Featured Article: How the Donner Party Worked
More than 150 years ago, the Donner Party resorted to cannibalism to survive a harsh winter in the California mountains. And we're still fascinated by their story. See more »
pioneer life library
Life on the frontier was difficult and stories such as what happened to the Donner Party help illustrate these hardships. In this section, you can learn about some of the important people and events related to life on the frontier.
Why do we remember the Alamo?
The expression "remember the Alamo" is probably something you heard in school. But do you really know what this rallying war cry means?
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Why was Davy Crockett king of the wild frontier?
Maybe you've sung along with that well-known tune: "Davy, Davy Crockett, king of the wild frontier." But have you ever wondered how he earned that royal title?
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How the Donner Party Worked
More than 150 years ago, the Donner Party resorted to cannibalism to survive a harsh winter in the California mountains. And we're still fascinated by their story.
See more »
Old Railroads
In the early 1800s, the United States witnessed the birth of the railroad industry and along with it, dramatic changes in American society and business. What was life like before and after the railroads?
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Railroad Expansion
The railroad expansion of the 1800s changed America forever. By 1900, the people North America had settled a continent that previous generations had thought would take a thousand years to occupy.
See more »Donner Party
Donner Party, a group of 89 California-bound emigrants who suffered one of the starkest tragedies of the westward movement.
See more »Fur trade
Fur Trade in America. The trapping and killing of animals for their pelts or hides played a major part in the settling of the North American continent.
See more »Gadsden Purchase
Gadsden Purchase, a tract of land bought by the United States from Mexico in 1853 for $10,000,000.
See more »Jacques Laramie
Laramie, Jacques (?–1821?), an American fur trapper. Little is known of Laramie's life.
See more »James Bowie
Bowie, James (1796–1836), a United States frontiersman and soldier. Bowie was born in Logan County, Kentucky.
See more »Jason Lee
Lee, Jason (1803–1845), a United States missionary and western pioneer. He was born near Stanstead, Quebec (then considered part of Vermont).
See more »Jesse Applegate
Applegate, Jesse (1811–1888), a United States pioneer. In 1843, as leader of the cattle column on the first great migration over the Oregon Trail, Applegate herded more than 3,000 head of cattle from Kansas to Oregon.
See more »Jim Bridger
Bridger, James (1804–1881), a United States frontiersman. Bridger was born in Richmond, Virginia, but as a child moved with his family to St.
See more »John C. Fremont
Frmont, John Charles (18131890), a United States explorer, Army officer, railway organizer, and politician.
See more »John Colter
Colter, John (1775?–1813), a United States trapper and explorer. He was born in Virginia.
See more »John McLoughlin
McLoughlin, John (1784–1857), a Canadian-American pioneer and fur trader. As a superintendent of the Hudson's Bay Company, 1824–45, McLoughlin was the real ruler of the sparsely populated American Northwest.
See more »Joseph R. Walker
Walker, Joseph Reddeford (1798–1876), a United States trapper, explorer, and guide.
See more »Kit Carson
Carson, Kit (for Christopher) (1809–1868), a United States trapper, guide, Indian agent, and soldier of the Western frontier.
See more »Manuel Lisa
Lisa, Manuel (1772–1820), an American explorer and fur trader. Lisa was born in New Orleans.
See more »Marcus Whitman
Whitman, Marcus (1802–1847), a United States missionary, physician, and Northwest pioneer.
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