1a. What territory is shown on the map on page 842?
2a. What geographic elements does the map show?
3a. Where do the trails going to California and to Oregon break apart?
1b. Why do you think this particular territory was set off and mapped like this?
2b. Why are these elements important?
3b. Why do you think the pioneers took a single trail to that point and then broke apart into two?
4a. What were some of the major difficulties in making the journey to the Pacific Coast in the 1840s? What precautions did people take?
4b. Why were people willing to take such risks to go to the Pacific Coast? Why were people like Lansford Hastings so eager to encourage people to take the trip? Why did the development of railroads in the following few decades make such an impact on travel across the United States?
5a. Would you have trusted everything a writer like Landsford Hastings said about a trip across the country in the 1840s? Why, or why not? What additional research would you have done? What additional plans would you have made?
5b. If you were to travel on land across the country today, without motorized vehicles, how would your trip differ from one in the 1840s? What different problems would you face? What problems would be the same?
Map. What features does the map on page 842 show? How would this map assist railroad developers in deciding where to route the tracks? What features does it omit? How does a modern map of the area differ from this map?
Description. How does Lansford Hastings use description in his guide?
1. Imagine you are on a wagon train traveling west to California. Write a diary entry about an experience you had along the way.
2. Write a list of the items you would need to pack for a six-month trip from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast, remembering that space is limited.
3. Imagine you live in Santa Fe, New Mexico, or another Old West town along the way to California in the 1850s. Write a recommendation to government officials, explaining why a railroad should (or should not) go through your town.
Understanding Unfamiliar Words. Research the following terms by looking them up in a dictionary or encyclopedia. Write a definition for each.
1. Conestoga
2. fort
3. buffalo robe
4. provisions
5. caravan
6. coffee mill
7. harness
8. encampment
9. vegetation
10. yoke
Adding Colorful Language to Sentences. When you write, use words that tell your reader exactly what you mean. Precise and lively nouns, verbs, and modifiers make your writing more interesting to your reader.
Example
The people made noise. The mob made an uproar.
Rewrite the following sentences, adding colorful language to make them more interesting.
1. The dog ate a bone.
2. The door shut.
3. The tree was slowly dying.
4. The fat squirrel sat and ate lots of nuts.
5. Her artwork showed the pain she felt.
6. When he played sports, he felt good.
7. He walked around the lake, enjoying the summer day.
8. The music had a strong beat, so it was fun to dance.
9. The doctor gave me medicine for the pain.
10. I picked up my sister and carried her away from the broken glass.
Researching the Oregon Trail: Research Log. Use this log to keep track of the sources you use, the information you find, and your reactions to what you learn.
Internet sources:
Books and other print sources:
Where exactly did the trail begin and end, and what route did it take in between?
How many people traveled westward on the trail? How many people used it to go back east?
What was the most common form of transportation on the trail?
Does evidence of the trail still exist?
