Westward Expansion: Pioneers of the Frontier
These sites focus on the American westward expansion during the 1800s. Includes information about the men, women, and children who came west. Learn about Kit Carson, Marcus and Narcissa Whitman, Daniel Boone, and more. Read about reasons immigrants came to America. There is a Missouri Heritage video about Westward expansion. Also included is an eThemes resource on Mormon pioneers and hardships faced by pioneers.
Grades
- 4,
- 5,
- 6,
- 7
Links
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PBS: New Perspectives on the West
Choose from the sidebar or scroll through the list of biographies. Read about Stephen Austin, Buffalo Bill, Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, and many more.
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Photographs of the American West 1861-1912
This is an extensive archive of old photographs organized by categories of people. Scroll down until you read the descriptions and click on the link to see the photo.
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America's Story: Western Expansion and Reform
This site includes excerpts from a goldminer's letter.
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Pioneer Multimedia
Watch these short videos about pioneers. See what the journey was like on the Mormon Pioneer Trail.
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Cybraryman's Educational Web Sites: Westward Expansion
This "online catalog" includes many links to resources about Westward Expansion including a few interactive animations. NOTE: Some of the links on this site link to Wikipedia articles and sites which include ads.
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Westward Expansion Activity Worksheets
This printable PDF file includes discussion questions, illustrations, and activities for students on the United States' Westward Expansion.
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Legends of America: Missouri Legends: St. Louis: Gateway to the West
Learn about the early history of St. Louis: The Gateway to the West. Click on the "Next" link near the bottom of the page to learn about the city's later history. NOTE: This site links to social networking sites.
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PBS: A Day in the Life
Take this test and learn more about the life of a pioneer girl. At the end of the quiz, choose to learn about another girl or boy's life in the 1800s.
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Life as a Pioneer: Traveling West
Read the "Journal of William Buxton" to learn what it was like to travel on the frontier of Iowa.
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PBS :Kit Carson
Read a biography of Christopher "Kit" Carson, a fur trapper from Missouri.
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PBS: Marcus and Narcissa Whitman
PBS biography of the Whitmans, some of the first white settlers of the American West.
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Amusements: Toys
This is an article from the "Sons of the Utah Pioneers" about the toys pioneer children had. There is also an article about "Games and Activities."
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Memoirs of Travel: A Missouri Family
Read a memoir about traveling from Saline County, Missouri, to San Jose, California, in 1852.
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Immigration
This site has information on the potato famine and the resulting immigration to America.
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OzarksWatch
Read about why German immigrants came to the Ozarks.
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History of Arrow Rock
Read about the salt licks and the Santa Fe Trail.
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Enchanted Learning: Daniel Boone
Read about American pioneer, soldier, and explorer Daniel Boone.
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eThemes Resource: Westward Expansion: Mormon Pioneer Trail
These sites are about the Mormon Pioneer Trail. Included is information about why the pioneers traveled west, the conditions of the trail, and how long the journeys took. Resources include journals kept by the pioneers, interactive maps, and lesson plans.
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eThemes Resource: Westward Expansion: Hardships
These sites are about the various hardships the pioneers faced as they traveled to the West. The types of problems include the weather, accidents while on the trail, and diseases. Read personal narratives and stories.
Education Standards
- UT
- MO
