The Oregon Trail:

Suchit Patel
When some generations of kids usually think of the
Oregon Trail we think of the game that we used to play in
our childhood. When you die you could start all over
again. But the Pioneers couldnt, when they die its like
now or nothing. They left valuable things behind because
of their wagon; they left their homes, and relatives.
Though they know that they might die going west in
really harsh conditions. The Pioneers left even though
they know this will be the most dangerous trip they ever
made going west.
The Oregon Trail (also known as the Oregon Road) was a
major route people took to go west. It was used by four
hundred thousand settlers, ranchers, farmers, miners,
and business men along with their families. But it was
believed that Joel Walker along with his family was the
first one to complete this two thousand two hundred mile
(three thousand five hundred and forty kilometers) trip.
The Oregon Trail was first founded in eighteen twenty
seven. It was laid by fur trappers and traders from about
eighteen eleven to eighteen forty. A large scale of
migration stared in eighteen forty. (Migrations means:
Something moving from one part of the country to
another)
The Cowboys were important during the Westward
Expansion. Even, though they were paid a good amount

from their time in the late 1800s. An average cowboy

was paid thirty five to forty dollars a month. The Cowboys
worked in cattle drives. They herded cattle about each
spring and fall. They herded about three thousand cattle
in each herd. About a dozen (twelve) of cowboys
controlled one herd. In the city they could help build and
repair things. But to do all this work and be a cowboy you
had to be an average age of twenty four. The cowboys
wore clothes to protect themselves. Like wearing ten
gallon hats to protect themselves from rain also pointed
boots and chaps to protect them from dangers in the
ground. The cowboys only drank coffee and stealing
horses was considered a hanging for whoever stole the
horse. Because it was a part of their unwritten code and
the horses were so important to them.
The Donner Party also known as the Donner Reed Party
was led by to wealthy brothers Jacob and George Donner.
The Donner party was made up by eighty seven people
who set out for California. They first set out for
Independence, Missouri at the date of April eighteen forty
six. They started at Springfield, Illinois; the distance from
Springfield to Independence was two hundred and fifty
miles (four hundred kilometers). On the date of May tenth
eighteen forty six they reached Independence, Missouri.
Then set out for California. There were splits between the
group and difficulties. By the winter of eighteen forty six
they were at the Sierra Nevadas. But they stopped since
it was too cold to go ahead. Then after a short while they
ran out of food and supplies. So anyone who died from

starvation or sickness was eaten for survival. But on the

February of eighteen forty seven, rescuers came after a
lot of attempts. It was a relive for the Donner party. The
party did not arrive to California until the middle of
February eighteen forty seven. By then only forty eight
survived from the Donner Party and thirty nine died.
The Covered Wagon (sometimes called Prairie Schooners)
was most commonly used to transport you across the
plains. The cloth on the top of the wagon protected
people and possessions from extreme weather. The back
wheels were five feet in diameter. This wheel helped roll
over bumps and had to be big so the rims of the wheel
could help the wagon from sinking into the soft ground.
The smaller wheels which were in the front were four feet
or a bit less. The front wheel had to be small so the
wagon could permit sharp turns and help the big wheels
from getting jammed into the body. A tool box was kept
the side of the wagon in case something broke down. This
wagon was small so people couldnt take all of their
possessions; there wasnt even enough space to sleep in
the wagon.
Surviving the Oregon Trail was not easy, diseases, harsh
conditions, and the lack of food always came in the way.
There were diseases that did and didnt have treatment.
Diseases killed most people in the Oregon Trail. It even
wiped out whole families. While harsh conditions
(extreme weather) made starvation and broke down
wagons. But in extreme weather lighting sometimes
struck wagons killing people in there.

The Pony Express was started by William H. Waddell,

William B. Waddell, and Alexander Majors. The Pony
Express was a planned route with a hundred and eighty
four stations. This one thousand nine hundred helped
mail move faster. Most workers were teenagers who had
to weigh less than one hundred and twenty five pounds.
The workers were paid a hundred dollars a month. The
Pony Express lasted from eighteen sixty to eighteen sixty
one. It was forced to quit because of the Transcontinental
Railroad.