HOW WE GOT THERE

AND WHAT HAPPENED WHEN WE DID

OBVIOUSLY OPPORTUNITY WAS THE MAIN REASON PEOPLE WENT WEST.

OPPORTUNITY FOR LANDOPPORTUITY FOR FREEDOMOPPORTUNITY FOR SUCCESSOPPORTUNITY FOR ADVENTUREBUT WHAT MADE THEM AWARE?JUST LIKE TODAY ADVERTISING PLAYED A

PART.

THIS PRIMARY SOURCE ACTIVITY LOOKS AT ADVERTISEMENTS DESIGNED TO GET PEOPLE TO “GO WEST”

HAVE STUDENTS LOOK AT THE FOLLOWING ADS AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS

Californians!Attention!

We shall be in receipt by the firstboats of:

60 pair BlanketsHickory shirting

4/4 heavy Osnaburg*50 Kegs Powder 5 1/4 lbs. each

50 Boxes Tea 6 1/4 lbs. each100 Canisters Rifle powder

60 pair California Bootsalso Trace chains**, log chains,

Pistols, Butcher Knives, and everyother article required for the

outfit; all of which We willSell at the lowest prices.

Feby 20, 1850 E.B. Allen & Co.

Questions: Consider all of the items advertised; what can you assume the journey

west would be like? Which items might be necessary for survival and which had other purposes?

Why would an accurate guidebook be so important to a California emigrant? What information would you expect to find in such a guide?

Think about the law of supply and demand: because we know which items are being supplied by Allen and Co., how do we know what things emigrants may want or need?

Which ad(s) show the potential dangers of the trip to California, and why? Looking at the ad for life insurance, what statement stands out? Why

would insurance be more expensive for these emigrants? Missouri is the "Gateway to the West." What does the ad from A.G. Bragg

tell you about the starting point of the overland journey? Where would a wagon train begin? Were there other ways to get from St.

Louis to Independence or St. Joseph in 1850? What strategies do some of the advertisers use to sell their products? What types of contemporary advertising use this same type of strategy?

An emigrant named Joseph Simmons, a young man seeking his fortune in California, kept a compact journal of his trip.  Later in life, Simons expanded upon the journal, adding details not in the original diary.  Bear in mind that the memoir was written after the trip was completed, and therefore may contain the normal vagaries of memory, however it is still a first hand account of the trip. Read the journal entries and answer the questions

Transcription for June 16-17 EntriesSaturday June 16- Maj. Hart's waggons came up at 10 o'clock this morning, after

which we started and moved eight miles to the Diamond Spring. Here we fall in with another party of California gold seekers, known as Richardson's party, or Company because Doctor Richardson is their leader, or Captain, while they are en route. We agree to travel in company for a while. The stronger we are in numbers the less likely the Indians will be to give us Trouble. Our own party is strong enough to cope with any band of Indians we may chance to meet, should they attack us in daylight, but that is just what they are not going to do. A night attack is what we have reason to fear from them, and that would be made, possibly, for no other purpose but to stampede our stock and get our horses and mules. They would not care for the cattle, more than that it would please them to give us as much trouble as possible. Cattle, when stampeded at night, will sometimes run for miles before they can be stopped. We have 120 head of young Cattle which we are driving along loose and do not want to lose them but could get along without them. It would be very serious matter though, for us to lose our work Cattle beyond recovery. The horses and mules, used as saddle animals by those of the party who are mounted are picketed at night, and if the ropes are as strong as they should be, and the picket pins are driven into the ground securely, the animals can not get away, even when badly frightened as most of them will be by an Indian yell. But if it is possible for the Indians to get close enough to them to cut the ropes, which they sometimes do by crawling a long distance, like snakes through the grass, then the chances are that you lose your animals, for when they get started to running the Indians fall in behind them on their ponies and keep them going.

Sunday June 17.- Moved fifteen miles and camped at the Lost Spring. It might be interesting for us if we could learn just how some of these camping places along the old Santa Fee Trail got their names. This one for instance, "Lost Spring." It is difficult to imagine how a spring of water could ever get lost in an open country like this. We saw a small herd of antelope today, the first we have seen. We are just getting into their range. It is not an easy matter to get a shot at Antelope at close range. They are quick to scent danger and are very fleet of foot. The best way to get a shot at them is to attach a red handkerchief to one end of your ramrod and lying down in the grass hold the handkerchief above your head so that the game can see it distinctly, while they cannot see you. They are curious to find out what the red handkerchief is and their curiosity usually induces them to come up near enough for you to get a good shot at them.

 

Transcription for June 26 EntryTuesday, June 26.- Moved fourteen miles and camped at Pawnee Rock. This rock, which can be seen for a considerable distance along the Trail, rises perpendicularly from the ground on one side and has a very smooth surface. This surface is pretty well covered with the names, cut in the rock, of men who have camped here in times past and among them may be seen the names of some famous mountaineers. There is a good spring here.We have had Buffalo in sight of us nearly all day-immense herds of them all along the way. When we first came in sight of them this morning I had considerable difficulty in holding Roam (my horse) he was so anxious to have a run after them. He had not forgotten his run of four days ago, which he seemed at the time to enjoy immensely, and was anxious to have another. It is very clear that if he had his choice he would chase Buffalo in preference to driving loose cattle along the Trail, as he does a good part of the time. The atmosphere is so very clear on these plains that objects can be seen at a great distance. As we see the Buffalo to-day they are grazing most of the time, not being near enough to the Trail to get frightened at our Train. At one time, however, we came upon some straglers that were grazing quite near the Trail, when they started of on a lope towards the main body of the herd to which they belonged, and starting other straglers as they came up to them it was not long before there was to be seen in the distance an immense herd of moving animals, all seemingly intent upon increasing the distance between themselves and the being who has proven himself in the past to be their greatest enemy, as he continues to be in the present times.  

Transcription for the July 2 Entry of the Simmons Journal

Monday July 2.- Moved twelve miles and camped on the river.-About noon to-day we came in sight of a large band of Indians. They were on the opposite side of The river and when we, in moving on up the river reached a point immediately opposite to them we were not more than seven or eight hundred yards from them and being on somewhat higher ground than they, with nothing to obstruct the view, we could see them very plainly. We stopped the train so as to rest a while, as we frequently do at noon, and we also wanted to find out what the Indians were doing there. After taking a good look at them through a good telescope which the Governor has with him it was decided that there were between three hundred and fifty and four hundred of them. There were no squaws or children with them and as there were rather too many for it to be a hunting party, the inference was that they were on the war path. After a little while we noticed two of them mount their ponies, ride in a gallop towards the river which they forded and came on as hard as they could ride to our train. They knew that they would be in no danger coming to us when there were only two of them. As soon as they were near enough to be heard one of them began to cry out friend! friend! to let us know that they were friendly Indians. When they reached the Train the one in front said he was Little Bear, an Arrapahoe chief. He said their party, which we saw on the other side of the river, were waiting for a waggon train of traders which they were expecting from the States about that time, and they had come there to meet and trade, or barter with them

. Transcription for the July 2 Entry of the Simmons Journal (CONT)

There is no one with us who understands the Indian well enough to talk with him in his own tongue and Little Bear seemed to know but two words of English-friend and swap - but he speaks a little spanish as many of these Indians of the plains do, and as Major Hart speaks the spanish he acted as interpreter. The Major thinks it not improbable that the visit of Little Bear and his companion to our train was for the purpose of seeing how strong our party was so that they could decide whether it would be safe for them to attack us to-night. We are prepared to make a pretty good fight, as they will see if they should attack us. Our party of 32 are all armed with what is known as the Mississippi Rifle, the same kind of gun as that used by the Regiment Commanded by colonel Jefferson Davis in the Mexican war. It is a good arm especially good for horsemen-being quite short in the barrel-not much longer than the carbine which is used by our Cavalry in the regular army, and having a strong leather strap, like the Carbine, it can be carried in the same way when on the march. The gun carries a half ounce ball and will be a good weapon in an Indian fight. Some of the party who were good hunters at home, have also brought along their long barreled rifles, expecting to find them useful in hunting game. In addition to the arms already mentioned each one of our party carries one (some of them two) Colts six shooters. Some of them the army size, and others the navy size Colt, which are carried in the holster that is attached to our belts. The other parties who are with us-(Richardson's, and the smaller parties) are all well armed.

Transcription for the July 15 Entry of the Simmons Journal

Sunday, July 15- Moved twenty-two miles and camped on McKees Creek. This Creek was named for Mr. Robert McKees, who was killed here by Indians several years ago. We are told that he, with on companion (M. Monroe) had ridden on ahead of his waggon Train to this Creek, where they intended the Train to camp that night. It is supposed that he and the companion when they reached the Creek picketed their horses and laid down to rest, and possibly had fallen asleep. At all events when they waggon Train came up they were found lying on the bank of the Creek dead, having been shot full of Indian arrows. Their horses were gone. In those days the Santa Fee Traders were not often molested by Indians and consequently did not think it necessary to keep a very strict watch upon them. We met a small party of men to-day who said they were in the service of the United States Go'vt but in what capacity we did not learn. They were from Santa Fee and on their way back to the States. Angus Boggs, formerly of Jefferson City one of them.

Why did so many people travel to California in 1849 and 1850?  What were they looking for?

Why would anyone care if there were a good spring at Pawnee Rock? (Hint: remember why the journal was kept, on p.1)  Why were landmarks like "Pawnee Rock" so important to settlers traveling west?

What is the best way to hunt antelope, according to Simmons?

Think about Simmons' description of the Indian encounter from July 2nd, and answer the following.  When they first sighted the Indians across the river, what did the people on the wagon train decide to do?  How did the Indians react?  Why?  What could each side have done differently? What might have been the result?

What are the only 2 English words Little Bear knew? Why do you think he knew those words as opposed to any other two words?

Why does Simmons like having such a large party traveling together?

What happened to Mr. McKees and Mr. Monroe? Would this have happened, do you think, if they had been traveling with a group? Why or why not?

What are some other examples in the journal of the group working together?

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