After Lewis and Clark, many families wanted new land in the West. They were called pioneers. In the 1840s, thousands set out on the Oregon Trail.
Key idea
Pioneers packed covered wagons, pulled by oxen, and traveled west. The trip took five or six months.
Why it works
A wagon was the family's moving truck. It was packed full of flour, bacon, tools, pots and clothes, so there was little room to ride. Oxen pulled it slowly, mile after mile. The pioneers crossed rivers, plains and mountains. At night they circled the wagons and cooked over a fire. Later, people rushed to California to look for gold, and in 1869 a railroad made the trip much faster.
Common mistake
Some children picture pioneers riding in the wagon the whole way. Most of them walked beside the wagon, which was packed full. Children walked too, and helped with chores.
For the grown-up: Native nations lived along the trails. Many traded food and guided travelers across rivers; as more and more settlers came and took land, there was also conflict. Between 1840 and 1869, over 500,000 people went west.