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What did pioneers travel in on the Oregon Trail?
Some pioneers traveled in covered wagons, or “prairie schooners,” while others pulled handcarts and completed the journey on foot. Life on the trail was not easy. Many faced family deaths to sicknesses such as cholera, measles, and smallpox.
The first method to get there was to use the Sun’s direction of movement. Since the Sun moved to the west, pioneers only had to walk in the direction the Sun traveled. The sun rays would eventually shine brighter in one direction so the pioneers followed the strong rays of light.
Why did pioneers travel?
Some pioneers sought fortunes in timber, fur, or precious metals. Others hoped for better health in the mild Pacific Coast climate. People came west for these and other reasons. From the 1840s to the 1860s, more than 300,000 people crossed the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains to reach the Pacific Coast.
How did settlers travel?
Although there weren’t motor vehicles, airplanes, or even steam technology at the time, there were various modes of transportation available to the Colonists. The most common mode, and the cheapest, was walking. People would travel by foot for extraordinary distances to get supplies or visit friends and family.
Where did pioneers come from?
American pioneers were European American and African American settlers who migrated westward from the Thirteen Colonies and later United States to settle in and develop areas of North America that had previously been inhabited or utilized by Native Americans.
How did settlers travel west?
Most groups traveled at a pace of fifteen miles a day. Few traveled the overland trails alone; most settlers traveled with their families. Large groups of settlers joined together to form “trains.” Groups were usually led by “pilots” who were fur trappers or mountain men that would guide them on the trails.
Why did pioneers often walk the entire trip?
Pioneers often spread out for several miles across the plains to hunt, find grazing patches for their animals and avoid the choking dust clouds kicked up by other wagon trains.