1. Chapter 9, Section 2 Trails to the West p. 322-327 To journey westward, traders and settlers have to travel along difficult and dangerous trails.

2. Traders Lead the Way Main Idea: Merchants and fur traders blaze important trails to both Oregon and the Southwest. William Becknell leads wagon trains down the Santa Fe Trail – From Independence, Missouri to Santa Fe, New Mexico (800 miles) – Nearly gets himself & his whole party killed

3. The Fur Trade John Jacob Astor : German immigrant establishes American Fur Company (1808) - Follows Louis & Clark’s maps to Oregon - Founds Astoria, Oregon - Becomes richest man on Earth John Jacob Astor 1763-1848 John Jacob Astor IV 1864- April 15, 1912

4. Mountain Men (see p. 323) fur trappers of the Northwest – live isolated, dangerous lives Trappers rendezvous with merchants -a meeting where trappers would trade furs for supplies James Beckwourth discovers a pass through the Sierra Nevada Mountains into California Extra Credit: Research Mountain Men: Beckwourth, Smith, Clyman, and/or Jim Bridger, then share their stories with the class Jim BridgerJames Clyman

5. The Oregon Trail Main Idea: Thousands of men & women made the hazardous, 2000 mile journey to Oregon. After the traders, missionaries travel the Oregon Trail to convert Native Americans Marcus & Narcissa Whitman attempt to serve Cayuse tribe. -1836- Whitmans arrive Walla Walla River, Washington state -Narcissa is first white woman to cross the continental divide This is not what she imagined – Cayuse grow hostile after measles epidemic, kill Whitman’s & 12 other settlers Marcus & Narcissa Whitman missionaries

6. The Oregon Trail (continued) Trail is 2000 miles – Took 6 months – Missouri to Oregon or California Life on the Oregon Trail is hard & dangerous – See page 324-325 Settlers travel in wagon trains for mutual support & protection from Native Americans – Trail scattered with “leeverites” – Did I mention it was dangerous?

7. The Donner Party Emigrants who moved West in 1846 Left in spring on “Four month journey” Arrived the next spring 87 people in party How many survived? Lansford Hastings wrote “Emigrants Guide to California”

8. “Donner Party” departs Springfield. Illinois. April 18, 1846 George Donner when he was young James and Margaret Reed

10. Remains of Donner and Reed wagons in Salt Flats Snow sets in

11. The Donner Party Left Springfield, Illinois in April 1846 Arrived in Sutters Fort, CA April 1847 Donner Pass 1870s

12. Georgia Donner (left) and Eliza Donner (right). This picture would have been taken very shortly after their return from the mountains. The woman in the center is a nanny who was not a part of the Donner Party.

13. Legacy of the Donner Party 46 out of 87 live 2/3 rds of men die 2/3 rds of women live Donners get worst: - all 4 adults and 4 children die James Reed becomes a leading citizen of San Jose “Never take no cut-offs and hurry along as fast as you can.” - Virginia Reed in letter to her sister Donner State Park near Truckee, CA

14. Life in the West Main Idea: Women enjoy new status in the West, but settlers face conflicts with Native Americans already living on the land. Pioneer life filled with hardships – Use hand tools to: clear land, plant crops, & build shelters – Have to face: disease, accidents, storms, floods, & hostile natives Women in the West - demonstrate they can work just as hard as men Women gain legal rights more quickly than in the East – 1869 - Wyoming Territory first area in U.S. to give women the vote Women working in the West

15. Native Americans & Settlers Tensions high between Native Americans & white settlers 1850: Discovery of gold in Oregon causes increase in white & Chinese miners – 1855: War breaks out – Miners massacre men, women & children – Indians kill whites & Chinese – Fight continues until U.S. Army forces Native Americans to sign treaty giving up their land – More treaties to come…… Picture used by newspapers to show the brutality of Native Americans