The Oregon Trail

1
The Oregon Trail

• Lauren Sharkey
• Grade 4

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Map from 1843

• Above is the route taken by many travelers who
  followed the Oregon Trail. These travelers set
  out on journey of the unknown in hopes of finding
  a promising future in the west. They faced many
  challenges along the way. Your mission is to
  explore what daily life was like on the trail and
  describe the hardships they faced.

3
Your Mission

• Records of historical information is key for
  understanding times of the past. Many of those
  traveling on the trail used journals to record
  their experiences. You will have to opportunity
  to pretend you are traveling on the trail and
  will be responsible for creating a journal
  describing your experiences.

Whitman Mission
Oregon City
Chimney Rock
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Diary vs. Journal

• A diary is record of daily events that is
  written.
• A diary usually states the facts about what has
  happened.

• A journal is a written record that is not written
  on a regular basis, but rather when someone
  experiences something significant.
• Journals tend to be done in storytelling fashion
  with many details.

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The Facts

• You might discuss the following topics in your
  journal
• Landmarks on the trail
• Transportation
• Food and Supplies
• Weather Conditions
• Illness
• Animals
• Landscape (mountains, plains, ect.)
• Emotions of travelers
• Native Americans
• Your journal must historically factual and
  accurate in terms of these topics.
• For example Do not write about how the ocean
  was very warm in Nebraska o)
• YOU MUST DO RESEARCH!

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Landmarks to VisitVisit the websites below to
learn more about each of landmarks on the Oregon
Trail.

• MISSOURI St. Louis Independence St.
  Joseph Westport
• IOWA Council Bluffs
• KANSAS Shawnee Mission Alcove Spring 
• NEBRASKA Rock Creek Station Fort Kearny Ash
  Hollow Courthouse Rock Chimney Rock Scotts
  Bluffs

• WYOMING Fort Laramie Fort Caspar Independence
  Rock Devils Gate South Pass Fort Bridger
• IDAHO Fort Hall Craters of the Moon Shoshone
  Falls 3 Island Crossing Fort Boise
• OREGON The Dalles Oregon City Barlow Road
• WASHINGTON Whitman Mission Fort Vancouver

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Methods of TransportationClick on the pictures
below to learn about the wagons used on the trail.
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Food and Supplies Click on the links below to
learn about the different foods and supplies
brought on the trail.

• Pioneer Personal Possessions
• Cooking on the Trail
• List of Supplies
• Provisions on the Trail
• Packing for the Trail

9
Weather ConditionsDescribe the weather
conditions on the trail and how they would affect
the journey.

• Hardships on the Trail
• The Effects of the Weather
• Use the journals to read about how the weather is
  described.

10
Illnesses

• Hardships on the Trail
• First Aid Used on theTrail
• Medicines for Illnesses
• Drama of the Oregon Trail
• Diseases

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AnimalsClick on the pictures to learn about the
animals that were encountered on the trail.
Buffalo/Bison
Appaloosa
Oxen
Beavers
Grizzly Bear
Longhorn
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LandscapesDiscuss the very different landscapes
that were encountered throughout the trail.
There were mountains, valleys, plains, and
rivers.
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Take it from those who knowClick on the links to
read about others experiences on the trail.

• Journal of Sarah Wiseman
• Diary of George Edwin Bushnell
• Narrative of James Clyman
• Journal of Abigail Jane Scott
• Letters and Journals of Narcissa Whitman
• Journal of Americus Savage
• Letters from a Women Homesteader
• Journal of William Sturgis
• Other examples of letters, diaries, journals and
  narratives
• Some other information

14
Native Americans

• Were They Dangers on the Trail?
• Trail Facts

• Native Americans on the Trail
• Whitman Mission

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A Few more things

• Remember
• Date your journal entries
• Write your journal entries in first person (I was
  walking along)
• Use your imagination and be descriptive!!

HAVE FUN!!!