Trails West

The Early Pioneers Survived by being tough and resourceful Mountain Men Open the West: trapping furs… connected economically to business men The rendezvous system – at prearranged site, trappers and Eastern traders met up… exchanging furs for supplies (1825-1840)

Lure of the West Offered a golden chance to make money Many believed it okay to take land away from Native Americans because the U.S. owned it. Land speculators – (speculate = to buy something in the hope that value will increase.) Brought huge areas of land… divided it up and sold it to settlers. Traders, manufacturers, merchants, those seeking jobs, and those hiding from the law also went West

Settling the West The Sante Fe Trail: 1821 – Mexico gets independence from Spain and opens up their borders to Americans for the first time. William Becknell makes journey to trade  great profit Returns with group of traders and pioneers new route known as the Sante Fe Trail. Travels with wagons, finds shortcut thru desert, almost dies of thirst… but makes it to Sante Fe  another huge profit.

Oregon Fever Hundreds went west on the Oregon Trail (Missouri  Oregon). Reports of amazing land and good weather prompted many to take a chance and start a new life. American settlement would lead to tension with Britain because Oregon was jointly occupied at this time.

The Mormon Trail Most went west for wealth, but some went for religious reasons  members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Church formed by Joseph Smith in New York in 1830. Though they worked hard and prospered, they had enemies who didn’t like their practices (like polygamy – having more than one wife at a time). When Smith was killed, the next leader, Brigham Young, moved the Church out of the U.S. into the territory of Utah. The Mormons then founded Salt Lake City.