Utah History Chapter 4 By: Ms. Astle The Great Encounter Utah History Chapter 4 By: Ms. Astle

Age of Exploration Merchants in Europe wanted to buy and sell goods with people in faraway places. After Columbus arrives in America other explorers came to Central and South America seeking glory and gold. They brought their Catholic religion to the people. They set up large Spanish colonies and started ruling the Indian people. The Spanish opened mines and forced Indians to work in them.

The Spanish Spread Out Spanish explorers and priests moved on horseback from Mexico into today’s New Mexico, Arizona, and California. A large Coronado Expedition explored the south rim of the Grand Canyon and east into the Great Plains. Santa Fe became an important Spanish town. Soldiers, explorers, and Catholic priests gathered there and branched out in all directions. The Spanish built missions and presidios (military posts used to protect priests and settlers.) Picture from: “San Antonio Mission’s Tour—February 24. 2011”

Juan Rivera Juan Antonio Rivera and his party searched for the Colorado River and silver deposits. He entered Utah near today’s Monticello and passed the La Sal Mountains. They moved down Spanish Valley to reach the Colorado River. (near Moab) In October Rivera carved a large cross on a tree. He wrote “Viva Jesus” on the top of the cross and his name at the bottom.

Fathers Dominquez and Escalante Father Francisco Dominguez & Silvestre Escalante were Spanish Catholic priests. They became the first non-Indians to explore the Great Basin. The priests, Spanish soldiers, and mapmaker Miera y Pacheco, & translators were sent by the Spanish government to find a better route from Santa Fe to the mission in Monterey.

Fathers Dominquez and Escalante The expedition of fourteen became lost after traveling into Colorado and through rough terrain. They met a Ute who guided them to an Indian man Escalante called Silvestre. The party gave Silvestre gifts so he would guide them to his country. The party traveled South then followed a river though a canyon. They came out of the Canyon near what is now Provo. The Spanish Fathers were awed to see the Indian Villages on the shores of Utah Lake. The Fathers preached to the people and the Indians leaders offered them land and protection if they stayed. The Fathers promised to return after their expedition.

Fathers Dominquez and Escalante They left to continue toward California. Lack of food, much hardship, and an early winter blizzard stopped them north of today’s Cedar City and stopped the explorers from going on to California. They returned to Santa Fe. Father Escalante’s journal and Miera’s map became a valuable tool for future explorers.

Mountain Men Fur traders followed Indian trails across the Rockies. They traded with Indians, exchanging metal objects and blankets for furs. Soon other trappers came and started trapping furs. They became known as mountain men. They were employees of American, British, or Mexican fur companies. Picture from: Heather Astle, Ft. Bridger Rendezvous

Mountain Men The company traders took the pelts to St. Louis to sell. About 3,000 men came west to trap, living off the land. They dressed like Indians and carried a “possibles sack.” Inside the sack was mold to make bullets, a knife, flint, a tin cup, and other useful items.

Mountain Men Through the Fall, winter, and spring the trappers tended their traps. They often had so many furs they could not take it all with them. They often dug a hole, hid their furs, and covered the hole with dirt, rocks, and branches. This hole is called a cache. In July the trappers retrieved their furs from their caches, and all met at one place to trade. They called these places rendezvous. A Rendezvous was a meeting place chosen the year before.

Rendezvous The Rendezvous was an important time for trappers, Indians, and traders because the fur trading companies bought the furs and sold them supplies. The rendezvous was a wild event. There was songs, dancing, trading, races, target-shooting, yarns and other events. Thick beaver pelts often sold for $6-$10 each. The traders charged high prices for flour, bullets, tobacco, knives, sugar, coffee, and other supplies. Most rendezvous sites were in Wyoming. Cache Valley was a rendezvous site. Cache Valley got its name because it was a place the trappers cached their supplies.

Trapping Companies Two large fur trapping companies sent trappers to Utah. Other trappers worked alone or in groups. Hudson’s Bay Company. First in Utah. Followed Bear River to Bear Lake and into Cache Valley. Later they went into Ogden Valley. Ashley-Henry Fur Company Second in Utah. Found the Green River and started the first Rendezvous in Wyoming, on the Green River. Etienne Provost, Antoine Robidoux, Joseph Walker, Osborn Russell, and Miles Goodyear all trapped and explored Utah. They did not work for a large fur company.

Effects of the Fur Trade Many times the Indians and trappers were friendly and spent time together. Other times the Indians did not want the trappers on their land disturbing their way of life. To drive them off, Indians attacked them and took their horses & furs. Some trappers viewed Indians as a people in the way. The fur trade a depleted the beaver population to almost extinction. New areas were explored and discovered.

The End of an Era Mountain men worked in the west for about 20 years. By the 1840’s the trapping business was over. Few beaver remained and fashions changed. Some trappers worked as guides for pioneers going to California and Oregon & for government explorers and mapmakers.

Government Explorers Came Later Even though the west was being explored, little information was sent to people living in the east. The government sent out expeditions to gather more accurate information and maps of the West. John C. Freemont, Captain Howard Stansbury, John W. Gunnision, and Major Westly Powell all were government explorers.

Cultural Exchange Contact between explorers & trappers, and the Native Americans changed the lifestyle of Indians forever. The Indians now had guns, metal objects, & horses. Even their clothing style changed. When great numbers of white settlers started living in the Utah region, the balance of power shifted from native peoples to the newcomers.

Citation Oliver, Amy. “I Love History:1776:The Dominquez & Escalante Expedition”. State of Utah. 2014. Web. September 13, 2014 Arce, Antonio. “Dominquez and Escalante Expedition, 1776.” UB-TAH. 2006. Web. September 13, 2014. “San Antonio Mission’s Tour—February 24. 2011”. Eventbrite. 2014. Web. Sept. 13, 2014 Astle, Heather. Fort Bridger Rendezvous. Astle, Heather. Colonial Days. July 2014