Week 22 of 28 • Page 4 Name ______________________________________ WEEK 22 Early Westward Expansion and Explorers ACROSS DOWN 1. crazy; insane 1. people who traveled 3. the power to deal with around the Rocky hardship, pain and Mountains looking for stress over time furs 5. trapper and explorer 2. weapon with a long who was part of blade that is sharp on the Lewis and Clark both edges expedition: John ____ 4. a wide gap in the Wind 6. to fi nd and mark new River Range of the trails Rocky Mountains 8. a person who works for 7. someone who makes someone in order to hats learn a job 9. meeting where men traded furs, bought supplies and relaxed Fur on the Frontier Packing Up “Alana, on this week’s trip Possible Supplies Well, the Corps of newspaper ad caught the eye of men Discovery had returned such as Jedediah Smith and Jim Bridger back in time, we learned that beaver traps canteen fi shing tackle mountain men traveled over from its journey of who formed a group called “Ashley’s extra blankets cooking utensils change of clothes exploring the Louisiana Hundred.” This group of brave men large areas setting their traps extra moccasins (shoes) coffee Bible and harvesting furs, as well canned food candles map Purchase. It didn’t take long for wanted to make their fortunes out West. as exploring and mapping the guitar dried meat extra horseshoes some creative businessmen to Jedediah Smith rediscovered South land.” hatchet tobacco bait for beaver traps see the chance to make money Pass and explorers in the area soon “That’s right, Jackson. I gun fl int and steel salt in the West. One of these men began using this shorter route to noticed that most mountain men powder horn (for starting fi res) journal and pencil was John Jacob Astor. He set cross the Rocky Mountains. rode on horseback or used pack (gunpowder container) bedroll (sleeping bag) heavy boots up the American Fur Company Early on, fur trappers mules to carry their supplies. bowie knife lantern in 1808 and sent the fi rst fur- earned the nickname Since they had to carry most of bullet pouch tent trading expedition to the West. “mountain men” because their gear with them, they could Items I will bring How they will help me Hats made from beaver fur they traveled through only bring those things they were very popular at this time, the Rocky Mountains really needed. Jackson, what if 1. ___________________________ _________________________________________ and beaver pelts (skins) were searching for fur. William you had been a mountain man? worth a lot of money. Astor’s Henry Ashley began What supplies would you have 2. ___________________________ _________________________________________ men built Fort Astoria at the holding yearly gatherings brought with you when you mouth of the Columbia River. for the mountain men 3. ___________________________ _________________________________________ traveled?” These men were the fi rst to to meet and do business. “That’s a good question, 4. ___________________________ _________________________________________ discover South Pass. This gap At these meetings, called Alana. Let me see …” in the Wind River Range of rendezvous, trappers met to 5. __________________________ _________________________________________ the Rocky Mountains allowed sell their furs and buy supplies. From the list provided, travelers to cross the The mountain men looked forward choose the 10 most important 6. ___________________________ _________________________________________ Continental Divide to these rendezvous because it gave items that YOU would take with with ease. The them a chance to meet with old friends, you if you were a mountain 7. ___________________________ _________________________________________ discovery of show off their skills and tell a few tall man (or woman) heading out to 8. ___________________________ _________________________________________ South Pass Ashley and a business tales. check your traps. Next to each partner organized the item you choose, explain why opened the way The men who traveled west as fur trappers 9. ___________________________ _________________________________________ for future settlement Rocky Mountain Fur often became mountain men, explorers, you chose that item and how it Company and put will help you on your journey. of the area. However, for years many fur trailblazers and guides. They explored the 10. _________________________ _________________________________________ traders did not know the location of South an advertisement in the newspaper calling new land for those who would come later. Pass. for “enterprising young men … to ascend These men also mapped the area, recording William Henry Ashley was another the river Missouri to its source, there to be information that would help future settlers Think and Review businessman who sent fur trappers out West. employed for one, two or three years.” This succeed in the harsh new land. 1. Why did most of the early explorers and mountain men choose to go Teachers: Your FREE to the West? Studies Weekly online 2. Why did Jedediah Smith wear his hair long over his ears? 3. What did Jim Bridger believe he had discovered when he tasted the subscription is waiting Great Salt Lake? for you at: 4. How was John C. Fremont different from other explorers? Wilma Pearl Mankiller (1945-2010) 5. Why did John Colter fi nally return to Missouri? studiesweekly.com/register 6. Which explorer served as a guide to John C. Fremont? Principal Chief of the Cherokee Indian Nation 7. Which mountain man rediscovered South Pass and brought back Photo courtesy Phil Konstantin important information about this trail? What do you think of when you Dutch and Irish descent. During the then elected principal chief in 1985. 8. Besides being an explorer, what else was John Wesley Powell known hear “American Indian Chief”? In late 1970s, Wilma started working for Chief Mankiller held this offi ce for as? movies, a chief is often an older the Cherokee as a tribal planner. She 10 years, during which she continued 9. Why did everyone want a knife like Jim Bowie’s? man in a very large headdress. Well, developed helpful programs for her to work to help her nation. Her You are on your way to a 10. Why did beaver-hat makers sometimes go mad? movies don’t always represent real people, focusing on women’s rights, achievements were so important that mountain man rendezvous when, life. Did you know that Wilma health care, education and starting she received the Presidential Medal out of nowhere, a giant grizzly Did You Know? Mankiller was the fi rst female tribal businesses. of Freedom in 1998. According to bear starts coming toward you. “Jackson, if mountain men traveled so much, how did they carry all their principal chief of the Cherokee Wilma was inspired by the President Barack Obama, this medal furs and supplies with them?” What do you do? Do you run? Hide? Defend yourself? Nation? memories of how members of her honors people who have lived, “… “Good question, Alana. Mountain men stored their supplies and furs in a Using correct spelling and punctuation, describe what Wilma looked like anybody’s nation always depended on one extraordinary lives that have inspired happens next. hole called a cache. They dug a hole in a place where water couldn’t get to it and where animals and thieves wouldn’t notice it. A mountain man then fi lled it mom or grandma. She was born in another for support and survival. us, enriched our culture, and made with items he wanted to store and covered it with animal skins, soil and leaves.” Oklahoma and was of Cherokee, She became deputy chief and was our country and world a better place.” and 1808. Many believe he was the fi rst white man to Week 22 of 28 • Page 3 John Colter see Jackson Hole and Yellowstone Lake. He described John Colter was a member of the Lewis and Clark SA the hot, boiling mud and erupting geysers he saw, but pile of logs in a river. It took him 11 days to walk the U expedition. On the way back to St. Louis, Colter asked few people believed him. William Clark, however, 200 miles back to Fort Raymond, near what is now for permission to leave the group and become a fur Mountain Men, Explorers added the information to his own personal maps. Bighorn, Montana. When he arrived, he collapsed and trapper. Colter spent the next few years trapping and Blackfeet Indians captured Colter in the fall of was nearly dead from hunger and exhaustion. The exploring in what is now the Yellowstone Park area. 1808. The Indians took his clothes and forced him to Blackfeet Indians chased Colter until he returned and Guides—Oh My! Carrying a 30-pound pack on his back, Colter traveled run for his life. He ran for miles, fi nally hiding under a to Missouri in 1809. over 500 miles during the winter of 1807 “Jackson, what happened to the Louisiana Purchase later followed. after Lewis and Clark fi nished exploring it?” In 1826, Smith led a group of trappers across the Great “That’s a good question, Alana. It took some time Basin. They went from Great Salt Lake to the Colorado before settlers started heading west. After all, there weren’t River and California. He became the fi rst American to any roads yet, or even any real trails. Before Americans enter California from the east by land. could safely go west, many brave mountain men, explorers During one of his journeys, a grizzly bear attacked and guides had to fi nd new routes, draw detailed maps and Smith. The bear broke several of Smith’s ribs, ripped off an explore the new frontier.” eyebrow, mangled one ear and shredded his scalp. Smith “Who were some of these men, Jackson?” wore his hair over his ears after this to try to hide his scars.