Who Were the Pioneers?
Pioneers were the first people to settle in the frontiers of North America. Although many of the pioneers were farmers, others were doctors, shopkeepers, blacksmiths, missionaries, lawyers, and so on. They came from many places in the United States to start their new lives. The majority of their ancestors came from European countries such as England, Germany, and Scotland. Before leaving their homes they either saved money for the trip, sold their land and other possessions, or agreed to work for others on the trip.
Why Did the Pioneers Travel to the Frontier?
Although the pioneers traveled to the frontier for many different reasons, they all wanted an opportunity to start new lives. Many of the pioneers were farmers. They went to Oregon, Texas, and other areas of the frontier for the inexpensive or even possibly free land. This land was available for homesteading. They wanted the rich, fertile land for their crops. Other people came to the frontier because they had heard stories that made the new lands sound like magical places. Some went to the frontier in order to prospect for gold, to hunt and trade fur pelts, and for many other reasons
What did they take with them?
They would take as many supplies as they could with them. Some of the the food they would take included: yeast for baking, crackers, cornmeal, bacon, eggs, dried meat, potatoes, rice, beans, and a big barrel of water. The pioneers might even take some chocolate for special occasions. They would also take a cow if they had one. They would use it for milk and meat. Pioneers made their own clothing so they brought cloth to sew, needles, thread, pins, scissors, and leather to fix worn-out shoes. They had to make their own repairs so they brought saws, hammers, axes, nails, string and knives.
How Did the Pioneers Travel?
Most pioneers traveled in a conestoga wagon or a spring wagon. Many of the pioneers chose oxen instead of mules or horses because the oxen were a lot stronger. They would buy up to 4 oxen per wagon. The father would drive the oxen by walking beside the wagon. The children would walk behind of the wagon much of the time.
What Were Their Wagons Like?
The Pioneers traveled in a wagon called a covered wagon. The wagon was usually a wooden wagon made of hickory, oak, or maple. A wooden piece made from hickory stuck out from the front of the wagon. This piece called a tongue was connected to the yoke of the oxen, mules, or horses.
The wagon could not carry more than 2,000 pounds. It had big wooden hoops, called bows that were bent from side to side. There would be 4 to 7 wooden hoops on one wagon. There was a canvas pulled across the hoops that would keep out the rain, wind, and the hot sunshine. Pioneers would rub oil on the canvas to make it waterproof. Inside the wagon there were many hooks that hung from the wooden hoops. They could hang weapons, clothes, milk cans, and anything there was room for. The front wheels of the wagon were smaller than the back wheels. This helped the wagon turn. Underneath the back wheels there was a bucket full of grease hanging from the axle. This was used to make the wheels run smoothly. The conestoga wagons were called prairie schooners because from a distance the conestoga wagon looked like a ship sailing slowly across the green prairie. Traveling in a wagon was not an easy trip. There were many things that could go wrong. For example some wagon wheels would break or there would be no water. If they ran out of food they would need to hunt. When they were on the trail it was very noisy because all the pots and pans hanging off the wagons were clanging against each other.
What Was a Wagon Train?
A wagon train was a group of covered wagons that went west. The wagons would travel in a straight single line. The wagon train looked like a slow-moving train. If the trail was wide enough they would spread out to get away from the dust. At night the wagon master would have the wagons form a big circle for protection from hostile Indians, marauders and other dangers. Sometimes the children would play inside the wagon circle after dinner and just before bed time.
Captains
The captain, also known as the wagon master led the caravan down the trail and made any decisions that affected the whole caravan. He made decisions like when and where they were going to camp for the night. If there was a river nearby, the captain would decide when and how they would cross the river. Captains were also in charge of waking up the members of the wagon train, deciding when they would stop for lunch, and making sure everything ran smoothly on the trail.
Scouts
The scouts or trail guides usually had been fur traders or trappers. They knew the routes for the destination of the wagon trains. The scouts knew where to cross rivers, how to get through dangerous mountain passes, and how far the caravan should travel each day. They also helped the captain take care of the members of the wagon train. A famous scout was Jim Bridger. Click on his name to learn more about his life.
What Did They do After Reaching Their New Homes?
One of the first things the pioneers did when they got to their new homes was buy land. Although land cost about two dollars an acre in many areas, that was very expensive to some pioneers. After they bought their land they had to clear the rocks and tree stumps so they could build their houses and plant crops. The first spring and summer they did little, other than working the land. Their first home was a lean-to. It looked like an open shed that faced the fire. Most of the pioneer women and children made quilts for the beds. If they didn't buy land where there was a stream, the men would build a well. When a group of pioneers lived near each other they would often build a stockade, or fort to protect themselves from Indians.
Fire Building
Fires were difficult for pioneers to make, because they did not have any wood! They had to get something that would burn quickly, so they started using buffalo chips. They collected the buffalo chips in a basket. It took 3 whole baskets of buffalo chips to cook a meal. In order to be safe when they made a fire they dug a trench. The trench was 6 inches wide, 10 inches deep, and 2 feet long. Then you would put the buffalo chips in the trench, and light it up with gun powder or matches. When they reached the Rocky Mountains there were no buffalo chips! It was still hard to find wood so the pioneers burned dead sagebrush branches.
Cooking on the Trail
Pioneer people were also called early settlers. They did not have many of the foods we have today. Almost every meal they ate had corn as one of the dishes. They ate things like dried corn, cream corn, hull corn, dried corn mush, and sometimes they ate corn bread. Some people still eat these foods. Another thing they had was crabapple jelly, and sun-dried fruit. Sometimes for dessert they ate huckleberry pie, and pumpkin pie. Pioneers collected blackberries, gooseberries, and blueberries. Another common pioneer food was doughnuts. To read a recipe for doughnuts click here. If you would like to learn how to make raspberry quencher click here. Pioneers could not eat meat all the time; they needed vitamins so they collected all kinds of fruit that grew wild in the woods.
Crossing the Rivers
Crossing rivers in the 1800s was difficult. This was one of their first problems they would encounter. Many of the rivers were very difficult to cross. If the river was shallow and not moving at a fast speed they could cross by fording. They would have the oxen pull the wagon across to the other bank. Sometimes when the river was deeper they would swim the animals and float their wagon across the river. Children would help their parents prepare the wagon by making a wax paste that would waterproof the open spaces of the wagon. For the deeper and more dangerous rivers they would build a large flat boat called a scow. This boat would float them and their covered wagons across the river. Their animals would have to swim across because they were too big. The scow had big blocks of wood to hold their wagons on the scow. Sometimes Indians would ferry them across the river, and they would have to pay them or trade with them, with something they wanted. Sometimes it could take up to five days before an entire wagon train could cross the river.
Dangers on the Trail
There were many dangers on the trail like fierce animals, Indians, storms, rivers, diseases, and robbers. Many of the Indians were not friendly. They would try to steal cattle and horses. The pioneers also lost livestock to coyotes and other predators. That's why the pioneers had guards who stayed up all night to watch the livestock. Many rivers were difficult to cross. Some of the rivers were fast, deep, and muddy. Grass fires were a constant threat to the pioneers. So were run-away oxen. Some pioneers couldn't carry enough water from one watering hole to the next and were in danger of running out. One of the worst things that could happen was that a wagon wheel could break or an axle could break and they could not get another. If a storm came, lightning could hit the wagon and it could catch on fire.
A: Tongue:
A wooden piece often made of hickory. It sticks out from the front of the wagon. The tongue is connected to the front axle under the wagon to the oxen or mules that pulled the wagon.
B: Footrest:
Below the seat, a place for the driver and passenger to place their feet.
C: Brake Lever:
A lever next to the driver's seat. It is attached to the brake shoe on the rear wheel. The driver pulls the lever when he wants the wagon to stop.
D: Seat:
A wooden bench on the front of the wagon where the driver and one passenger can sit.
E: Bow:
On the top of the wagon is a wooden piece (made from hickory trees) that forms an arch from the right side of the wagon to the left. The wagon cover rests on top of the arch, called a bow. The prairie schooner usually had 6 bows.
F: Cover:
A large covering that was usually ivory in color. It went over the top and along the sides of the wagon. It was made of either cotton or canvas. Its purpose was to keep the sun and dust off the interior of the wagon and keep the inside dry in rain and snow.
G: Feed Trough:
A wooden box on the back of the wagon. Its purpose was to carry grain and oats for the animals.
H: Felloe:
The side piece on each wheel usually made from ash trees. It sits between the spokes and iron tires.
J: Spoke:
The small wooden rods (made from oak trees) that attach the tire to the hub on each wheel. Each wheel usually had from 10 to 20 spokes.
K: Hub:
The wooden centerpiece of each wheel (made from either elm or osage trees). It is the place where all the spokes attach and the axle connects to the wheel.
L: Brake Shoe:
A rectangular block made of wood and iron. It rubs up against the back wheel on the driver's side. Its purpose is to stop the wagon.
M: Tire:
An iron piece on the wheel. It is the outer covering of the wheel, the part that comes in contact with the wheel.
Wagon Quiz
http://library.thinkquest.org/6400/wagon%20quiz.htm
Top of Form 1
1. What is part 1 on the covered wagon?
a. tire b. bow c. seat
Bottom of Form 1
Top of Form 2
2. What is part 2?
a. spokes b. brake lever c. foot rest
Bottom of Form 2
Top of Form 3
3. What is part 3?
a. feed trough b. bow c. cover
Bottom of Form 3
Top of Form 4
4. What is part 4?
a. bow b. tongue c. hub
Bottom of Form 4
Top of Form 5
5. What is part 5?
a. felloe b. spokes c. tire
Bottom of Form 5
Top of Form 6
6. What is part 6?
a. foot rest b. hub c. tire
Bottom of Form 6
Top of Form 7
7. What is part 7?
a. spokes b. feed trough c. felloe
Bottom of Form 7
Top of Form 8
8. What is part 8?
a. hub b. cover c. tongue
Bottom of Form 8
Top of Form 9
9. What is part 9?
a. seat b. brake lever c. foot rest
Bottom of Form 9
Top of Form 10
10. What is part 10?
a. felloe b. spokes c. hub
Bottom of Form 10
Top of Form 11
11. What is part 11?
a. feed trough b. tongue c. spokes
Bottom of Form 11
Top of Form 12
12. What is part 12?
a. brake foot b. cover c. felloe
Bottom of Form 12
Glossary
A
ANCESTORS: people from whom you are descended; your relatives.
AXLE: a pin, pole, or bar on or with which a wheel revolves.
B
BUFFALO CHIPS: dried buffalo manure which pioneers used to light a fire.
C
CARAVAN: a group traveling together on a long journey through dangerous regions.
CONESTOGA: a covered wagon used to carry freight across the prairies.
D
DANGEROUS: exposing to or involving great risk.
DISEASE: an abnormal condition, illness or sickness.
E
F
FERRY: a boat that carries people or things across a river.