is for AMERICANS

In the mid-19th century, many Americans decided to leave their homes to travel westward to Oregon in search of a better life. Around 500,000 Americans traveled about 2,000 miles on the Oregon Trail. Many Americans traveled with their entire families.

is for BUCKETS

Children were expected to help out with chores while traveling with their families on the Oregon Trail. Collecting water was a common chore for children. Buckets were used to collect water from the rain, from streams, and from other sources. This helped ensure that the Pioneers had water, and the adults had time to do other important jobs.

is for COVERED WAGONS

Covered wagons were the vehicle that the Pioneers used while traveling on the Oregon Trail. They are also known as "Prairie Schooners" because they were almost like boats traveling across the Prairies. The covered wagons were made of wood, with iron around the wheels. They were covered with waterproof cotton or linen canvas. The wagons were usually 10 feet long and 4 feet wide.

is for DANGERS

Traveling on the Oregon Trail was quite dangerous. Cholera and Small Pox were diseases that killed many people on the trail. The Pioneers were traveling without doctors or medicine, making the trip even more dangerous. Sickness was not the only danger - bad weather, and wagon accidents were other causes of danger on the Oregon Trail.

is for EMIGRANTS

To emigrate means to leave one country or region to settle in another. Thousands of pioneers emigrated from the eastern states to the territories in the western part of America. Many of these pioneers used the Oregon Trail as their main pathway to the west.

is for FOOD

Covered wagons were filled mostly with food because it took over 1,000 pounds of food to feed a family of 4 on the trip west. They brought many preserved foods - so that they would last the long trip. The pioneers ate things like bread, coffee, beans, rice, bacon, ham, and dried fruit.

is for GRAVESTONES

It is estimated that about 20,000 people died while traveling along the Oregon Trail. Many people died from illnesses and serious diseases that could not be treated due to lack of medicine and doctors. Burials were a frequent occurrence along the Oregon Trail. Some of these emigrant graves can still be found today.

is for HORSEBACK

Many people rode along the Oregon Trail in their covered wagons, but riding horseback was another common way that the Pioneers traveled. Oxen and mules were used to pull the wagons, but horses were not strong enough for this job. Typically, someone would ride horseback right next to the covered wagon.

is for INDEPENDENCE

The Oregon Trail began in the city of Independence, Missouri. Around 70 pioneers gathered in the city in May of 1941 to begin their long journey west. The trail ended in Oregon City, Oregon.

is for JOURNALS

Many travelers on the Oregon Trail kept records of their trip in journals. Pioneers recorded what they saw and the unique things they experienced while on the trail. Journal entries that still exist today help us to understand what life was like on the Oregon Trail.

is for KIDS

It is estimated that there were about 40,000 children on the Oregon Trail. These kids had to leave behind many of their possessions and toys because there was not room on the wagon. Kids were expected to do chores like fetching water, taking care of the animals, cooking, washing dishes, collecting firewood, and tending the younger children. The children did not have formal schooling until they reached Oregon.

is for LITTER

There are multiple reports of the trail being littered with items that people cast off along the way. Books, stoves, trunks, and other heavy items were sometimes a burden to carry for the long trip and were therefore discarded along the side of the trial.

is for MOUNTAINS

The Oregon Trail led through some mountainous areas - including the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The mountainous terrain often caused hardships for the pioneers. Wagon accidents were common while trying to navigate through the steep mountains.

is for NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL

In 1978 the U.S. Congress officially named the trail the Oregon National Historic Trail. This ensures that parts of the trail will be preserved and remembered. People can visit the trail today and see the deep ruts in the ground caused by the thousands of wagon wheels that ran along the trail.

is for OTHER TRAILS

While the Oregon Trail was the most used wagon trail during the westward expansion - it was not the only trail. The Oregon Trail breaks off into the California trail and the Mormon trail. These are smaller trails but they sill played an important role in the migration west.

is for PIONEERS

A pioneer is someone who is among the first to settle in a new area. Those who traveled on the Oregon Trail are referred to as pioneers because they were moving to inhabit a new part of the country. The pioneers were very brave for venturing into unknown territory to settle.