Pioneer Study Questions

Background Sheet 1

Before heading west, where did the Pioneers first gather?

How many families would a typical wagon train have?
Name three of the important decisions that the wagon master, or captain was responsible for
making.
Who was the most famous trail guide and what was he known for?
About how much did the load that the wagon trains carried weigh? How much would a good wagon
cost?
Name three parts on a wagon.
What was another name for a wagon? Why was it called that?
Name three important food items that the Pioneers packed in their wagons.
Name two kitchen items and two miscellaneous items that the Pioneers thought would be important
to pack before heading west.

Background Sheet 2

As the traditional head of the family, what was Pa in charge of?

Name two jobs that Pa had and the items he needed to be successful.
What was the most important job on the trail? Who was in charge of hunting and what was their
nickname?
Name the 3 types of game that were available early on.
As the Pioneers crossed the plains, what types of game became more available? Give two examples.
Which animal did the Pioneers find was the most valuable to hunt? Why?
Name three of Mas duties on the wagon train.
Name three of the basic food items that were available to cook with on the wagon train.
What are johnnycakes?
Why did the Pioneers drink coffee instead of water?
At what age did the children start helping with the familys survival?
Name two jobs that the younger children had.
Name two jobs that the older children had.

Background Sheet 3

On the open prairie, how did Pioneers know where they were when everything seemed to look the
same?
When the Pioneers reached Chimney Rock, about how far had they traveled from Independence,
Missouri?
What was the name of the rock that was spotted on July 4th and, to this day, has carvings of the name
of the Pioneers who traveled there?
Why was Soda Springs such an exciting place to camp?
How did Steamboat Springs get its name?
What was another name for the Devils Backbone? Why was it so dangerous?
How long was the desert the Pioneers had to cross after the Sink at Humboldt Dike? Why was it so
dangerous?
What was Ice Slough?

Background Sheet 4

Name two difficulties that were caused by the weather the Pioneers encountered on the trail.
Name two types of weather that could even kill the Pioneers.
What would happen when the mud got really high?
How would the children free the wagons when they got stuck in the mud?
Why did the wagon train have to stop traveling when there was dust in the air?
Were there roads and bridges that the Pioneers traveled over?
What did the Pioneers make to comfort their sore feet?
How would the Pioneers fix a wagon wheel that was broken?
What was the water on the trail full of?
What was the most common cause of death on the trail?
Name two common diseases.
What was cholera and what was the cause of it?

Background Sheet 5

How wide could a small stream swell to?

If Pioneers decided to cross the racing rivers, what would they have to do before to get ready?
How did the wagons get across the river and what did they use?
What was one difficulty the Pioneers faced when they faced the ominous and towering mountains?
When did the Donner party set out on the journey west?
How many settlers were in the Donner party?
What did the Donner party choose to do when they reached the Sierra Nevada Mountain due to their
partys late start setting out?
Why was the choice they made a bad one?
What did several of the men from the party decide to do to find help for the dying members of their
party?
What were the remaining members of the party forced to eat?
How were some of the members of the Donner party rescued?

Background Sheet 6

Who were the Pioneers afraid of when they began their journey west? Name one reason why.
Which two tribes were buffalo hunters?
Which two tribes hunted small animals and gathered seeds?
In the far south, what type of Indians lived?
Name the three northwest tribes and their jobs.
Did the Indians show interest in the Pioneers?
What did the Pioneers want from the Indians?
What did the Indians want from the Pioneers?
What were the Indian tribes fearful of?
When the Indians grew hostile, what did they steal from the Pioneers?
When the Indians would get angry at the Pioneers for crossing their land, what would happen?
How did the relationship between the Indians and the Pioneers change by the mid 1850s?
What were the two reasons why their relationship changed?