Expanding Westward
By Ani Walterscheid
Pioneers in the westward expansion
To be an American pioneer in the Westward Expansion, you have to be able to hunt, and be very smart. They would have to hunt to be able to eat and survive. Being smart and having common sense was also very important to make it to the Wild West. Without these qualities, the pioneers wouldn't have survived during the almost impossible trek west. This trip was also referred to Manifest Destiny, or the belief that America was destined to extend all the way to the Pacific Ocean.
Hunting
Pioneers in the Westward expansion had to be able to hunt, or else they might starve. Hunting provides good and nutritious food that helps provide energy to those who need it. Also, with the ability to hunt and capture animals, they could teach others how to do it so they wouldn't starve either. It wasn't too hard to go hunting because there was sometimes a lot of game. ¨He not only killed the great bison, but often brought home on his shoulder the timid antelope that had fallen at his unerring aim, and that are not often shot by ordinary marksmen¨ (On the Plains in 1884, The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History). This proves that the pioneers would have to have the skill of hunting or else they wouldn't get as much game to survive. Hunting would also sometimes be easy because of the different kinds of animals to hunt. For example there was antelope and buffalo. ¨He shot a buffalo and was preparing to butcher it...¨. (Captain Lewis Goes Exploring). Clearly you would need to be able to hunt to survive during the Westward Expansion.
Having the brains
During the Westward Expansion, not only did the pioneers have to be able to hunt, but they had to be smart and make good decisions. For example, if someone fell out of the wagon and under the wheel, breaking their leg, someone would have to know how to fix it up and heal it. It wouldn't be very good if there wasn't a surgeon around, because the injuries can be very bad. ¨'My dear child, your leg is broken all to pieces!'¨ (On the Plains in 1884, The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History). It would be very smart to hire a doctor or surgeon for these kinds of accidents, which did happen often. Also, having common sense can spare lives. For example, if someone drinks water from a stream that someone else threw their waste into, that person drinking the water could get cholera and die if not treated right away. So it would only be common sense not to throw waste into a river, for someone downstream might be drinking that water. People without common sense would cause lots of trouble for others. ¨They endured... accidents, and the ravages of cholera¨ (Pioneers West Hardships). Therefore, the pioneers in the westward movement had to have common sense, or else that person, or other pioneers, would suffer the dangers that come upon them.
To Conclude
As you can see, Westward Expansion was hard and a very challenging trip. To be an American as a pioneer traveling to the west, you had to be able to hunt and be smart with common sense. Traveling far without the ability to hunt was sometimes the line between life and death. And no common sense would get you in a lot of trouble with other pioneers. Traveling can be easy and it can be hard, but to get through it, you have to know how to handle it like a pioneer in the Westward Expansion.
Schoolhouse Rock - Elbow Room
Works Cited
Na. ¨Hardships¨. Pioneers West. np, nd. Web. 12/15/15.
<www.pioneerswest.com/hardships.html>
“On the Plains in 1844.” The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. 2013. Web. <www.gilderlehrman.org>
“Lewis and Clark Journal Entries.” Brain Waves Instruction. 2014. Web. <www.brainwavesinstruction.blogspot.com>