Oregon Trail Reenactment
By Unknown or not provided (U.S. National Archives and Records Administration) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
This week we are moving west! Or the young United States is, at least. Take a look at these resources to reinforce all we are learning about Manifest Destiny, the Oregon Trail, and westward expansion (including the legendary Daniel Boone):
VIDEOS:
Daniel Boone’s Wilderness Road – A 3-minute overview by the Smithsonian Channel, of the story of Daniel Boone and how he opened up the west:
Daniel Boone Homestead – This documentary about the life of Daniel Boone is just under 10 minutes:
Daniel Boone (1960) – Check out this fun vintage cartoon about the famous frontiersman:
American The Story of Us, Episode 3: Westward – Here’s another installment of this 12-hour History Channel documentary about the building of America. This episode focuses on westward expansion:
Westward Expansion – The Settlers – This is a 2-minute excerpt from a longer documentary called “The Gateway Arch: A Reflection of America.” This clip addresses the reasons people went west, and the role of the settlers:
Oregon Trail – Learn About Pioneer Life – Here’s a 6 minute overview of the Oregon Trail, Manifest Destiny, and westward expansion:
The American West 03 – Wagon Trails to the West – The story of a teen girl and her family crossing the Plains by wagon on the 2000 mile journey west:
This is part of a larger series about the American West. The other vides in this series can be found here.
The Covered Wagon – A look at the most important item pioneers had with them: their wagon:
Mexican American War, Part 1 – This is a History Channel documentary about a controversial conflict that resulted from America’s push to extend its borders west. You can find the other parts on YouTube as well:
The Ballad of Davy Crockett Lyrics:
Rent Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier from Amazon, or check the library system for the DVD.
Ken Burns’ The West – This series, about America’s drive to expand westward, is available to stream for free with Amazon Prime.
Daniel Boone TV Series – It looks like 3 seasons of the 1960s TV series can be found on this YouTube channel, with the oldest (season 1) starting at the bottom of the page.
Daniel Boone, Trail Blazer – This 1956 movie is available on Amazon Prime.
WEBSITES:
The Oregon Trail Interactive Map
Oregon Trail Kids Activities – Connect the Dots, Word Search, Scavenger Hunt, Bingo cards, and coloring pages.
Westward Expansion crossword puzzle
Oregon Trail Tour – Read about the journey west and answer questions in the Westward Expansion Interactive Scavenger Hunt and the Oregon Trail Interactive Scavenger Hunt.
At Home on the Fringes of the Prairie – Explore early Illinois and meet the people who lived there.
Building a Sod House – Read about Life in a Sod House on the open prairie, and then play the game!
US Land Acquisitions Interactive Map – Click on a region to learn how and when it became a part of the United States.
America Between the Revolutionary and Civil Wars – Try this map activity.
Westward Expansion Primary Sources – from the Library of Congress
Oregon Trail App – I don’t know much about this one, but apparently there is an educational simulation game for smart phones and tablets all about the Oregon Trail. Common Sense Media gives it an age rating of 9+.
US-Mexican War – A PBS site dedicated to this war.
