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Oregon Trail Research Paper Outline

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The Oregon Trail Nebraska was the first state to join the Union after the Civil War. This state is mostly known for its cattle, corn, and unicameral legislature. However, Nebraska is also known for its historic trails, which in the early years were carved out by pioneers, explorers and gold seekers into the western frontier. The history of Nebraska during the 1800s is unique because of the Oregon Trail; Nebraska played an important role in the Oregon Trail. Some people thought it was preposterous to travel the Oregon Trail to move into an unknown country. However, many people were fed up with the soil that was in the east and the increased population which often led to overpriced products. Consequently, many chose to go through the horrible …show more content…

First, here is an explanation of what the Oregon Trail is and its purpose. The Oregon Trail is the most popular of all trails. This trail begins at Nebraska’s southern border with Kansas, just west of a small town called Odell. According to Julie Fanselow, “Many pioneers simply had the urge to push ever westward as their ancestors had done for generations from Europe to the New World” (Fanselow 2). However, the Federal Writers’ Projects wrote, “The Oregon Trail was south of the Platte, and most of its feeders from the Missouri reached the live near Grand Island; followed the south bank of the North Platte to Fort Laramie joining the Mormon Trail” (Federal …show more content…

During this time the activity of the Civil War discouraged most easterners from traveling west. The trail was not traveled as much by pioneers during the war. However, during the war the transcontinental railroad project was in progress and by the time the war was over the project was completed. Blashfield wrote, “When the Civil War began in the East in 1861, most easterners gave up any plans to go west. Very few pioneers moved along the trail during the war years. Though the Oregon Trail was used for another twenty years, its place in U.S. history was over” (Blashfield 39). Though many made the effort to move to the west for a better life and search for gold. Blashfield explained, “Sadly, many pioneers who made the terrible journey did not find what they wanted in Oregon. Others, however, claimed land and settled in for the long work of making a better life. These pioneers helped establish the new state of Oregon in 1859, Washington and Montana in 1889, and Idaho and Wyoming in 1890” (Blashfield 39). The Central Pacific Railroads and the Union Pacific Railroad were established to provide modern transportation. The Oregon Trial was considered part of a historic past, and the image of covered wagons and heroic pioneers had become an American icon. This image is found throughout Nebraska’s highways and tells a story that is important to

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— Virginia Reed, daughter of James Reed. A tragic story of the Donner party is a very harrowing adventure through the journey of the big group and how about half of the people lived to tell the tale. On April 16, 1846 nine wagons were reported departing from Springfield Illinois on a journey of what is now called the Oregon Trail. Formerly known as the northern trail there were a lot of advantages and disadvantages to the Oregon trail there was more land and wonderful

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“The Oregon Trail,” written by Francis Parkman is a description of the experiences traveling into the unknown depths of the American west in 1846. The story is told from the first person point of view of Parkman, a scholar from Boston who embarks on the great expedition of traveling into the west in hopes of studying the lives of the Native Americans. His journey is also one of the first detailed descriptions of the beauty and the bounty of a largely uninhabited North American territory. But one of the most critical elements of the story was Parkman’s encounters and recruitment of members to his band of travelers who ultimately play a major role in the success of the western journey.

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After years of waiting and preparing we started on the journey to the west. We made our way to Independence, Missouri to go on the Oregon Trail which was laid by traders and trapers. While there I became familiar with George Wilson who was also a working family man. A lot of families left together making the trail busy and causing jams..

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The Oregon Trail didn’t follow a single set path. While most Oregon bound emigrants traveled a route that passed by landmarks in Missouri Kansas Wyoming and Oregon there was never just one set of wagon ruts leading west. Frontier explorers and fur trappers blazed the rough outlines of the Oregon Trail in the early 19th century, but the route was initia considered too demanding for women, children or covered wagon to navigate. That year Marcus helped lead the first major wagon train of around one Thousand Settler along the Oregon trail an exodus now know as the great migration. Traffic soon skyrocketed and by the late 1840 's and early 1850 upwards of 50 thousand people were using the trail each year.

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The trail was grueling and many people died. In the early 1800s, Native Americans did not have equal

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The Oregon Trail In 1843, The Great Migration was transformed into the largest migration event in history when citizens across the south were able to travel west and overcome the physical frontiers discovering the fresh land filled with gold in other necessary resources in the west. ’ The Oregon Trail is one of the most iconic pieces of American history and part of the larger history of Oregon. The trail was first written about in 1849 by a historian while in use by migrants and American settlers. The Oregon Trail was the biggest migration trail in the U.S being used by 300,000 to 400,000 travelers in 1840 and 1860.

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