Mystery 1
What country asked if the United States wanted to buy the Louisiana Territory?
Meriwether Lewis and William Clark encountered many Native American tribes. Name at least two of those tribes.
Shoshone, Mandan, Minitari, Blackfeet, Chinook and the Sioux.
What was the Oregon Trail?
The Oregon Trail was a 2,000-mile route from Missouri to Oregon, which was used by hundreds of thousands of American pioneers in the mid-1800s to migrate west.
Many people died on the trail. Name at least three causes of death.
Diseases such as dysentery, cholera, smallpox or flu. Also in accidents caused by inexperience, exhaustion and carelessness. It was not uncommon for people to be crushed beneath wagon wheels or accidentally shot to death, and many people drowned during dangerous river crossings. Travelers often left warning messages to those journeying behind them if there was an outbreak of disease, bad water or hostile American Indian tribes nearby
When did the United States gain control of the Louisiana Territory and how much did they pay?
December 1803 / $11,250,000
What was the name of French-Indian interpreter Toussaint Charbonneau’s wife?
Marcus Whitman was a Missionary who was in a wagon train destined for Oregon. Thousands of people were traveling thousands of miles across the country. Two things happened that affected this group negatively once they arrived in Washington, what were they?
The Cayuse Indians became resentful and hostile, and after a measles epidemic broke out in 1847, the Cayuse population was decimated. In a conflict with the Cayuse Indians, Whitman, his wife and some of the mission staff were killed; many more were taken hostage for over a month.
After the completion of the first transcontinental railroad, western wagon trains decreased significantly. Why is this?
settlers chose the faster and more reliable mode of transportation
Now that the United States owns the Louisiana Territory, what happened to our country?
The United States gained 828,000 square miles which doubled the size of our country
What was the name of the fort that was built in Oregon when Lewis and Clark arrived?
Fort Clatsop
What did the pioneers have to do before they left for the expedition?
sell their homes, businesses and any possessions they couldn’t take with them
What was the gold rush?
The California Gold Rush was a gold rush that began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The news of gold brought approximately 300,000 people to California from the rest of the United States and abroad.
When did the Lewis and Clark expedition start and how long did it last?
1804 / 2 years
What happened to Lewis and Clark after the expedition?
Lewis was made Governor of the Louisiana Territory. Clark was appointed General of Militia. Clark remained well-respected and lived a successful life. Lewis was not an effective governor and drank too much and died in 1809 of two gunshot wounds. A few years later, Sacagawea died, and Clark became her children’s guardian.
What was the most important thing to have for a successful life on the trail?
The most important item for successful life on the trail was the covered wagon. It had to be sturdy enough to withstand the elements yet small and light enough for a team of oxen, horses, or mules to pull day after day.
Did the gold rush have good or bad effects on the environment?
No - the new methods permanently changed the landscape. New machinery and water dams affected water flow, and the logging industry was needed to construct feed boilers at mines.
What did Meriwether Lewis study before going on the expedition?
medicine, botany, astronomy and zoology and scrutinized existing maps and journals of the region.
What was the Manifest Destiny?
the idea that the United States is destined—by God—to expand across the entire North American continent. used to justify the forced removal of Native Americans
Why was it critical for travelers to leave in April or May?
It was critical for travelers to leave in April or May if they hoped to reach Oregon before the winter snows began.
What city became the central spot of the new frontier during the gold rush?
San Francisco