Chapter 16.4 and 5 From Sea to Shining Sea As America continued to grow in population – Americans continued to travel to new areas in North America. – With new areas being founded, new Americans are born.

The Fur Traders When Americans went Northwest, they found 2 things: – Cold and wet weather – Animals that had adapted to their environment Beavers Buffalo Deer Each animal had thicker “furs” than the same animal in other parts of the USA What does this mean??? – More fur = more $$$

The Mountain Men Move In… Mountain men – American pioneers who moved to upper NW in search of fur. Moved specifically to Oregon Territory – John Jacob Astor Started largest fur company called American Fur Company.

How did Mountain Men live? Live in the wilderness – Hunt animal and kill it Live with Indian tribes – Get help in hunting animals Mountain men get the fur Indians get the meat Trade with fur companies at yearly meetings – Called rendezvous

Oregon Fever From 1810 to 1840 – Population in Oregon Territory grew quickly – People flocked her for a chance of a new life – Traveled along what became known as the Oregon Trail 2,000 miles across the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains

Travel on the Oregon Trail Very hard! – Took about 6 months to get out to Oregon! – Went out in large wagon trains Groups of families in wagons About 1 in 4 travelers died on way to Oregon – So why try to get to Oregon??

Oregon

Other travelers take a different route Some travelers came off the Oregon Trail to follow a Southern Route – Called the California Trail Why? – Shorter! Problem: – You have to cross a mountain range called the Sierra Nevada – Goal: » Make it across before the 1 st snowfall!

The Donner Party Spring 1846 – Left Oregon Trail to cross the Sierra Nevada Mts. – Problem: They get lost! Fall 1846 – Starts snowing in August Try to build housing to make it through the winter! Problem: – There’s not enough food…

February 1847 A rescue party finds what is left of the Donner Party – Started with 87 Now there is only 45 alive Weird fact: – There were only 8 graves…. – What happened to the rest of the bodies?

Others who did make it to California John Sutter – Swiss immigrant who traveled across America to California – 1839 Built a colony called Sutter’s Fort Today = Sacramento, CA

George Caitlin and Alfred Jacob Miller Moved to California to draw and paint “the American West” – Remember: – Pictures are only for rich people – This is the only way to know what it looked like.

What did they paint? Buffalo…and lots of it!

Review Questions What are Mountain Men? Who was John Jacob Astor? What was the Oregon Trail? Who were the Donner Party?