Now that you have a better understanding of what it was like to travel on the Oregon Trail, you are ready to become a pioneer yourself. Imagine yourself back in the mid 1800s, having just arrived in beautiful Oregon Territory. You and your family have just completed six long months of traveling 2,000 miles.Using the information you now know about the trip on the Oregon Trail, write a letter to your relatives back in Independence, Missouri, encouraging them to make the journey West. Imagine what you and your family may be feeling now that you are "home." Imagine the mixed emotions you may be feeling...excitement about a new start, and distress over the long and dangerous journey you just completed.
Guidelines for the letter:- Your letter must be a minimum of 2 pages (you may write more) typed and double spaced. You should have correct spelling.
- Choose what relatives you will be writing to (siblings, parents, aunts, uncles, etc.).
- Because you are writing to family members, your letter should be informal. Include emotion--how did you feel during the trip? Include a greeting and a closing.
- Incorporate why your family should come using what you learned in the web site assignments. Give them advice about traveling on the Trail. What happened that was good, what happened that was bad?
- Be creative! Did you have children traveling with you? What are their names? What happened to you and your family on the Trail? How do you feel now that you are "home"? Place yourself in the shoes of a pioneer and demonstrate that you completed the web site assignments and that you understand the Oregon Trail.
- Your letter must include: How you traveled (talk about your wagon and oxen), sites you saw, supplies you took and used, hardships you endured and how you overcame them.
