Quest to the West

The Oregon Trail was perhaps one of Americas most well known trails. Responsible for many deaths, but also famous for many discoveries. What many people don't know is how it began to be popular. Lewis and Clark were the first European-Americans to venture west. They were sent by President Thomas Jefferson to find the short cut to China that Columbus was originally looking for. During 1804 the journey began and about a couple dozen men made there way to the west. Jefferson was hoping that there was a water root to the west. It turned out that the water root to the west was dangerous so they made most of the journey by foot. On the way they met Sacagawea who helped them make their was across the west. The whole journey took so long that many thought that the journey failed and all the men perished along the way. This discouraged many to go west. But then Lewis and Clark came back and told the rest of their community that the way west was far too dangerous. This was not entirely true, Lewis and Clark strangely enough went through the most dangerous passage through the Rockies. There was still good information that came out of the journey. They learned that the journey to China would be another 200 miles through the ocean. How they learned this was as they made there way, and for the first time seeing open water on December 1805, a tribe was passing by on a boat and signaled, 200 miles to China. So they headed back with there new story.

The next big journey to the West was sent by John Jacob Astor, the richest man in the world. He had heard about Lewis and Clarks journey and decided to make his own quest to the west. He pulled together his own men and supplies and they were gone (not including Astor) by 1810. The journey was a disaster many of the men ended up dieing, only a hand full mad it back lead by Robert Stuart. Along the way He also was greatly successful. In between the Rockies there was about a 20 mile wide valley all the way to the end, but what he did know was this wide path would become the OREGON TRAIL.

But unfortunately the west still suffered criticism by many including Lt. Zebulon Pike who described it as one giant waste land, Which of course in untrue. So many came to the same conclusion that the west was just entirely uninhabitable.

About a decade later a new trend started of beaver pelts and bear furs. This new trend was followed by the beginning of trappers or mountain men. Many men became mountain men because they seek ed adventure or excitement in life. People who were mountain men generally were poor or had no families. As glamorous as it may sound to be traveling around watching nature it did have a huge toll. It was said that out of every 116 men only 16 would survive. Most were killed by fur thieves, disease or even a misplaced step on a cliff. One of the most famous was Joe Walker who was one day traveling westwards in the Rockies in search of an animal when he discovered the same valley that was 20 miles wide. Robert Stuart and his fellow travels meant to keep the passage a secret, but Walker ran back to the east and told every one about the comfortable trail that even wagons could travel.

Explorer John Fremont was asked to write about the west to make it seem more desirable so people would come. He made the journey and came back but he gave up and his wife Jesse Benton Fremont wrote it, even thought it had his name.

After the report people began to stream in to the west to have more land or have more peace. The Oregon trail soon became crowded and even dangerous. There were wagon thieves and angry Natives which lurked around. This forced the pioneers to travel in wagon trains. This meant that a handful of wagons traveled together forming leaders an ideas. The members inn the trains were obliged to get along so they could stay safe. About 1 in every 10 people would die along the way because of sickness an thirst.

Women during the time also had a story to tell because they them selves had lived through storms and wild animals. Even with this new pride of adventure Women were still expected to do the house chores and take care of the children after traveling 15-20 mile a day.

Over all the Oregon trail rush began 1836 and ended 1843 because of the railroads now in serves. But still to this day is known as one of the most well known trails.