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Settling the Great Plains In the middle of the United States Stretch from Texas to Canada and from east of the Rocky Mountains to the Mississippi River

Homestead Act of 1862 Homestead: a settler’s home and land Homestead offered 160 acres of land to adults who were U.S. citizens or wanted to be citizens. To claim land, settlers had to pay a small amount of money and farm the land for five years.

Who Moved to the West? Eastern U.S. Europe Exodusters

Settlers Face Hardships Area had harsh climate Winters long and bitterly cold Spring brought violent thunderstorms, heavy rains, floods, tornados, and hailstones Summers hot and dry Droughts Dry weather brought prairie fires “Where it rains grasshoppers, fire, and destruction”

Sod Homes

Adapting to the Great Plains AdvantagesDisadvantages Kept home cool in summerLeaked during rainstorms Kept home warm in winterSnakes or other small animals dug through sod walls Harder to plow Farmers had to slice through the thick sod before they could plant seeds

Growing Crops Finding crops that would grow in a dry climate Little rainfall Little helping hands New and improved farming machines

Giddy on up to the West

Introduction The year is The Homestead Act of 1862 has just been passed. We are moving to California from Texas. Your job is to prepare for the trip and make a survival guide for people who might travel this in the future.

TASKS Each member will need to choose one of the following tasks. -Reader: read the information out loud to all of your group members - Reporter: you will be writing all of the required information down in your handbook - Illustrator: you will be the one drawing the pictures and decorating the handbook.

Tasks Survivalist Chef Wagon Master Cartographer Packer Directions: Click on the appropriate tab according to the group you were assigned to and write down the description of your assigned group in your handbook.

Survivalist You will need to prepare for two things on this trip. First you will need to compile a list of animals that we will travel with. Second you will need to compile a list of the supplies that animals and hunting will need. To have food on this trip we will need to hunt and prepare for animals who might attack us. Click on Survivalist

Chef The chef will need to prepare a list of supplies for cooking. The chef will research what types of cooking materials and preserving styles that were used by the homesteaders. Click on Chef to continue

Wagon Master You will lead the caravan on the trail. You make the decisions on the trail: camping, where to cross rivers, waking the family, when to stop to eat, and to make sure everything ran smoothly. Your two tasks will include creating a daily schedule and packing the equipment necessary to maintain the wagon. Click on wagon master to continue

Packer You will need to prepare for the five month journey and things that are necessary for our home that we will build once we arrive in California. Click on packer to continue

Cartographer You are in charge of making maps and be the navigator. You will relay information to the Wagon Master. The task at hand is to create a map and to research weather and prepare for bad weather. Click to continue

Table of Content Introduction -Brief intro Task -Directions List of animals taken List of animals seen Supply needed

Survivalist: It is your job to help the family survive on the trip. You will be in charge of the animals you take. Also, you will have to help hunt for food using the weapons you bring. Be sure you pack all the supplies you might need to go on the trip.

Task:  Directions:  List all of the animals that you might see along the way and draw at least three animals.  List all the animals that you will need to take with you on the trip and how many of each. Also draw a picture of the animals.  List all of the supplies you will need and draw at least three. Click here to continue

These are animals that we will be carrying along with us on the trip. Eight Longhorn cattle Four chickens for eggs Two horses to pull the wagon and hunt One Sheppard dog

Buffalo Antelope Foxes Wild Hogs Deer Possums Rabbits Fish Squirrels Raccoons Birds Grasshoppers Bears Butterflies Turkeys Bees Mosquitos Prairie Wolves Spiders Animals that you might see along the way. Some of the animals you can eat. The others you can not eat.

Supply This is a list of supplies needed for hunting on the trip. Weapons Knives Ropes Ammunitions Animal Traps Pistol Rifle

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Dry Goods Flour Tea Salt Sugar Dried Fruits Dried Beans Bacon Coffee Corn Rice Cornmeal Spit Peas Oatmeal Vinegar Pickles Dried Beef Salt Pork Assorted Spices Barrel of Water Vegetables Dry goods were very important to the Pioneers because they did not have a refrigerator back then. Therefore, they had to pack what they grew on their own gardens and from the general store. Please list 5 items of the dry goods and include at least 2 pictures.

Tools Cauldron Used for cooking Meat Grinder Grinds raw meat Water Barrel Used to store and keep the water clean Cooking Utensils Spoons, forks, knives, bowls, plates Directions: List 3 tools and write the descriptions and draw at least two.

Tools Continue.. Butter Churner Dutch Oven-used to roast, stew food and bake bread Cast Iron Tea Kettle Cast Iron Frying Pan

How to Preserve Meat 1. Cover the beef in salt for 24 hours and drain 2.Add 7 pounds of salt, one ounce each of salt and pepper, one quart of molasses, and 8 gallons of soft water. 3.Bring to a boil and stir well. 4.Let it cool and pour it over the beef 5.Get rid of the salt by throwing it in a pot of water and boil for minutes. Pioneers needed their meat to last as long as possible on their journey. Please read the following steps that these great chef’s did to preserve their meat. Then write down the steps to include in your handbook. Add illustrations or pictures if you wish.

Happy Trail Mix For You Dry your food on a tray during a hot and sunny day. Be sure to turn and rotate the food. Your food will be dried when it feels leathery. To store dried product, keep it in a tight jar where no air can enter. Store your jars of fruit and vegetables in a cool, dark and dry place in your wagon! The settlers had to go through a long process to dry their fruits and vegetables. Write the process down in your handbook.

Fruit Drying Guide Apples: Peel, core and slice into 3/8-inch rings, or cut into 1/4-inch slices. Pretreat and dry 6-12 hours until pliable. Apricots: Cut in half and turn inside out to dry. Pretreat and dry 8-20 hours until pliable. Bananas: Peel, cut into 1/4-inch slices and pretreat. Dry 8-16 hours until pliable or almost crisp. Blueberries: Dry hours until leathery. Cherries: Cut in half and dry hours until leathery and slightly sticky. Peaches: Peel, halve or quarter. Pretreat and dry 6-20 hours until pliable. Pears: Peel, cut into 1/4-inch slices, and pretreat. Dry 6-20 hours until leathery. Pineapple: Core and slice 1/4-inch thick. Dry 6-16 hours until leathery and not sticky. Strawberries: Halve or cut into 1/4-inch thick slices. Dry 6-16 hours until pliable and almost crisp. Fruits were a major part of the settler’s diet and of course had to take some along for the ride. List 2 fruits and draw at least one. (No need to write down the process of drying fruit.)

Vegetable Drying Guide Yes, settlers had to eat vegetables just like you! We may not like them but they sure are a part of a healthy diet. List 2 vegetables and draw at least one picture. (No need to write the description of drying the vegetables, just list only.) FruitsPeel/No PeelCutDry BeetsCook and peel beetsCut into ¼ inch piecesDry 3-10 hours until leathery CarrotsPeel, slice or shredCut into small pieces or as desired Dry 6-12 hours until almost brittle CornNo peelCut corn after blanchingDry for 6-12 hours until brittle OnionsPeel off the brown part of the onion Cut ¼ inch thickDry 6-12 hours until crisp PeasNo peelNo cutDry 5-14 hours until brittle PeppersNo peel but remove seedsChopDry 5-12 hours until leathery PotatoesPeel off the brown outside partSlice 1/8 inch thickDry 6-12 hours until crisp TomatoesDip in boiling water to loosen skins and peel Slice into quartersDry 6-12 hours until crisp

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Wagon Master

Wagon Equipment Descriptions and Pictures

Packing Equipment Paint for waterproofing the canvas on the top of the wagon. Grease bucket filled with a mixture of animal fat and tar, used to keep the hubs of the wheels greased. Two extra bows, (boards on inside of canvas) Six S's, and six open links for repairing chains. a tongue Coupling pole King-bolt Five pairs of hames Two double trees Four whipple-trees Two extra pairs of lead bars Two lariats will be needed for every horse and mule, as one generally wears out before reaching the end of a long journey. Lariats made from hemp are best. Extra buckskin is very important for repairing harness, saddles, bridles, and numerous other daily necessity, the awl and buckskin will be found in constant need. Extra rear wheels and front wheels. Rear wheels were about five or six feet in diameter, the front ones four feet or a bit less. The front wheels had to be smaller to permit sharp turns--a big wheel would jam against the wagon body. Directions: List 5 items you will pack and write it down in your handbook (Refer to the wagon picture in the previous slide for tools that you are unfamiliar with.)

Cacao doddle do Every morning the settlers had to start the fire, prepare breakfast, gather the livestock, reload the wagon, and hitch the oxen or mules before getting started. Settlers finished breakfast at 7 a.m. The settlers would have to get up very early each morning in order to prepare for their daily travels. In your handbook, write what the settlers did every morning and include illustrations.

Lunch Time They would stop at lunchtime and rest for an hour or two. After a rest period they would travel down the trail until about four or five p.m. Directions: Read below to find out what the settlers did during lunch time. Then record what they did in your handbook. Remember to include illustrations!

Dinner Time At night they would circle the wagons for protection. The women would fix the dinner and the men would prepare the livestock for the night. After supper they would gather around the campfires and sing songs, dance, tell stories and visit. Directions: Read below to find out what the settlers did during dinner time and include this in your handbook. Remember to include illustrations!

Snooozzzz!!! Sometimes they slept inside the wagon but they also slept under the wagon, in a tent, and sometimes under the stars. Directions: Read below to find out where the settlers slept and write it down in your handbook! Remember to include illustrations!

Wagon Information Because the wagon was so bumpy, the pioneers that were not driving the wagon would walk behind or next to it most of the time. On many days the caravan would only travel ten to fifteen miles. On rainy and muddy days they might only travel one mile! It would take them five to seven days just to travel the distance we can drive a car in a single hour. Directions: Write the following statements below in your handbook!

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Timeline We are leaving in Early April We will arrive in early September The weather will be very wet and then very hot. We must prepare accordingly. April September 1750 miles Directions: In your handbook include when your family will be leaving and arriving. Also include the timeline given to you at the bottom of the slide.

Packing Clothes are important while traveling on the wagon. You will be traveling for five months, but there is not room for you to pack an outfit a day. The clothes listed are for one person. Read through the selections and decide what is needed. Then create a chart for clothing for the family of five. Click on the next slide to read what clothing you will want to take with you. Example of chart: Clothing itemAmount Needed for 5 people Socks15 pairs

List Flannel shirt Undershirt Undergarments Cotton socks Wool socks Boots shoes towel Snowshoes Pants Skirts Sandals

Necessities Besides clothing there are other things necessary to complete the journey. This will include the things needed to build the sod house, and things to put in the house once we have arrived. Click the next slide to find out what those necessities were.

Wagon Necessities Toys for the children including: marbles, Jump ropes, and dolls. Books Rifle Candles Blankets Directions: Write the items down in your handbook and include at least 2 pictures.

Sod Home When we arrive in California we will have to build a sod home. There is not any wood to use that is why we build the house out of sod, sticks, and hay.

Tools to Build a Sod Home Ax Shovel Hatchet Back-hoe Rope Directions: List the following tools in your handbook and draw at least two tools.

New Life Once we have arrived in California and built our house we will need to put furniture and other basic house stuff in the sod house. Since these items would be too expensive in California we must pack them.

Household Items Mattress Blankets Pillows Table 5 Chairs Rocking Chair Stool Stove Clock Lantern Dishes Rug Broom Kitchen Necessities Directions: Write 5 household items in your handbook and include 2 pictures.

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Travel Destination We will be leaving from Fort Worth, Texas and arriving in Sacramento, California We will be traveling around 1,750 miles The journey will take roughly five months We will leave in early April and arrive in September April- leave Texas September- arrive in California Distance: 1,750 miles Directions: In your handbook, write where you will be leaving from and where you will be arriving. Include the distance traveled and how long it will take. Also include what month you will be leaving and arriving. Also include the timeline at the bottom of the slide.

Here is an example of the route you could take. Map of Travel

Weather While traveling, the members of the wagon had to plan around the major impacts concerning the weather. Seasons of Travel SpringSummer

Spring During the spring months, the members of the wagon needed to be prepared for rain and lots of it! Violent thunderstorms, hailstorms, floods, and tornados could be expected. In the month of May, be prepared to receive up to six inches of rain! Directions: In your handbook, include what type of weather the settlers faced during the spring weather and what happens in the month of May. Remember to include pictures!

Summer In the summer months, you need to be prepared for hot and dry days. Droughts are very common and could be destructive to the crops. Plan ahead for camp fires. Lighting could strike and spread a fire at anytime. The lack of rain will hurt the growth of your crops. Directions: In your handbook, include what type of weather the settlers faced during the summer weather. Remember to include pictures!

Rainfall During Our Journey Directions: Copy the chart below in your handbook. Inches of Rain Months of the Year

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