Background
The
Oregon Trail was much more than a pathway to the state of Oregon;
it was the only practical corridor to the entire western United
States. The places we now know as Washington, Oregon, California,
Nevada, Idaho and Utah would probably not be a part of the United
States today were it not for the Oregon Trail. That's because
the Trail was the only feasible way for settlers to get across
the mountains. Without the Trail, most of the American West
would likely be a part of Canada or Mexico today.
The
journey west on the Oregon Trail was exceptionally difficult by today's standards. One in 10 died
along the way; many walked the entire two-thousand miles barefoot.
The common misperception is that Native
Americans were the emigrant's biggest problem en route.
Quite the contrary, most native tribes were quite helpful to
the emigrants. The real enemies of the pioneers were cholera,
poor sanitation and, surprisingly, accidental gunshots.
The
first emigrants to go to Oregon in a covered wagon were Marcus
and Narcissa Whitman who made the trip in 1836. But the big
wave of western migration did not start until 1843, when about
a thousand pioneers made the journey. That 1843 wagon train,
dubbed "the great migration" kicked off a massive
move west on the Oregon Trail. Over the next 25 years more than
a half million people went west on the Trail. Some went all
the way to Oregon's Willamette Valley in search of farmland--many
more split off for California in search of gold. The glory years
of the Oregon Trail finally ended in 1869, when the transcontinental
railroad was completed.
Actual
wagon ruts from the Oregon Trail still exist today in many parts
of the American West; and many groups are working hard to preserve
this national historic treasure.
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About
the Videos
The
Oregon Trail is a two-hour documentary about the great western
trek. It is divided into four tapes of approximately 25 minutes
each for easier classroom use. While designed for an adult audience,
the video set has been successfully used in grades 4 and above.
The
videos intertwine historic paintings and photos with current
footage of remaining trail landmarks. Interspersed throughout
are passages from pioneer diaries and interviews with Oregon
Trail historians.
The
video set received first place awards from the Broadcast Education
Association, Telly Awards, and Oregon-California Trail Association.
Four
of the Trail's top historians appear at different points in
the videos. They are:
·Merrill
Mattes: Mattes is the author of The Great Platte River Road,
the definitive work on the first half of the Oregon Trail.
He served as superintendent of Scottsbluff National Monument,
one of the most important historic sites on the Trail.
·Larry
Jones: Jones is a historian with the Idaho Historical Society.
He has written extensively about the trail, including a book
about the Oregon Trail's route through Southern Idaho. He
currently lives in Boise.
·William
Hill: Hill has written several books about the western trails,
including The Oregon Trail Yesterday and Today. He is currently
a high school history teacher and resides in New York.
·Charles
Martin Sr.: Martin has written numerous scholarly articles
about life on trail. In addition to being an expert historian,
he is considered the Trail's best "storyteller."
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Outline
for the videos
Episode
1: Beginnings:
"Beginnings"
puts the Trail in historical perspective. We learn of the events
leading up to the Oregon Trail, and why the trail was an important
chapter in American history. Specific topics include:
2.
Imagine for a moment that you are going on a 4 month trip in
your family van. You will be traveling through a remote wilderness
and there will be no place to stop for food or supplies. What
would you take along? Make a list. How is your list different
or similar to the Oregon Trail pioneers.'
3.
In many parts of the West the actual Oregon Trail ruts still
exist. Some people want to preserve these historic markings
on the land; but some of the landowners say it is their right
to build roads or homes right on top of the trail and wipe it
out. Which side do you agree with? Should landowners be able
to do what they want with their land; or should the government
require them to preserve the Trail?
4.
If the Oregon Trail had never existed, the states of Oregon,
Washington and Idaho would probably be a part of Canada today.
California, Nevada, Utah and Arizona might have ended up in
Mexico. How would life in America be different? How would your
life be different?
5.
Imagine that you are to travel back in time to become an Oregon
Trail pioneer. You are allowed to take along one modern invention;
something that will fit in your pocket. What would you take?
Why?
6.
What was the longest camping trip you ever went on? What would
it be like to go on a six-month camping trip?
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Activities
1.
Try having a typical `trail meal' for lunch: dried bread, bacon
and cold beans . Now imagine having that same menu for every
breakfast, lunch and dinner for weeks. What would it be like?
(If
you would like to make your own trail bread, mix flour with
a small amount of baking soda and then add water until you get
a firm dough. To simulate cooking over a fire, cook your bread
on a stovetop. If it turns out doughy on the inside or burned
on the outside, don't worry--that's how it turned out for most
of the emigrants too!)
2.
Figure out how many steps it took for an emigrant to walk to
Oregon. First, measure one of your normal steps from front heel
to back heel. How many inches is it? Next, divide 63360 (the
number of inches in a mile) by that number. Now you have figured
the number of steps in a mile. Now, multiply the number of steps
by 2,000 miles--the distance to Oregon. The answer is the number
of steps it would take for you to walk from Missouri to Oregon.
3.Find
the east and west end of the Oregon Trail on a modern-day map.
First find Independence, Missouri (it's near Kansas City), then
Oregon City, Oregon (it's near Portland). What roads would you
take today to get from Independence to Oregon City. Are those
roads close to the old Oregon Trail?
4.To
understand what life was like for the pioneers, try going through
an evening without any modern conveniences. No electric lights,
ball point pens, or TV etc.. Make a complete list of all the
things you gave up. (You might make an exception for bathrooms!)
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Test
Questions
1.
Who were the first white explorers to cross the American continent?
A.
Stanley and Livingston
B. Lewis and Clark
C. Astor and Stuart
D. Fremont and Carson
2.
Who were the first emigrants to travel to Oregon Country in
a wagon?
A.
The Whitmans
B. The Astorians
C. The Johnsons
D. The Donner Party
3.
Which was the only feasible passage through the Rockies for
emigrant wagons?
A.
Independence Valley
B. Emigrant Canyon
C. The Lander Road
D. South Pass
4.
Which of the following was most commonly used to power emigrant
wagons.
A.
Horses
B. Oxen
C. Crude steam engines
D. All of the above were used about equally
5.
Why did many emigrants walk the entire distance?
A.
Punishment for a crime they had committed
B. Because they could not afford a wagon
C. Because there was no room in the overloaded wagons
D. Because they wanted to get exercise.
6.
When there was no wood for campfires, what fuel did the emigrants
normally use?
A.
Fuel oil
B. Kerosene
C. Peat moss
D. Buffalo dung
7.
Which river did the emigrants NOT follow on the Oregon Trail?
A.
Colorado
B. Columbia
C. Platte
D. Snake
8.
In the years just before emigrants started going west, most
Americans thought the Great Plains area was:
A.
A vast desert
B. A lush, fertile prairie
C. A dense forest
D. Gold-mining country
9.
Most of the interaction between emigrants and Indians was:
A.
Large-scale battles
B. Guerilla-type attacks
C. Simple barter
D. There was no interaction; the Indians were all on reservations.
10.
Which of the following was NOT a fort on the Oregon Trail?
A.
Ft. Laramie
B. Ft. Vancouver
C. Ft Kearny
D. Ft. Lincoln
11.
What was the most common deadly disease on the Oregon Trail?
A.
Smallpox
B. Cholera
C. Influenza
D. Pneumonia
12.
Who led the Mormons west along the Oregon Trail?
A.
Joseph Smith
B. John Richard
C. Brigham Young
D. Angus Stansbury
13.
"Oregon Country" included the places we now know as:
A.
California, Oregon and Washington
B. Oregon, Nevada and Idaho
C. Oregon, Washington and Nevada
D. Oregon, Washington and Idaho
14.
The goal for most of the Oregon-bound pioneers was to reach:
A.
The Willamette Valley
B. South Pass
C. Portland, Oregon
D. Ft. Boise
15.
Who were the `49ers?
A.
California-bound emigrants looking for farmland
B. Gold prospectors who began going west in 1849
C. Bored emigrants who invented a sport using a pig skin.
D. Famous group of older emigrants; all over the age of 49.
16.
What was the most common alternative to floating a wagon down
the treacherous Columbia River?
A.
Paying a toll to use the Barlow Road
B. Abandoning the wagon and pushing ahead on foot through
the dense forest.
C. Turning around and going back home
D. All of the above were common alternatives
17.
Who was "The Father of Oregon."
A.
John Jacob Astor
B. John Fremont
C. John W. Booth
D. John McLoughlin
18.
About how long was the Oregon Trail?
A.
300 miles
B. 1000 miles
C. 1300 miles
D. 2000 miles
19.
Most of the Oregon-bound travelers were:
A.
Single men
B. Elderly men and women
C. Families
D. Government workers
20.
About how many emigrants went west on the Oregon Trail?
A.
500
B. 10,000
C. 25,000
D. Over 100,000
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