Many years ago people in the United States traveled to the new frontiers.  Although in the 1700s the frontier was the Appalachian Mountains, later with westward expansion the frontier moved to the territories beyond the Mississippi River.  Our web page will provide information about the pioneers who traveled not only to Oregon on the Oregon Trail and the Natchez Trace to Texas but all early American Pioneers.  We have discovered that all pioneers had many of the same experiences.  This page will tell the story of the pioneers and their adventures on the trail to their new lives on the frontiers of North America.

Pioneers were the first people to settle in the frontiers of North America.  Although many of the pioneers were farmers, others were doctors, shopkeepers, blacksmiths, missionaries, lawyers, and so on.  They came from many places in the United States to start their new lives.  The majority of their ancestors came from European countries such as England, Germany, and Scotland.  Before leaving their homes they either saved money for the trip, sold their land and other possessions, or agreed to work for others on the trip.

Although the pioneers traveled to the frontier for many different reasons, they all wanted an opportunity to start new lives.  Many of the pioneers were farmers.  They went to Oregon, Texas, and other areas of the frontier for the inexpensive or even possibly free land. This land was available for homesteading.  They wanted the rich, fertile land for their crops.  Other people came to the frontier because they had heard stories that made the new lands sound like magical places.  Some went to the frontier in order to prospect for gold, to hunt and trade fur pelts, and for many other reasons

(source – written by nine and ten year old students at Floresville Elementary School in south Texas)