The document discusses Manifest Destiny, the life and hardships of emigrants traveling the Oregon and California trails westward in the mid-1800s, important landmarks and forts along the trails, and the tragic events of the Donner Party journey. It describes the 2,000 mile journey over 6 months that emigrants faced, crossing landmarks like Chimney Rock, Independence Rock, and South Pass. Forts like Fort Kearny, Fort Laramie, and Fort Hall provided supplies to emigrants. The Donner Party took a fatal shortcut and got trapped in the Sierra Nevada mountains in winter blizzards, resulting in cannibalism and the deaths of most members.

2. Essential Questions
1. Define: Manifest Destiny
2. Describe the life and hardships of people who
traveled the trails west.
3. Describe the importance of the landmarks and
forts that the emigrants crossed on the trail
west.
4. Summarize the events and hardships of the
Donner Party.

3. Manifest Destiny
 The belief that the U.S.
was destined to expand
across the continent of
North America.
 John O’Sullivan, a writer
for the NYTimes.

8. Wagon Train Life

14. Food Choices
Buffalo
Quail
Bacon

16. Emigrants traveled approximately 12-15 miles in one day for a
total of 2,000 miles over a 6 month period.

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18. Chimney Rock
 295 feet high in Nebraska
 Nearly half a million
emigrants saw Chimney
Rock
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19. Independence Rock
 Many emigrants arrived
here on the 4th of July.
 700 feet wide, 1900 feet
long, maximum of 128
feet above the
Sweetwater Valley floor
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20. South Pass
 Thirty-five mile saddle in
the Rocky Mountains.
 Prairie and sagebrush
flourish on the landscape.
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21. Snake River
 Hundreds of feet deep at
some points of the river.
 Can only be crossed by
using three islands as
stepping stones.
 Joins at many waterfalls
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22. Devil’s Gate
 5 miles southwest of
Independence Rock.
 Located on private land.
 Is 370 feet deep and
1500 feet long.
 Located in Wyoming
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23. Columbia River
 The final leg of the
Oregon Trail (250 miles).
 Many emigrants lost their
lives on the rapids.
 This prompted the
construction of the Barlow
Toll Road.
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24. Back to Map
During the 1830’s and 1840’s, Independence, Missouri was the
place where many emigrants bought their supplies, prepared
wagons, and left with a wagon train west.

25. Fort Kearny was constructed as a supply post. Emigrants along
the trails westward stopped here to collect food, goods, and use
mail service and other amenities.
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26. Fort Laramie was constructed as a trading post. Taken over by the
U.S. Army in the mid 1940’s to protect travelers on the trails west.
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27. Fort Hall was constructed by mountain men preparing for a
rendezvous. Upon leaving, emigrants chose one of two trails,
Oregon and California.
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28. For those traveling the Oregon Trail, Oregon City was the last
destination. Emigrants would file land claims here at the capital of
the Oregon Territory.
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29. Thousands of wagon wheels left ruts cut into the sandstone in
Wyoming.

30. It is estimated that 400,000 people made the trip west (80,000 to
Oregon). It is believed that as many as 65,000 people died along
the way.

31. The transcontinental railroad would be completed in 1869
eliminating the need for the six month journey by wagon.

32. Back to Map

33. Donner Party Departs
 On May 10, 1846, George
Donner led 87 people out
on Independence, Missouri
forCalifornia.

35. A Major Decision
 Late in the trip, they had to
decide whether to rest their
tired oxen or continue.
 They decided to rest and later
take a shortcut.

36. Lansford Hastings
 He wrote about the journey
west saying that there was a
shortcut that would save
emigrants, 300 miles.
Lansford Hastings published a book
called, “The Emigrants'Guide to Oregon
and California.”

37. Mostly straight route.Not a very straight route.
A lack of wild game and
water.
Plenty of wild game and
water.
A good deal of the trail
traveled through the desert.
Briefly traveled through the
desert.
250 miles longer than the
primary trail.

38. First Signs of Problems
 South of the Great Salt
Lake they had to cross a
swamp.
 Cut down trees and
made a raft to cross the
high water on .
 Took a month!
 When they reached the
Sierra-Nevada Mountains
they were caught in
Blizzard.

40. Lake Donner, named after the location where the Donner Party
found themselves stuck in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

41. Those people that were protected from the elements created their
shelter against one side of this rock.

42. The height of the Donner Party monument indicates the depth of
the snow, which was twenty-two feet.

43. Cannibalism
James & Margaret Reed
Of the 87 members in the Donner Party, only 45 survived to get to
California.
Margaret, Patrick, & John Breen

44. Back to Map

45. Essential Questions
1. Define: Manifest Destiny
2. Describe the life and hardships of people who traveled
the trails west.
3. Describe the importance of the landmarks and forts
that the emigrants crossed on the trail west.
4. Summarize the events and hardships of the Donner
Party.