Download This Sample
This sample is exclusively for KidsKonnect members!
To download this worksheet, click the button below to signup for free (it only takes a minute) and you'll be brought right back to this page to start the download!
Sign Me Up
Table of Contents
The pioneers were the first people to settle in the frontiers of North America. Many of the pioneers were farmers. Others moved west, wanting to establish a business. There were doctors, blacksmiths, ministers, shop owners, lawyers, veterinarians, and many others. They went to Oregon, Texas, and other areas of the frontier for the land. This land was available for homesteading, and much of it was free or very cheap. The farmland was rich and fertile.
See the fact file below for more information on the pioneers or alternatively, you can download our 20-page Pioneer worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
REASONS FOR THE WESTWARD MOVEMENT
- Pioneers began making the 2,000-mile journey to take advantage of the United States government’s offer to homestead the land. The trail started in Independence, Missouri and went past Chimney Rock, Nebraska.
- Some went to the frontier in order to prospect for gold, others to hunt and trade fur pelts. Many were looking for adventure or just the possibility of improving their lives.
- Like many American and European immigrants, such a movement was for political freedom and economic opportunities.
LIFE OF PIONEERS
- People left their families and friends, and many knew it would a long time, if ever, before they saw them again. The trip was a long, hard, and dangerous one. The trail was wooded and rocky. Raging rivers had to be crossed.
- All of this was done with horses, oxen or mules pulling all of their earthly belongings and supplies in a covered wagon. The Native Americans were also a threat. They were angry these new settlers were moving onto tribal lands.
- In the 1840s, the most famous trail that was used by the pioneers was the Oregon Trail. England and America were racing to settle Oregon because the two countries had decided the first one to settle it would own it.
- From Nebraska, Pioneers crossed the southwest tip of Wyoming and into the southern part of Idaho. The trail ended up in the northwest corner of Oregon. The entire trip took them six months. The other famous trail was the Natchez Trace. Pioneers used this trail to travel to the frontiers of Mississippi, Arkansas, Texas, and Louisiana. The Natchez Trace ran from Nashville, Tennessee to Natchez, Mississippi.
- Before leaving their homes, the pioneers had to acquire money for their trip. They either had to save the money, borrow it, or sell whatever land and possessions they had. Some worked their way across the country.
- The safest way for the pioneers to travel was with a wagon train. They would pack their most treasured belongings, furniture, and what they needed for the journey into a covered wagon. The wealthiest people brought two wagons with them, which allowed one to act as a moving van and the other as a camper.
- Wagonmasters led the train, cowboys rode along and helped the wagons as they crossed tough terrain and rivers. Scouts rode ahead to see what challenges they would be facing.
- Many did not make it to their final destination. Disease caused a big problem, as well as accidents and raids by Native Americans. All along the trails that these wagons traveled, grave markers could be found to show where those who lost their lives had been buried.
- The weather offered many challenges too. The pioneers moving west planned their journeys, so they were not traveling in winter. The snow and cold were challenging for the pioneers to deal with.
The pioneers would take with them as many supplies as possible. They took cornmeal, bacon, eggs, potatoes, rice, beans, yeast, dried fruit, crackers, dried meat, and a large barrel of water that was tied to the side of the wagon. If the pioneers could take a cow, they would. The cow was used for milk and meat if they ran out of food. - By the time many of the pioneers reached their final destination, they had many stories to tell. Very few made it all the way without losing or leaving personal belongings along the trail. One of the first things the Pioneers did when they got to their new homes was purchase land. An acre of land cost about $2.00. Today that seems like a fantastic deal, but to these pioneers, it was a lot of money.
- Once they moved onto their lands, they had to clear the land to plant their crops. Many didn’t have time to build their homes, so they lived in a lean-to, tents, or their wagons. The pioneers tried to purchase land by a river or stream because the water was so important to their daily life. If they weren’t near water, they had to dig a well. If a group of pioneers lived close to one another, they would often build a small fort to protect themselves from attacks by Native Americans and outlaws.
Pioneers Worksheets
This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about pioneers across 20 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Pioneer worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the pioneers who were the first people to settle in the frontiers of North America. Many of the pioneers were farmers. Others moved west, wanting to establish a business. There were doctors, blacksmiths, ministers, shop owners, lawyers, veterinarians, and many others. They went to Oregon, Texas, and other areas of the frontier for the land. This land was available for homesteading, and much of it was free or very cheap. The farmland was rich and fertile.
Complete List Of Included Worksheets
- Pioneers Facts
- Trail Mapping
- Pioneer Packs
- Wagon Train
- The Native Americans
- Pioneer 101
- Pioneer in Letters
- Pioneer Vocab
- Famous American Pioneers
- Cause and Effect
- Migration: Then and Today
Link/cite this page
If you reference any of the content on this page on your own website, please use the code below to cite this page as the original source.
Link will appear as Pioneer Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, August 23, 2019
Use With Any Curriculum
These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.