Going West
What major land purchase in 1803 doubled the size of the United States?
The Louisiana Purchase
What kind of animals pulled the covered wagons?
Oxen or Mules
List 3 common dangers faced by pioneers on the trails.
Disease, accidents, lack of water/food, harsh weather
What animal was essential to the way of life for many Native American tribes on the Great Plains?
Buffalo (or bison) and horses
List 2 main reasons people moved west.
To find new land, economic opportunities (gold, farming), freedom, adventure
Who were the two famous explorers chosen by President Jefferson to explore the Louisiana Purchase?
Meriwether Lewis and William Clark
What was the most common type of wagon used by pioneers for long journeys west?
A Conestoga wagon (or "covered wagon")
What natural barrier did pioneers have to cross to reach the West Coast?
The Rocky Mountains
What were the temporary shelters used by some Native American tribes that could be easily moved?
Tepees
In the game, you meet different Cheyenne characters who have different ideas about how to deal with the changes. List 3 of those ideas.
Some wanted to fight
Some wanted to try and make peace
Some wanted to move away.
What Native American woman led Lewis and Clark on their journey?
Sacagawea
List 5 things that pioneers carried inside their wagons for survival on the trail?
Food (flour, bacon, coffee), water, tools, clothing, blankets, cooking supplies, seeds.
What was the main danger of trying to cross rivers with wagons?
Wagons could tip over, get stuck, or float away; people and supplies could be lost.
Before the U.S. troops arrived, what were some of the daily activities Little Fox would do as a young Cheyenne boy?
Tending and training horses, learning to hunt, playing games, listening to stories, and fetching water.
Why was it so hard for pioneers to stay clean and healthy while traveling on the Oregon Trail?
They had very little water for washing, no soap, and lived in dusty or muddy conditions for many months.
What do we call the belief that the United States was meant to expand from coast to coast?
Manifest Destiny
What was a common repair needed for wagon wheels after many miles on rough trails?
Replacing spokes, fixing broken rims, or lubricating the axles.
What was the name of the last major conflict between U.S. soldiers and Native Americans, where Sioux warriors, women, and children were massacred?
The Battle of Wounded Knee
List 3 ways the Cheyenne use the buffalo for, besides food?
Clothing, shelter (tepee covers), tools, weapons, warmth (robes), trading, storage (bladder bags)
What were some of the chores or responsibilities children had to do to help their families on the wagon train?
They collected buffalo chips for fuel, gathered water, looked after younger siblings, and sometimes helped drive livestock.
What valuable metal was discovered in California in 1848, leading to a huge rush of people?
Gold
Why did pioneers often walk alongside their wagons instead of riding inside?
To save the animals' strength, to lighten the load, and because the ride inside was often very bumpy and uncomfortable.
What was the name of the Wagon Party that got caught in heavy snowfall and risked starvation?
Donner Party
As white settlers and railroads moved west what made life harder for the Cheyenne? List 3 ideas.
The buffalo herds became much smaller (diminished or disappeared).
Diseases were spread.
Land was stolen.
Broken treaties and relocation.
Native Americans were killed.
Besides the famous Oregon Trail, list 3 other important trails that pioneers took to get to move west.
California
Mormon
Santa Fe
Old Spanish
Bozeman
The Gila Trail