How many people were in an average wagon train?
How many people were in an average wagon train? Answer and Explanation: A wagon train could contain any number of wagons, although most averaged between ten and thirty families. There were some larger wagon trains that had up to 200 wagons traveling together. Many of these wagon trains had large numbers of sheep or cattle traveling with them as well.
How did people go to the bathroom on wagon trains?
Travelers used grass or leaves or just plain dirt. Bark was also a paper substitute. It wasn't pretty, but no worse than many other realities pioneers faced on the emigrant trail.
How much did it cost to take a wagon train west?
Crossing the continent to settle in Oregon was not a journey for the faint of heart, and neither was it a journey for the poor. It required a minimum of about $500 to outfit for the trip, and this could easily become $1000 or more if an emigrant needed to purchase a wagon and draft animals.
How did people sleep in covered wagons?
The families either camped in the open under the stars or slept on the ground beneath the wagon. The Prairie Schooners had to be packed carefully with the heaviest items at the bottom. Wagons were prone to tipping over because they had a high center of gravity. Conestoga wagons were the riskiest for tipping.
What city was the jumping off point for most wagon trains?
Independence, Missouri, a frontier village of only a few hundred people poised on the edge of American civilization, was the principle jumping-off point for three of the western trails.
How common were Indian attacks on wagon trains?
Surprisingly, considering how many wagons went West, very few faced attacks by the Indians. A well-led and disciplined train was more likely to get through without problems. The opposite was often true for small trains where discipline was lacking.
How many wagons was in the largest wagon train to?
Perhaps the largest wagon train to travel on the Oregon Trail left Missouri in 1843 with over 100 wagons, 1,000 men, women and children, and 5,000 head of oxen and cattle. The train was led by a Methodist missionary named Dr. Elijah White.
How long did it take for a typical wagon train to go west?
The covered wagon made 8 to 20 miles per day depending upon weather, roadway conditions and the health of the travelers. It could take up to six months or longer to reach their destination.