5th Grade Oregon

Oregon Country The northern and southern borders of the Oregon Country was from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean. The southern borders were Alaska and California. Getting the Oregon Country almost led to war with Great Britain, and at the end, the United States only got half of what it wanted.

Fur Trade Great Britain and South America set up fur trade with Oregon. Great Britain sailed around Cape Horn to trade with Oregon. This was a dangerous journey of thousands of miles with storms and rough waters. American fur traders found a way to carry on the fur trade over land. Hardy adventurers and fur trappers known as Mountain Men helped fur traders find a way through the Rocky Mountains.

Oregon Country Furs It wasn’t the richness of the soil, but the fur of its animals that Americans were interested in getting the Oregon Country for. Beaver and sea otter furs made great hats and fine coats. Other countries would pay high prices for these items.

Fur Trade American fur traders found a way to carry on the fur trade over land. Hardy adventurers and fur trappers known as Mountain Men helped fur traders find a way through the Rocky Mountains. Once a year these trappers would leave the mountains to meet and trade furs for coffee, sugar, gunpowder, bullets, whiskey, and blankets.

Jed Smith & Jim Beckwourth A man named Jed Smith discovered the South Pass, which was the best route through the Rocky Mountains for people headed for Oregon. Some of the Mountain Men were African American. They loved the free and adventurous life. Jim Beckwourth was born in Virginia and lived with the Crow Indians for 11 years. They called him Morning Star. He became an army scout and found a pass through the Sierra Nevada Mountains to California. Today this pass is called Beckwourth Pass. Jed Smith & Jim Beckwourth

Jim Bridger saved the life of many a traveler heading west by providing supplies and information at his station known as Fort Bridger. His first wife was the daughter of a chief of the Flathead tribe. They had two children before she died His second wife was a Ute and died in childbirth. It is said that he raised his motherless baby on buffalo milk. Jim Bridger

Settling oregon country Travelers did not begin heading for Oregon Country until the 1830’s, when some missionaries went there to convert Native Americans to Christianity. The first really large group of 1,000 left for Oregon in 1843. Mules or oxen pulled each wagon in slow-moving columns. Pack animals helped carry supplies Pack animals: Animals, such as a donkey, used for carrying supplies.

On the Oregon Trail In the early spring the families would gather in Independence, Missouri. The journey would take them about 6 months. The trip was 2,000 miles long.

Days on the trail began at 4:00am. The long, long trail… Days on the trail began at 4:00am. They began the day with morning chores, which included: Milking the cows, loading the tents and bedding into the wagons, and hitching up the oxen. They traveled 15-20 miles before nightfall. Days on the Trail

Along the Trail Only mothers, small children, and the sick or injured were allowed to ride inside the covered wagons. The men rode on horseback guarding the wagon trains and sometimes riding off to hunt for food. At nightfall the wagons pulled into a circle, with the animals inside to keep them from wondering off. They ate dinner, played games, sang songs, and went to bed early to be ready for the next day. the Trail

Troubles Along the Trail The trail could be tough… Things did not always go well. Wagon wheels and axles broke. Animals died. Rainstorms turned the trail into mud. The wagon train had to keep moving no matter what because they had to get there before winter. Troubles Along the Trail

The toughest part of the trip From the edge of the Great Plains, the trail wound upward toward South Pass. Travelers would stop at Fort Bridger for a short break. The toughest part of the trip was crossing the pass to the rugged western slopes of the mountains. Families had to lighten the load in wagons. Sometimes this meant throwing away precious possessions.

Oregon Country is Divided With Americans pouring into the Oregon Country, the United States insisted that Great Britain should give up its claim to the area. All of Oregon, right up to the southern boundary of Alaska at 54 degrees 40’ north latitude must belong to America. Many Americans demanded, “Fifty-four forty or fight!”

Oregon Country is Divided The British insisted that Oregon was theirs. For a time it looked like the two countries would go to war. In 1846 they compromised and divided the Oregon Country at 49 degrees north latitude. The southern part, which included the present-day states of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and parts of Montana, went to the United States. The northern part, which is presently part of western Canada, went to Great Britain.