1	Women On The Oregon Trail By Maggie
2	Introduction In the 1850s, women had a very important role while traveling The Oregon Trail.
3	Beginning Event When all the people heading west gathered to pack up at Independence, Missouri, they had to bring many things for the trip. They had to bring oxen, a covered wagon, and many more supplies. The wagons could carry two tons of supplies if they were in good shape, but it would be smart to only carry 1600-1800 pounds of supplies. Most women were more reluctant to leave their homes, family and friends, but their husbands and most men were excited and eager to go. In the end the women had to go too!
4	Trail Supplies Pioneers brought many items on the Trail. They needed it to survive the six month journey. Most pioneers brought flour, sugar, bacon, coffee beans, lard, spices, dried fruit, beans, rice, and sometimes pickles. For cooking, pioneers brought iron pots, 1 or 2 kettles, a Dutch oven, a butter churn, and more food for larger families.
5	Daily Jobs Along the trail, women had important jobs. They had to cook, clean, watch and care for children, collect wood and water, unpack at night and repack in the morning. They would do the chores that they did at home. They would mend clothing like at home, but after walking the whole day through the dust and grit and heat. Women were never taught how to tack up a horse or drive a wagon. If women did that, it would be considered unladylike. However, women would herd livestock, drive wagons, yoke oxen, and sometimes be on guard duty. Men did not like to do “women’s work”.
6	Other Women would use clever ways to survive on the trail. They would use the embers from a campfire to slow cook beans for the next day’s breakfast. Another clever thing to do would be to hang a butter churn from the back of a wagon, so on a bumpy road, the butter churn would bounce and make butter for that night’s dinner.
7	Other Women were also very protective of their complexions. They would wear long mitts, sun bonnets and anything else that would help protect their hands and hair. Women would take much pride in baking a cake or a batch of cookies along the trail.
8	Deaths There were many deaths along the trail. Most were caused of sickness and disease. Others were caused by being attacked and harassed by Indians, being crushed by wagons or attacks from wild animals. Some women died of working themselves to death. Women had to care for the ill. Women were more concerned about the risks of the family than men were which made women “the last line of defense against misfortune” ( Women On The Oregon Trail http://www.endoftheoregontrail.org/women.html February 2008)
9	Arrival in Oregon When they arrived in Oregon, many would have turned back if they were in shape to because of the dreary outlook in Oregon, depending the season. It took a while for emigrants to get used to life in Oregon, but when they did, they were quite pleased. The nature in Oregon was very beautiful. After their long journey to Oregon, women needed to weave and sew clothing, cook, farm, and store food for winter. They made mattresses, soap, shoes and candles.
10	Closing Paragraph The emigrants started their new life in the wonderful land of Oregon. They ended their journey in the place they had traveled six months and hundreds of miles to get to.
11	Bibliography Letters From Women on the Oregon Trail February 2008 http://home.sandiego.edu/~lribble/chapter4.html Oregon Trail 101 ( frequently asked Questions February 2008 http://www.endoftheoregontrail.org/faq.html Pelz, Ruth. Women Of The Wild West. Washington: Seattle, 1995 Provisions for the Trail February 2008 http://www.endoftheoregontrail.org/outfit.html Women on the Oregon Trail February 2008 http://www.endoftheoregontrail.org/women.html