The Oregon TrailThe Oregon TrailWho will survive?Who will survive?

Surviving the TrailSurviving the Trail Thousands of settlers made the journey West in

covered wagons. A family might carry 2,000 pounds of possessions in their 4 x 10 foot wagon. However, not everything survived the journey. When the trail became too rough or settlers had to cross a river, they often had to abandon furniture and other items. Imagine that you are in a group on your way to Oregon in a covered wagon.

CoveredCovered WagonsWagons

On your worksheet is a list of supplies that you have On your worksheet is a list of supplies that you have on your journey. Your possessions include:on your journey. Your possessions include:

• 1 rifle• 1 set of bedding• 1 hatchet• 1 knife• 1 iron stove• 2 sets of clothing

• 1 set of china dishes• 1 extra wagon wheel

• 1 extra wagon tongue

• 1 steel plow• 1 horse

• 1 butter churner

• 2 boxes of ammunition• 1 tent & pole set• 1 set of tin dishes• 300 pounds of food • 2 bags of seeds• 1 chest of drawers• 1 extra wagon axle• 1 coffeepot• 3 extra oxen• 1 milking cow• 1 rocking chair

There are twelve hazards you might meet on the trail. As a class, we will listen to each hazard read aloud, then you will choose what items to eliminate as the hazard requires. Note, the hazard will only tell you how much you may lose; it is up to YOU to decide what supplies to give up!

Draw a line through the item as you eliminate it, then we will read about the next hazard. Think about: What items will you keep? What will you eliminate? Why did you decide to eliminate each item?

MissouriMissouriStart of the Oregon TrailStart of the Oregon Trail

You are on your way to Oregon. You come up on the Kansas River crossing. Rather than paying the ferry charge, you decide to save money and ford the river (drive through it). Unfortunately, it turned out to be deeper than you thought!

You lost two items when your wagon flooded.

Choose two items on your list of supplies to “lose” and

cross them off.

After crossing the Kansas River, your travel is easier. You paid for the ferry and crossed the Big Blue River without any accidents. You arrive at Fort Laramie and decide to rest for three days while you talk to other settlers and purchase supplies. Unfortunately, you failed to remember to secure your wagon. A thief was able to slip in undetected and steal two things.

The thief steals two items and runs away during the night.

Remove two things from your list for not having good security.

Upset about being robbed, you immediately pack up and start out on the trail again, heading through Wyoming, on your way to Independence Rock. When you arrive at Independence Rock, you realize that in your hurry to leave Fort Laramie you forgot some of your supplies.

Scratch two items off your supply list for being careless.

While you are stopped at Independence Rock, several members of your group decide to explore the surrounding area and sign the rock.

Unfortunately, the ground is rocky and uneven. A member of your party falls and breaks their leg on a giant boulder! Ouch!

Everyone whose name begins with the

letter C or G, you have a broken leg!

You must trade one item for a crutch.

Only those with a name that begins with C or G should cross out one item!

You take a short rest and then you push onward toward Fort Hall. You are halfway to Oregon!

Unfortunately, a mean group of bandits surrounds your wagon just 20 miles outside of Fort Hall. They demand that you give them something of value or they will kidnap the women in your group. The men, tired of the women, actually think about not giving the bandits anything! But the women immediately give the bandits some items.

Ladies, scratch off two items from your supply list.

After narrowly escaping the bandits, a group of men decides to go hunting for wild game. Each man carries a rifle, a knife, a hatchet, and some ammunition. During the hunt, a very hungry bear charges your party. You throw one of your items at the bear in an attempt to scare it away. Then you run as fast as possible back to the campsite!

Gentlemen, IF you have one left - you must get rid of either a rifle, a hatchet, a knife, or 1 box of ammunition. •Only cross off one.

IF you do not have any of these items left, then you must cross off two other items as a trade with a local fur trapper. You can’t survive the Oregon Trail without some type of weapon!

It has been a rough journey. You were able to get more supplies at Fort Hall but you spent the last of your money. Without money, you cannot ride on the ferry across the Snake River. But you have a plan! You decide to caulk your wagon and float it across the river, while the animals swim along behind. Unfortunately, the current pushed you down river into some rapids. The wagon tipped over and you lost two items.

Scratch off two more items.

After drying out your supplies, you push on for the Blue Mountains. Climbing hills in the wagon is tough. You decided to camp at the top of the hill over night. Unfortunately, it rains and the hill you have to descend becomes a muddy mess. You try to keep your descent under control, but the oxen stumble and fail to stop the wagon. It careens down the hill throwing out items left and right. When you finally get the wagon and the animals back together, you realize that one of your oxen has a broken leg. It is useless now, so you put the poor animal out of its misery.

Scratch one ox off the list.

IF you have already given up all your other oxen, cross out four other items because you had to trade some miserly Missourian four items

to get an ox to pull your wagon.

You also realize that the tongue of your wagon is shattered. If you still have yours, simply replace it and be thankful that you kept the spare wagon parts. IF you do not have the tongue, cross out four other items. Because you have no money, you had to trade a greedy Texan 4 items so he would agree to give you his extra part.

You finally arrive at The Dalles. You have no money, so you cannot take the Barlow Toll Road. You must build a raft and float your wagon down the Columbia River. After having several bad experiences, you build a sturdy raft and start down the river.

After making it through the shallow spot in the river, you realize that your rudder is broken and you can no longer steer. You are scared to death! You crash into two rocks, almost sinking the raft. Somehow, you make it to shore. Unfortunately, in all the chaos, you lost two more items.

Cross out two more items.

While nearly drowning in the rapids, you and other members of your group swallowed a large amount of river water. There is no telling how many people and animals have crossed here.

Unclean water can cause lots of problems. Unfortunately, several members of your group contract a mild case of dysentery. This slows down your travel time considerably.

Everyone whose name begins with the

letter A or T, you have dysentery!

You must trade two items for medicine.

Only those with a name that begins with A or T should cross out two items!

Thankfully, everyone makes a quick recovery. You are almost to Oregon! But the terrain is still dangerous, so your party must be careful.

However, no amount of caution can prepare you for an ambush. On the next to last night of your journey, your party is attacked by a band of Native Americans! They circle your wagon train and demand you leave their land.

Cross one item off your supply list.

You trade this item to the Native Americans for the right to peacefully

cross through their territory.

CONGRATULATIONS!

You survived, but barely! You arrive in the Willamette Valley, ready to stake your claim to some farm land. Look at the items that remain on your list.

1. What do you have?

2. Do you think you made good choices?

3. Explain why you kept the things you did.

4. Do you think that you will be able to survive the winter with these supplies?