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IMovie Trailer Gallery
Bennett & Houston: "Going Across"
River crossing was one of the toughest things on the Oregon Trail. Most animals would die because of river crossing! The wagons would go on ferries to get across if the water was deep. If it was shallow, wagons just drove through. Sometimes it took five days to make it across the river. Horses, oxen and cows had to swim across. Sometimes animals drowned. It was very sad. Sometimes pioneer drowned and that was even sadder. Other time the wagon would tip over and all of the items inside would just fall out and float away. Native Americans sometimes helped pioneers ferry wagons across. The Native Americans would sometimes even charge the pioneers for their help. The pioneers would put tar or candle wax to waterproof the wagon. Pioneers had to cross rivers, but is was super dangerous!
Harrison & Bryce: "Dangers on the Oregon Trail"
There were lots of dangers on the Oregon Trail. Some are snake bites, mud, dust, storms and accidental gun wounds. One of out of every ten people died on the Oregon Trail. Many pioneers for Native Americans but a lot were friendly. But for the unlucky, they can got hit by lightning and drowned in rivers during river crossings. Sometimes children fell out of their wagon and were crushed by the wheels. Diseases like cholera, malaria and bloody flux were also dangers and killed many. Finally, accidental gunshots were a problem on the trail for many pioneers. If you made it to Oregon City safely, you were lucky!
Emmy & Liam: "Sick to Death on the Oregon Trail"
Sickness followed by death was among the pioneers from Independence Missouri to Oregon City. There weren't medicines like ours in 2016. Their diseases were very hard to defeat with the medicines in 1840-1860. Some sickness were cholera, malaria, measles, typhoid fever, mountain fever and bloody flux. They had doctors on the trail but only sometimes for a price. Rats, mosquitoes, and dirty water spread the disease. Sadly to say but one out every one of ten pioneers died in the Oregon Trail unfortunately.
Annie & Daphne: "Fun in the Night with Pioneers"
What did the pioneers do at night? Did they dance, cook popcorn, and play cards? Yes! The pioneers settled in for the night at about 6:00 pm. They had a usual night routine just like you and me. It started like this, after they settled in, the women went straight to the fire to start cooking dinner for their families. After dinner, the fiddles would start up. One popular song was Oh Susana! When the fiddles started to play it’s song they got up off their seat and danced under the moon. Stars lit up in the air and all you could hear was the quiet sound of wind, laughter and chatter.
Men sometimes played cards and women gossiped. Elders and kids sat around the campfire telling stories while parents stayed and danced the night away. All types of stories could be told. Some of the types of stories were scary stories, bedtime stories, romantic stories, funny stories and weird stories. After little kids were put down to bed, everyone sat around the campfire and chatted the night away. A soft sound cleared the air. The fiddle! Then someone's voice joined in and the whole crowd joined in.
After the clapping singing and talking ended, the pioneers went right to their bed. The beds were usually in the wagon outside the wagon and under the wagon. Most of the time if they were next to their wagon, they would sleep in a tent. If they were under the wagon or next in the wagon, they would sleep on a blanket. It was never boring at night with the pioneers.
Rosie: "Landmarks on the Trail"
Landmarks were signals for the pioneers and helpful places to stop and rest. For example, Chimney Rock signaled the end of the prairies and almost the beginning of the Rocky Mountains. If pioneers didn’t reach Independence Rock by July 4th, then they would know that they were behind schedule. That wouldn’t have been good, because if that happened, then there was a chance of getting trapped in a snowstorm. If the pioneers got to South Pass, then that was good news. That would mean that they didn’t have to go through the Rocky Mountains. Other landmarks, like all the forts, helped to tell where on the trail they were. The forts were great places for resupplying and resting. Soda Springs was a lot of fun for the kids. They could cool off and play in the fizzy water. If there were no landmarks on the trail, then the pioneers would be very, very lost.
Matthew & Gayle: "Hunting on the Trail"
Hunting was very important to the pioneers because that’s what their life was depended on for several reasons. One reason is that it would be impossible to carry enough food in the wagon for the whole 5-6 month journey. So getting food along the trail was necessary. Also, the pioneers couldn’t collect enough food from plants alone or from the farm animals that they brought. So hunting was the way to go. They hunted squirrel, quail, dove, rabbit, and pheasants in the beginning of the hunt. At the end of trail, they hunted bigger animals like elk, deer, antelope and buffalo and what they could find. They carried a rifle, pistol and knife. They used the animal skin for clothing. They used the meat to eat. Men and boys were the main hunters.
Davis, Benjamin, & Gus: "Hunting"
If it wasn’t for hunting the pioneers would not have survived. They used revolvers, rifles and shotguns. They shot rabbit, squirrel, dove, quail, antelope and buffalo. They also used pepperboxes and knifes. The pepperbox was a type of pistol used back then. The knife was used for cutting and skinning the animal. Rifles were used for long range. Shotguns were used for short range shooting for big animals. Revolvers were used for long range on small animals. The buffalo would give clothes to pioneers. Hunting gave life to the pioneers on the trail.
Caroline & Poppy: "Food on the Trail"
Food, it gives hope to the hungry pioneers. It gives pleasure and life. On the Oregon Trail, it was more important than ever. There were no places to get more except for a few forts spread out on the trail. Because of this fact, the pioneers had to hunt, fish, collect food in nature and use farm animal product as they traveled. In the morning, pioneers ate Johnny Cakes and bacon. For lunch, they had leftovers like pickles, breads and thick layers of dried bean jelly spread into hard tack. Many pioneers brought animals such as pigs, chickens, and cows just in case. Women cooked dinner for the others. Some of their favorite meals were hot flour bread dipped in bacon grease then it was fried, bread on on a stick is dough on stuck on the ground near a fire, and bean soup. Food was a piece of home for some pioneers.
Blake & Mary: "The Wagon"
The Oregon Trail without wagons? IMPOSSIBLE! How would you carry your items? The wagon could even make butter! HOW? Well the pioneers strapped a bucket with milk on the back of the wagon and when it would go over bumps the milk would shake and turn into...BUTTER! The wagons cost $150 to $450. The wagon could hold many foods including...bacon, coffee beans, beans, pickles, rice, sugar, cheese & potatoes. It also holds cleaning supplies, pots, pans and tools. Their tail board could fold out. The wagon is tinier than a minivan. The pioneers would put buckets on the side of their wagon so that when the rain fell it would fall into the buckets and the pioneers would have water. There was also a tar bucket full of grease for the wagon wheels. The wagon also had pockets on the side that could hold scissors, needles, thread and small toys. The oxen were connected to the tongue in the front of the wagon. On the front of the wagon there was a jockey box that was used for sitting and to hold tools. The wagon very important!
River crossing was one of the toughest things on the Oregon Trail. Most animals would die because of river crossing! The wagons would go on ferries to get across if the water was deep. If it was shallow, wagons just drove through. Sometimes it took five days to make it across the river. Horses, oxen and cows had to swim across. Sometimes animals drowned. It was very sad. Sometimes pioneer drowned and that was even sadder. Other time the wagon would tip over and all of the items inside would just fall out and float away. Native Americans sometimes helped pioneers ferry wagons across. The Native Americans would sometimes even charge the pioneers for their help. The pioneers would put tar or candle wax to waterproof the wagon. Pioneers had to cross rivers, but is was super dangerous!
Harrison & Bryce: "Dangers on the Oregon Trail"
There were lots of dangers on the Oregon Trail. Some are snake bites, mud, dust, storms and accidental gun wounds. One of out of every ten people died on the Oregon Trail. Many pioneers for Native Americans but a lot were friendly. But for the unlucky, they can got hit by lightning and drowned in rivers during river crossings. Sometimes children fell out of their wagon and were crushed by the wheels. Diseases like cholera, malaria and bloody flux were also dangers and killed many. Finally, accidental gunshots were a problem on the trail for many pioneers. If you made it to Oregon City safely, you were lucky!
Emmy & Liam: "Sick to Death on the Oregon Trail"
Sickness followed by death was among the pioneers from Independence Missouri to Oregon City. There weren't medicines like ours in 2016. Their diseases were very hard to defeat with the medicines in 1840-1860. Some sickness were cholera, malaria, measles, typhoid fever, mountain fever and bloody flux. They had doctors on the trail but only sometimes for a price. Rats, mosquitoes, and dirty water spread the disease. Sadly to say but one out every one of ten pioneers died in the Oregon Trail unfortunately.
Annie & Daphne: "Fun in the Night with Pioneers"
What did the pioneers do at night? Did they dance, cook popcorn, and play cards? Yes! The pioneers settled in for the night at about 6:00 pm. They had a usual night routine just like you and me. It started like this, after they settled in, the women went straight to the fire to start cooking dinner for their families. After dinner, the fiddles would start up. One popular song was Oh Susana! When the fiddles started to play it’s song they got up off their seat and danced under the moon. Stars lit up in the air and all you could hear was the quiet sound of wind, laughter and chatter.
Men sometimes played cards and women gossiped. Elders and kids sat around the campfire telling stories while parents stayed and danced the night away. All types of stories could be told. Some of the types of stories were scary stories, bedtime stories, romantic stories, funny stories and weird stories. After little kids were put down to bed, everyone sat around the campfire and chatted the night away. A soft sound cleared the air. The fiddle! Then someone's voice joined in and the whole crowd joined in.
After the clapping singing and talking ended, the pioneers went right to their bed. The beds were usually in the wagon outside the wagon and under the wagon. Most of the time if they were next to their wagon, they would sleep in a tent. If they were under the wagon or next in the wagon, they would sleep on a blanket. It was never boring at night with the pioneers.
Rosie: "Landmarks on the Trail"
Landmarks were signals for the pioneers and helpful places to stop and rest. For example, Chimney Rock signaled the end of the prairies and almost the beginning of the Rocky Mountains. If pioneers didn’t reach Independence Rock by July 4th, then they would know that they were behind schedule. That wouldn’t have been good, because if that happened, then there was a chance of getting trapped in a snowstorm. If the pioneers got to South Pass, then that was good news. That would mean that they didn’t have to go through the Rocky Mountains. Other landmarks, like all the forts, helped to tell where on the trail they were. The forts were great places for resupplying and resting. Soda Springs was a lot of fun for the kids. They could cool off and play in the fizzy water. If there were no landmarks on the trail, then the pioneers would be very, very lost.
Matthew & Gayle: "Hunting on the Trail"
Hunting was very important to the pioneers because that’s what their life was depended on for several reasons. One reason is that it would be impossible to carry enough food in the wagon for the whole 5-6 month journey. So getting food along the trail was necessary. Also, the pioneers couldn’t collect enough food from plants alone or from the farm animals that they brought. So hunting was the way to go. They hunted squirrel, quail, dove, rabbit, and pheasants in the beginning of the hunt. At the end of trail, they hunted bigger animals like elk, deer, antelope and buffalo and what they could find. They carried a rifle, pistol and knife. They used the animal skin for clothing. They used the meat to eat. Men and boys were the main hunters.
Davis, Benjamin, & Gus: "Hunting"
If it wasn’t for hunting the pioneers would not have survived. They used revolvers, rifles and shotguns. They shot rabbit, squirrel, dove, quail, antelope and buffalo. They also used pepperboxes and knifes. The pepperbox was a type of pistol used back then. The knife was used for cutting and skinning the animal. Rifles were used for long range. Shotguns were used for short range shooting for big animals. Revolvers were used for long range on small animals. The buffalo would give clothes to pioneers. Hunting gave life to the pioneers on the trail.
Caroline & Poppy: "Food on the Trail"
Food, it gives hope to the hungry pioneers. It gives pleasure and life. On the Oregon Trail, it was more important than ever. There were no places to get more except for a few forts spread out on the trail. Because of this fact, the pioneers had to hunt, fish, collect food in nature and use farm animal product as they traveled. In the morning, pioneers ate Johnny Cakes and bacon. For lunch, they had leftovers like pickles, breads and thick layers of dried bean jelly spread into hard tack. Many pioneers brought animals such as pigs, chickens, and cows just in case. Women cooked dinner for the others. Some of their favorite meals were hot flour bread dipped in bacon grease then it was fried, bread on on a stick is dough on stuck on the ground near a fire, and bean soup. Food was a piece of home for some pioneers.
Blake & Mary: "The Wagon"
The Oregon Trail without wagons? IMPOSSIBLE! How would you carry your items? The wagon could even make butter! HOW? Well the pioneers strapped a bucket with milk on the back of the wagon and when it would go over bumps the milk would shake and turn into...BUTTER! The wagons cost $150 to $450. The wagon could hold many foods including...bacon, coffee beans, beans, pickles, rice, sugar, cheese & potatoes. It also holds cleaning supplies, pots, pans and tools. Their tail board could fold out. The wagon is tinier than a minivan. The pioneers would put buckets on the side of their wagon so that when the rain fell it would fall into the buckets and the pioneers would have water. There was also a tar bucket full of grease for the wagon wheels. The wagon also had pockets on the side that could hold scissors, needles, thread and small toys. The oxen were connected to the tongue in the front of the wagon. On the front of the wagon there was a jockey box that was used for sitting and to hold tools. The wagon very important!