4-5.5

It Is Essential For Students To Know:

• Students should be able to interpret a map to show their understanding of patterns of migration to the West. This indicator will need to be addressed before teaching about the Oregon Treaty and the Mexican War (4-5.3).
• The Santa Fe Trail was a trail between Independence, Missouri and Santa Fe, Mexico that was used for sixty years to carry merchandise to and from the southwest.
• At first, trade improved relations between Mexico and the United States. However, this trade encouraged American settlers to move west and to want the lands held by Mexico.
• The Oregon Trail ran between Independence, Missouri and the northwest corner of Oregon. It was a two thousand mile overland trail that took many immigrants, pioneers, explorers, missionaries, and fur traders to the northwest and other places across the country during westward expansion. Once they arrived, they wanted to be part of the United States. This resulted in the Oregon Treaty.
• Even after the Mexican War and the Oregon Treaty added these lands to the United States, settlers continued to move along them to the west.
• Settlers passed through Indian lands and contributed to the growing tensions between settlers and Native Americans.

It Is Not Essential For Students To Know:

• It is not essential for students to know other trails that branched off from these trails.
• They do not need to remember specific families that traveled these trails.