The Pioneers

by Marie Gorsline, Douglas Gorsline

Describes the typical experiences of pioneers traveling the Oregon Trail, including Indian attacks, mountain blizzards, and dangerous river crossings

Genres: Picture Books

32 pages, Paperback

First published July 12, 1982

Reviews

[Melinda Christensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Those of us who live in the west have much to thank the pioneers for, but before that the explorers such as Lewis and Clark, Kit Carson, Captain John Fremont and Jim Bridger deserve our praise. In the early 1800s, land west of the Mississippi was inhabited by American-Indians. Soon, people who lived back east wanted to make the trip to the Far West. Thousands journeyed to the West in covered wagons to settle the land. The pioneers of the Oregon Trail generally started their journey at the frontier town of Independence, Missouri in the early spring. They formed wagon trains to protect each other across unknown lands. In Independence they could buy the food, tools, and clothing they would use on the way. Most pioneers drove ordinary farm wagons, but those going to California rode in Conestoga wagons, twice as long as the others. Pioneer's wagons carried food, tools for the trip and for farming, clothing. cooking pots. medicine, guns and household goods. Most people preferred to walk because of the crowding inside and the bumpiness. A wagon train was composed of fifty to seventy-five wagons and about three hundred people, and before they began they elected leaders and hired guides. The daily work was divided up, and three or four teams of oxen pulled each of the wagons, called prairie schooners.

Pioneers had to have the faith and courage to see them through many kinds of dangers as they traved twelve or fifteen miles a day. After supper, families entertained with games and music, knitting and quilting, and slept in tents with a guard at watch. Some of the dangers were storms, hot, dry weather,
and wide, dangerous rivers to cross. The first stop was Fort Laramie, where the Indians were friendly and they could replenish their supplies. In the later years of the wagon trains, the Indians saw the pioneers taking their lands and killing the buffalo. No wonder they attacked the wagon trains! When they reached the Rocky Mountains, many of the oxen were wearing out and people became sick and died, but weddings still took place and babies were born. Pioneers hurried to get across the mountains before snowfall, or it would be disastrous for them. Nearly 20,000 of the 340,000 who traveled the Oregon Trail lost their lives, but those who made it to Oregon found a beautiful valley with plenty of timber, rich soil and water. They still had much work to do in planting their crops and building their log cabins. It wasn't so long ago that many of our ancestors made the trek back to Far West!

[Elmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good little book detailing the hardships faced on the Oregon Trail. Lots of nice illustrations with all peoples fully clothed.