Before I start on a little history, I forgot to tell ya’all that in the coming weeks the schedule will talk about forms to your Important Documents Book. Go here to download and print these forms. Although these forms are rather self-explanatory, if you feel you would like a little more detail on this see Preparing Your emergency Documentation Book/Binder
Everyone who knows me, knows I love history. There are several events in U.S. history that came about due to migration, exploration, economics or ‘get rich’ adventure.
The first would have been sailing to the new world from “across the great pond”. We all know about the Pilgrims. The next are truly American phenomena.
Everyone who knows me, knows I love history. There are several events in U.S. history that came about due to migration, exploration, economics or ‘get rich’ adventure.
The first would have been sailing to the new world from “across the great pond”. We all know about the Pilgrims. The next are truly American phenomena.
The Great Westward Expansion and Migration took place from 1803-1912, with the peak time being the 1840’s and 1861.
The great movement into the West was truly one of the most interesting periods of this nation’s history. The period of time represents one of the greatest movements of humanity we will ever see in this country and is part of an era we will never see again.
Even before the American colonies won their independence from Britain in the Revolutionary War, settlers were migrating westward into what are now the states of Kentucky and Tennessee, as well as parts of the Ohio Valley and the Deep South.
Westward expansion was greatly aided in the early 19th century by the Louisiana Purchase (1803), which was followed by the Corps of Discovery Expedition aka the Lewis and Clark Expedition; the War of 1812, which secured existing U.S. boundaries effectively ended this era.
The great movement into the West was truly one of the most interesting periods of this nation’s history. The period of time represents one of the greatest movements of humanity we will ever see in this country and is part of an era we will never see again.
Even before the American colonies won their independence from Britain in the Revolutionary War, settlers were migrating westward into what are now the states of Kentucky and Tennessee, as well as parts of the Ohio Valley and the Deep South.
Westward expansion was greatly aided in the early 19th century by the Louisiana Purchase (1803), which was followed by the Corps of Discovery Expedition aka the Lewis and Clark Expedition; the War of 1812, which secured existing U.S. boundaries effectively ended this era.
This is the era of the Pony Express, stagecoach, pioneer wagon trains and cattle drives. These pioneers, cowboys, prospectors, trappers, drivers and riders displayed a heartiness and stamina that to me portrays our “American Spirit” that seems to be the corner stone of our nation’s attitude and gumption.
The cattle drives and wagon trains sparked the formation of “trails” and “roads” for people and supplies to traverse. Along with these two events, the various gold rushes also generated specialized transportation, supply and service “companies”, along with the invention of the Chuck Wagon and spread the “performance” of the cowboy skills of Rodeo.
The Pioneers
When God made man,
He seemed to think it best
To make him in the East,
And let him travel west.
When God made man,
He seemed to think it best
To make him in the East,
And let him travel west.
The Great Westward Movement - Wagon Trains
During the late 18th and most of the 19th centuries, settlers in the US organized a caravan of wagons emigration to the West. The 19th century saw the development of such famous "roads" as the Santa Fe Trail, the Chisholm Trail, the Oregon Trail, the California Trail (which split southwestward from the Oregon Trail), the Mormon Trail, the Smoky Hill Trail, the Old Spanish Trail and the Southern Overland Mail route. These are the roads the wagon trains, stagecoaches, Pony Express riders and cattle drives traversed.
During the late 18th and most of the 19th centuries, settlers in the US organized a caravan of wagons emigration to the West. The 19th century saw the development of such famous "roads" as the Santa Fe Trail, the Chisholm Trail, the Oregon Trail, the California Trail (which split southwestward from the Oregon Trail), the Mormon Trail, the Smoky Hill Trail, the Old Spanish Trail and the Southern Overland Mail route. These are the roads the wagon trains, stagecoaches, Pony Express riders and cattle drives traversed.
Perhaps the most famous wagon trail was the Oregon Trail which had a span of over 2,000 miles. Virtually all trails originated in Independence, Missouri, a gateway to the American West.
The settlers would sell off all non-essential items and pack up everything else that they could, as well as provisions for the trail, loaded the wagon and took off. Remember in the day, people packed in trunks, not boxes. Flat trunks worked best as a bed could be made on top of the trunks at night, although many slept in bedrolls under the wagon.
They used covered wagons either of the smaller, lighter Prairie Schooner or the larger, heavier Conestoga wagon style. The wagon often depended on if this was a family or individual hitting the trail. Larger multi-generation families often had a wagon per adult.
The settlers would sell off all non-essential items and pack up everything else that they could, as well as provisions for the trail, loaded the wagon and took off. Remember in the day, people packed in trunks, not boxes. Flat trunks worked best as a bed could be made on top of the trunks at night, although many slept in bedrolls under the wagon.
They used covered wagons either of the smaller, lighter Prairie Schooner or the larger, heavier Conestoga wagon style. The wagon often depended on if this was a family or individual hitting the trail. Larger multi-generation families often had a wagon per adult.
The draft animals of choice were oxen as they did best on native vegetation found along the trail. A riding or plow horse (or two) as well as a cow were often tied to the wagon and brought along too.
Meeting in early spring at a rendezvous town, perhaps near the Missouri River, the groups would form companies, elect officers, employ guides and collect essential supplies while awaiting favorable weather, usually in May. The guide companies had to be prepared for such challenges as crossing rivers and mountains and meeting various ‘hostiles’.
Meeting in early spring at a rendezvous town, perhaps near the Missouri River, the groups would form companies, elect officers, employ guides and collect essential supplies while awaiting favorable weather, usually in May. The guide companies had to be prepared for such challenges as crossing rivers and mountains and meeting various ‘hostiles’.
The ‘trains’ traveled an average of 20-30 miles per day. Although "wagon train" suggests a line of wagons, when terrain permitted, wagons would often fan out and travel abreast to minimize the amount of dust each wagon encountered.
Once organized and on their way, wagon-train companies tended to follow a fairly fixed daily routine, from 4 am rising, to 7 am leaving. Around 4pm the ‘train’ circled the wagons for the evening encampment. Contrary to popular belief ,this circling was to create a “fence” for the animals for grazing. Evening encampment included cooking and tending to chores while the animals grazed and a little simple recreation before early retirement.
Except for the very young, very old, the sick or the injured, just about everyone else besides the driver walked. Those driving or riding in the wagon or walking alongside them, were directed and protected by a few on horseback.
Once organized and on their way, wagon-train companies tended to follow a fairly fixed daily routine, from 4 am rising, to 7 am leaving. Around 4pm the ‘train’ circled the wagons for the evening encampment. Contrary to popular belief ,this circling was to create a “fence” for the animals for grazing. Evening encampment included cooking and tending to chores while the animals grazed and a little simple recreation before early retirement.
Except for the very young, very old, the sick or the injured, just about everyone else besides the driver walked. Those driving or riding in the wagon or walking alongside them, were directed and protected by a few on horseback.
The Cattle Drive or round-up of the old west
Cattle drives were a major economic activity in the American west, particularly between 1866 and 1886, when 20 million cattle were herded from Texas to railheads in Kansas for shipments to stockyards in Chicago and points east.
Early cattle drives headed west to the California gold fields after 1850, when cattle worth $5 to $10 a head in the southwest U.S. would garner five to 20 times that amount in San Francisco. Most drives to California took five or six months.
Cattle drives were a major economic activity in the American west, particularly between 1866 and 1886, when 20 million cattle were herded from Texas to railheads in Kansas for shipments to stockyards in Chicago and points east.
Early cattle drives headed west to the California gold fields after 1850, when cattle worth $5 to $10 a head in the southwest U.S. would garner five to 20 times that amount in San Francisco. Most drives to California took five or six months.
Cattle ranching virtually halted during the Civil War years, as the frontier retreated. In 1865, there was a great demand for beef on the eastern coast of the US where supplies of cattle were severely depleted from the recently ended Civil War.
Beginning in 1866, however, ranching – and cattle trailing – expanded rapidly. Mostly going to northern and western markets, and later to railroad-loading facilities. In 1866, one cattle drive from Texas had an estimated 260,000 head of cattle crossed the Red River.
Beginning in 1866, however, ranching – and cattle trailing – expanded rapidly. Mostly going to northern and western markets, and later to railroad-loading facilities. In 1866, one cattle drive from Texas had an estimated 260,000 head of cattle crossed the Red River.
The drives were conducted for only about 20 years, becoming unnecessary with the advent of the railroads and refrigeration spread in the late 1880s. However this brief period generated the legends of the American Cowboys and Chuck Wagons, of which many of us enjoy today.
Cattle drives had to strike a balance between speed and the weight of the cattle. While cattle could be driven as far as 25 miles in a single day, they would lose so much weight that they would be hard to sell when they reached the end of the trail. On average, a herd could maintain a healthy weight moving about 15 miles per day. Such a pace meant that it would take as long as two months to travel from a home ranch to a railhead.
Cattle drives had to strike a balance between speed and the weight of the cattle. While cattle could be driven as far as 25 miles in a single day, they would lose so much weight that they would be hard to sell when they reached the end of the trail. On average, a herd could maintain a healthy weight moving about 15 miles per day. Such a pace meant that it would take as long as two months to travel from a home ranch to a railhead.
On average, a single herd of cattle on a long drive (for example, Texas to Kansas railheads) numbered about 3,000 head. To herd the cattle, a crew of at least 10 cowboys was needed, with three horses per cowboy. Cowboys worked in shifts to watch the cattle 24 hours a day, herding them in the proper direction in the daytime and watching them at night to prevent stampedes and deter theft. The crew also included a cook, who drove a chuck wagon, usually pulled by oxen and a horse wrangler to take charge of the ‘remuda’, or spare horses. The wrangler on a cattle drive was often a very young cowboy or one of lower social status, but the cook was a particularly well-respected member of the crew, as not only was he in charge of the food, he was also in charge of medical supplies and had a working knowledge of practical medicine.
Yukon/Klondike Stampeders Gold Rush
The Klondike Gold Rush, also called the Yukon Gold Rush, the Alaska Gold Rush, the Alaska-Yukon Gold Rush and the Last Great Gold Rush, was a migration by an estimated 100,000 prospectors to the Klondike region of the Yukon in north-western Canada between 1896 and 1899.
The Klondike Gold Rush, also called the Yukon Gold Rush, the Alaska Gold Rush, the Alaska-Yukon Gold Rush and the Last Great Gold Rush, was a migration by an estimated 100,000 prospectors to the Klondike region of the Yukon in north-western Canada between 1896 and 1899.
To reach the gold fields most took the route through the ports of Dyea and Skagway in Southeast Alaska. Here, the ‘Klondikers’ could follow either the Chilkoot or the White Pass trails to the Yukon River and sail down to the Klondike.
Each prospector was required to bring a year's supply of food by the Canadian authorities in order to prevent starvation. In all, their equipment and provisions weighed close to a ton, which for most had to be carried in stages by themselves. Many men and animals perished along the trail to the gold fields.
What does all of this have to do with preparedness and procuring the various goods, knowledge and skills to go with it? Plenty!
The tenacity, perseverance, fortitude, will and courage these people needed for this era in American history is now needed by anyone who wants to be self-reliant, independent or prepared beyond first aid kits and insurance policies.
If you think the list of goods, knowledge and skills in the following weeks are too much, read on to see what supplies these people had to bring along on their journey to a new and unsettled area. Then stop and think about the few measly things in a basic preparedness list.
Read on and take a gander at these pioneer supply lists!
The next post will start our procurement schedule.
TNT
The tenacity, perseverance, fortitude, will and courage these people needed for this era in American history is now needed by anyone who wants to be self-reliant, independent or prepared beyond first aid kits and insurance policies.
If you think the list of goods, knowledge and skills in the following weeks are too much, read on to see what supplies these people had to bring along on their journey to a new and unsettled area. Then stop and think about the few measly things in a basic preparedness list.
Read on and take a gander at these pioneer supply lists!
The next post will start our procurement schedule.
TNT
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