MANIFEST DESTINY 1806 1855
THE OREGON TRAIL WESTWARD MIGRATION TO THE PACIFIC OCEAN
|
Question
[CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
|
|
|
so the grass would be long enough to feed their cattle
|
|
|
so they could bring all the family
|
|
|
so they could get there quicker
|
|
|
None of the above
|
Detailed explanation-1: -If the settlers left too early in the spring, there would not yet be enough grass on the prairie to feed the livestock. If they left too late in the spring, they risked being trapped in winter snows in the Cascade Mountains near the end of the trip. Travelers usually left in May and hoped to reach Oregon by October.
Detailed explanation-2: -Free land in Oregon and the possibility of finding gold in California lured them westward. At the same time, eastern churches wanted to teach American Indians of the Oregon Country their European ideas of “civilization.” Many simply hoped for a chance to start a new life.
Detailed explanation-3: -Every pioneer had his or her own reasons for heading west. Some had heard about the rich farmland in the area that would later become Oregon, others traveled to escape an economic recession in the Eastern cities. Still, others felt that the change of climate would help them overcome chronic ailments.