Life on the Oregon Trail (Way People Live)

Grade 5-8-A thorough and appealing account of the journey from Missouri to the Pacific Ocean in the mid-1800s. Blackwood covers the pilgrimage from its planning stages through the pioneers' final destinations. Numerous diary excerpts tell of an unmerciful life on the trail where disease caused 9 out of every 10 emigrants' deaths and virtually every family suffered the loss of a child. The text details how the travelers "came to grief" and "what they found to enjoy." Interestingly enough, many of them thought the Indians more of a nuisance than a threat. Blackwood reports on resourceful individuals who created roadside telegraphs by carving and painting messages for fellow travelers on rocks and bones near the trail; one young couple managed to keep their romance a secret from disapproving fathers with this method. Inserts, maps, and black-and-white reproductions effectively augment the narrative. Well organized and extremely informative, this book is well suited for reports.
Laura Glaser, Euless Junior High School, TX
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.