Lecture Notes on Historical Journey and the Oregon Trail

Introduction

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• Setting: Mid-1800s, Independence, Missouri.
• Objective: Journey to Oregon via the Oregon Trail.

Background

• Oregon Trail: Established in 1836, over 2,000 miles long.
• Motivation for Westward Expansion:
  • Overcrowded eastern states.
  • Louisiana Purchase (1803) and Oregon Treaty (1846) opened land.
  • Oregon Land Donation Claim Act (1850): Free land up to 640 acres.

Choosing a Profession

• Three types in this scenario: Bankers, farmers, and carpenters.
• Role: Carpenter with good survival skills and savings.

Preparation and Supplies

• Key Supplies: Food (1,000 lbs for a family of four), tools, clothes, livestock, and guns.
• Transport: Prairie schooner wagon, unlike the heavier Conestoga wagons.

Journey Details

• Distance and Duration: Approximately 2,200 miles, taking around six months.
• Travel Companions: Over 400,000 pioneers, often forming caravans.
• Leadership and Order: Leaders elected to maintain caravan rules.

Challenges on the Trail

• Diseases: Cholera was the deadliest, along with mumps, measles, and dysentery.
• Injuries and Medical Care: Limited to basic treatments like whiskey for cuts.
• Physical and Mental Health: Exhaustion and mental health issues were rampant.

Famous Incident

• Elizabeth Markham: Example of mental collapse leading to family tragedy.

Environmental and Wildlife Threats

• Extreme Weather: High winds, storms, heat, and cold.
• Wildlife: Encountered wolves, bears, snakes, and buffalo.

Interaction with Native Americans

• Misconceptions: Generally helpful, served as guides and trade partners.
• Conflicts: Mostly due to pioneer paranoia.

Conclusion of the Journey

• Final destination: Oregon City, Oregon.
• Crossing the Columbia River: Critical final challenge before settling.

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