Why Is It Difficult To Travel To California

Grade 5, Unit 2: Cornerstone 2 Westward Expansion Database Articles Database Articles • Pioneer Women - http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/pioneer-womanx2019s-life-200-years-ago Note: you will have to log into the databases below using a DC Public Library Card or DC One Card. After logging in, click on the link again to get to the appropriate article. • Black Cowboys - http://www.worldbookonline.com.dclibrary.idm.oclc.org/student/article?id=ar753924&st=exodusters#tab=homepage • Manifest Destiny - http://school.eb.com.dclibrary.idm.oclc.org/levels/elementary/article/353420 • Oregon Trail - http://school.eb.com.dclibrary.idm.oclc.org/levels/elementary/article/353574 • Oregon Trail - http://www.worldbookonline.com.dclibrary.idm.oclc.org/kids/home#article/ar831676

Susan Lee Johnson in her book, Roaring Camp: The Social World of the California Gold Rush, gives a collections of histories of the same event from multiple sources’ perspectives. She does not try to decipher which interpretation or version of events is the accurate one. Johnson believes that the multitude of versions is more telling of the actual themes that were bing played out in this area of the southern mines of California. Johnson tackles issues of labor in these mining camps throughout her book. She pays close attention to the Anglo-American migrants and their disgruntled claims against the system of peonage employed by Sonoran and other Latino patrons.

An explorer by the name of Captain John Gunnison passed through the area in 1853 in search of a possible route for a transcontinental railroad. The explorers in his party found a demanding traverse in the Lake Fork of the Gunnison River canyon and left discouraged. It was determined that this rugged terrain was unsuitable for a railroad.

The Death Trap Trail During the early 1800s, a 2,200 trail was used to travel from Oregon to Illinois(or vice versa) for Americans migrants to claim land and settle on the other side. Fur trappers and traders laid out the trail and were the ones to establish it. Migrants used the trail to seek a better life on the other side. The use of this trail was one of the important events of our American History.

— Virginia Reed, daughter of James Reed. A tragic story of the Donner party is a very harrowing adventure through the journey of the big group and how about half of the people lived to tell the tale. On April 16, 1846 nine wagons were reported departing from Springfield Illinois on a journey of what is now called the Oregon Trail. Formerly known as the northern trail there were a lot of advantages and disadvantages to the Oregon trail there was more land and wonderful

All of these risks were put on “jeopardy” by going out west. By having the courage to risk it all shows the human spirit is one of bravery and boldness. The Donner Party faced many challenges on their journey out west. They had to cross huge landscapes and rocky terrain. They also were following a new and inexperienced cut off or “short cut”, that “claimed” to “shave”

Over 300,000 people migrated to California during the California Gold Rush. One way that these migrants contributed to Westward Expansion was that they boosted the economy in California. Many small cities in California that had previously consisted of a few hundred citizens soon had tens of thousands of residents. Another way that the 49ers contributed to Westward Expansion was their impact on the Native Americans. As the mining industry in California grew, the Native’s sources for food were killed and contaminated by chemicals and silt.

In 1849 the East was electrified by some news. These news stated that crossing the continent, on the West and, close from Mexico, golden nuggets were lying in the ground. After hearing that in California a man could take a fortune out of the hills and streams with just a shovel, a tin pan, a wooden, and a cradle, the Argonauts swarmed West by the thousands. They took their names — the forty-niners— from the year the rush began, 1849. These people called Argonauts made tough decisions to head West, for example, they abandoned their farms and apprenticeships, and they deserted from their families and fiancées.

In conclusion, the westward expansion was one of the most important times in American history but one of the hardest for those who made the journey. The settlers had to go through a lot of hardships to get a new life in the west. The Gold Rush helped bring people to the west and populate California so it became a state. People such as Sacagawea helped Lewis and Clark helped explore the new terrain and make maps so people could live there. Even though the pioneers got diseases, had conflicts with the Native Americans, and had to travel for long periods of time in a ship or covered wagon, they never gave up hope.

  Peter Burnett, a man with big dreams organized the first wagon train from Oregon to California. Emboldened by Burnett 's leadership, "one hundred and fifty stout, robust, energetic, sober men" set out south in 50 ox-drawn wagons. Packed with the necessities to survive these men were on a journey, a journey to

After years of waiting and preparing we started on the journey to the west. We made our way to Independence, Missouri to go on the Oregon Trail which was laid by traders and trapers. While there I became familiar with George Wilson who was also a working family man. A lot of families left together making the trail busy and causing jams..

Journal Entry 1869. By: Sophie Osmani September 28th, 1869: As a 15 year old, its hard to travel west. With barely any money. But I have to do it.

People came from all over the United States and the world to strike it rich in California. a. Some of the countries people came from were South America, Europe, Mexico, Hawaii, and China. b. People came from all of the other U.S. states as well. c. The people that traveled to California and left everything behind were called the 49ers.

The first of many reasons detailing on why the California Gold Rush was important is the fact that it brought many Americans to migrate west. In the year of 1849, more than 100,000 people that lived in the eastern half of the nation migrated to California in hopes of becoming wealthy off of the gold they hoped to find. These people became known as “forty-niners”. The state of California was not formally a state at the time, it was a territory.

In between California and the rest of the country were the Great Plains which were not heavily populated so there was no easy way of trade and transportation to the growing western territories. A group of men called the “Big Four” which consisted of Collis Huntington, Leland Stanford, Charles Crocker and Mark Hopkins, decided what the country needed was a transcontinental railroad. Their company, The Central Pacific Railroad company would hire 15,000 Chinese men to work on constructing the railroad due to the fact that they would work for less than the average American. This made transportation cheaper and quicker than ever