Westward Migration : Why move West? Flashcards
(15 cards)
what were the pull factors for moving West
- Freedom + independence
- Fertile + free farming Land
- Space
- Oregon Trail
- Gold
what were the push factors for moving West
- Collapse of wheat prices
- 1837: economic crisis - banks collapsed, lost savings, businesses failed —> Unemployment
- overpopulation
what led to the economic crisis in 1837 (East)
financial crisis + collapse in price of cotton
how high did unemployment reach in some areas
25%
what was the farming crisis in the Midwest
1837: corn prices collapsed - leacing farmers facing ruin
- overcrowding in this fertile farming region
how was the Oregon Trail important
- only proactive way for migrant to get across the mountains with wagons]- vitally important for settlement in the West
when and who first publicised the Oregon Trail, especially the South Pass in the Rocky Mountains
1825 - Jedidiah Smith
what year did the 1st migrants travel the Oregon trail by wagon and reach their destination
1836
who were the 1st migrants that travelled the Oregon trail
2 married couples:
- Narcissa + Marcus Whitman
- Henry + Eliza Spalding
when was the next group that completed the Oregon trail and when
1840 - Walker family
list the year and number of people that travelled the Oregon Trail after the year 1840
1841 - party of 60
1842 - 100
1843 - 900 (‘Great Emigration’ led by Marcus Whitman)
why did people encourage people to move to Oregon
wanted to establish it is US territory instead of share it with the British
what and when did the US government help migrants get to Orgeon
- 1841: provided $30,000 for an expedition to map the Oregon trail + publish reports
who led this expedition and what did he do
John Fremont - made his reports of the Oregon Trail sounds exciting + achievable
