1. SC Standard: 5-2.1--Analyze the geographic and economic factors that influenced westward expansion and the ways these factors affected travel and settlement, including physical features of the land; the climate and natural resources; and land ownership and their other economic opportunities. Jennifer Rowe

2. Reasons for Westward Expansion Click on the link below. Click on the primary sources and put them in sequential order. Each source will have an explanation of the itself. http://docsteach.org/activities/104

3. Pioneers traveled to embarkation points. The most famous was St. Louis, Missouri also known as “gateway to the West”. From here, pioneers traveled in covered wagons across trails originally used by Native Americans. http://player.discoveryeducation.com/click Director.cfm/type/video/action/download/g uidAssetID/A44A557E-B51D-417E-99A2- 257A3CD9A394/strRealname/The_Westwar d_Movement_Begins.asf

4. Explores and mountain men followed the Native American trails and wrote their own guidebooks. The trails became increasingly marked as more migrants traveled the paths. http://player.discoveryeducation.com/click Director.cfm/type/video/action/download/g uidAssetID/B139AEE9-CDAB-49EB-BAA5- 956C09D72BF3/strRealname/Routes_Westw ard.asf

5. Also called “The Great American Desert” Migrants originally skipped this land and went straight to the coast. The agricultural potential of this dry, flat land was not realized.

6. Technology was created to cultivate this new land. Steel plows were needed to till the hard packed earth. Windmills would bring scarce water to the surface. Certain seeds were needed to grow in the challenging climate such as Russian wheat. Mechanical reapers were used to cut and gather crops. These new finds made this region enticing to other pioneers.

7. Trails through the mountains followed passes that were often impassable during spring rains and winter snows. This made it extremely important for travelers to leave St. Louis in time to avoid these types of climate. http://www.nationalatlas.g ov/printable/images/pdf/r eference/pagegen_co.pdf

8. This site has a diary describing the Rocky Mountains during travel-- http://memory.loc.gov/cgi- bin/query/r?ammem/murray:@field(DOCID+@lit(lcrbmrpt2103div1))

9. Travelers not only had to deal with the Rocky Mountains and the vast Great Plains, but also rivers. The major river systems of the west: Mississippi River Columbia River Colorado River Snake River Go to this website to identify the major river systems of the west. http://www.nationalatlas.gov/printable/images/p df/outline/rivers_lakes.p df

10. The climate of the west was both a challenge for travelers and settlers. Storms were often accompanied by tornadoes. Unpredictable weather such as early snows or late-spring hailstorms could ruin crops and imperil livelihoods. Winters: Winters brought snow and thus resulting in spring floods. Summers: Summers were hot and dry. They often brought drought, dust storms, and swarms of insects. http://player.discoveryeducation.com/clickDirector.cfm/type/video/action/downl oad/guidAssetID/7A4E3C17-989F-4DE0-9133- DF28E6F4554A/strRealname/How_Climate_and_Geography_Have_Affected_Ame rica_s_Growth.asf

11. Your teacher will read several entries about people traveling west. Pay close attention to the life style lived and the environment during their travels through the west. You will write 3 diary entries from the perspective of a pioneer traveling west. You must include the climate, geographical environment, life style of a pioneer during this time, and compare it to your life before leaving for the West. Go to this website at the Library of Congress to read transcribed writings from pioneers traveling west. http://memory.loc.gov/cgi- bin/query/r?ammem/wpa:@f ield(DOCID+@lit(wpa229091 524))#290915240001