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What is the main reason people traveled west on the Oregon Trail?
Land
Where is the official end of the Oregon Trail?
Oregon City, Oregon...you could also just say Oregon
What type of animal often pulled the wagons because of their strength?
oxen
About how many wagons would be in a wagon train?
about 100
How long did it take pioneers to travel the Oregon Trail?
About 4-6 months
Why were horses NOT a good choice for pulling the wagons?
Either one: Not strong enough OR couldn't survive on prairie grass
What type of oil was used to waterproof the wagon cover?
linseed oil
If a wagon became too heavy for the oxen to pull, what would they do with some of their belongings?
throw them out of the wagon!
How did the pioneers keep their animals from wandering away at night?
they would circle up their wagons and create a corral
Name ONE state the pioneers had to travel through? NOT including Missouri or Oregon
Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Idaho
For a family of 4, how much food was need for the journey? (in pounds)
About 1,000lbs
What does "fording" mean?
taking a wagon across a river
How long was the Oregon Trail in miles?
2,000 miles
How much weight could a typical wagon carry?
about 2,500lbs
How large was a typical wagon, how wide/how long?
4ft wide by 10ft long
What does it mean to caulk the wagon?
make it waterproof so they could go across rivers
About how many people died while traveling the Oregon Trail?
about 65,000 (any number between 60,000-70,000)
Name three ways the pioneers would cross rivers.
1. ferry
2. caulk their wagons and float across the river.
3. ford the river, just drive the wagon across
4. swim across the river, not very safe!
5. bridges, very rare!
What was the cover of the wagon made from?
canvas
What was a nickname for a bunch of wagons traveling across a prairie? old-school name for boats...
Prairie Schooners
The Oregon Trail has been called the Nation's longest...what?
Graveyard