaked everything.
Along these plains more than 15 million buffalo roamed.

17. The Wagon Train
At night, the wagon formed a strong barrier (circle) for protection and to keep the animals from roaming away.

18. Why “circle the wagons”?
What is this?
We’ll talk about it later
Why “circle the wagons”?

19. B. The Platte River
The relatively easy part of the trip. The river is shallow but a half-mile wide.
To cross this river usually the animals were driven over first. Then the men swam across to attach a line to assist the women, children, and supplies.
Settlers also experienced the problem of Native Americans stealing from the them.

24. Fort Laramie
Fort Laramie was a point of no return before the Rocky Mountains.
Here emigrants restocked keeping in mind they had to cross the Rockies.

26. Independence Rock
Independence Rock was a massive granite cliff where traveler would carve their names, initials, and dates onto the rock. Some even wrote letters.
While traveling, emigrants suffered from many ailments such as fevers and sores on unwashed bodies.
Heat exhaustion sometimes caused children to fall off of the wagons and be run over by the wheels.
Emigrants had to battle mosquitoes, gnats, bees, flies, snakes, wolves, bears, and buffalo.

28. Significance of date?

30. C. Rocky Mountains
At the Rocky Mountains travelers had to cut paths through the thick forest. They face steep mountains and deep gulches. Wagons had to be completely unloaded in order to cross this range.
Emigrants discovered a dramatic change in weather.
Going down the Rockies was as treacherous. Men had to hold ropes easing wagons down the mountain range.

31. D. South Pass
The South Pass was a passageway through the Rockies in Wyoming.
Weather was always unpredictable.
The Pass could be dry with little grass for the animals to graze.
Traveling over the terrain settlers experience problems such as hot sun, cold nights, and weather.

32. E. The Great Basin
The Great Basin was located between the Rockies and the Cascade and the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
The region was dry up until the Snake River.

39. F. Snake River
Reaching the water of the Snake River was tough at some points with deep gorges and bluffs.
The river was fast with large submerged boulders. Crossing this river was very dangerous.

42. G. Columbia River
To avoid going over the Cascade mountains, travelers rafted along the Columbia River.
Travelers had to unload the wagons and prepare them to raft down the river.
Rafters used rope and tar to water-proof the wagons.

46. H. Willamette Valley
This was the final destination of most emigrants who traveled the Oregon Trail.
Upon reaching the Willamette Valley, the settlers would have traveled 2,400 miles.

50. Remnants of the Oregon Trail
Note the ruts left by the wagon wheels

52. Courthouse Rock
Jail Rock

53. Chimney Rock
Why might this have been an important sight for emigrants on the trail?

54. Between 1843- 1868, more than a half million people went west on the Trail.

55. By 1869, The Oregon Trail is no longer an important travel route because the transcontinental railroad was completed.   
People traveled west on a train rather than on foot or in wagons.