Pioneer By Adam

Have you ever wondered how and why people moved west if not well still read on if you did do the same and read on. This will give you a few important things the pioneers had to have, their reasons, what they put in there wagons, and after the trail.

Reasons

People moved west for many different reasons. Some moved west to oregon or to find gold. many people had many reasons most whent for the homestead act. It is where you would farm 160 acres for 5 year. That is how the government got people to move west. All they had to is pay a small fee and be off. Former slaves were also allowed to go and farm. People from all over came to gain land. Some went by sea others went by wagon after they got there and set up they would build towns and instead of money they would trade corn or cornmeal. They would also get together to have gathering since the closest neighbor could be miles away.

Packing for the wagon

Before they left they had to have supplies for the trip and for after they got there. They brought around 2,500 pounds of supplies. Men would walk next to there wagons with a shotgun or other type of gun. Since they would go over a lot of different areas. Some of the parts of the wagon would break. So they had to carry extra parts in the wagon. At night they would make a circle of the wagons to keep them safe. They would sleep on the ground, in tents, or in the wagon. Pioneers for food brought flour, baking soda, coffee, dried beef,salt, molasses, rice, cornmeal, yeast powder, lard, and dried beans. Treasures where very important to the pineeres. They sometimes where china, or dolls, or pictures. For tools they had to have they brought a ax, a hoe, a shovel, spade, some heavy rope, chains, a bucket, and auger. For basic supplies they had a lantern, matches, soap, scissors, a few needles, pins, thread, and medicine.

Life after the trail

Unless there were trees nearby they made sod houses. They compacted dirt into blocks and built these into walls. And would lay timber on it to make a fundashon for the roof then they would put dirt on top of it . They stayed cool in summer and hot in winter. Many people went to one room school houses they used slates aka small chalkboards Instead of paper. Schools were closed during planting and harvesting season. The women of this time did so much and here are a few of their tasks. They would make cloth and clothes, gathering cow chips, and sewing. They also made their own fabric using a loom.

This is a type of loom they might have used.


Some things that helped them where the plow and the windmill. The windmill help pull water out of the ground. The plow go plant residue out and smooth out the dirt.

These are just a few parts pioneer life. They had many hardships but they survived.