What led Americans to head west in the 1800s? Using an interactive map and journals from those who traveled, pupils explore the stories of those who migrated. In addition, they see how the numbers fluctuated in response to the push-pull factors of westward expansion. 

Concepts

human migration, the american west, mormons, the mormon trail, the oregon trail, the california gold rush, american history, westward expansion, push and pull factors

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• Create a jigsaw activity for scholars to explore, then compare and contrast experiences along the Westward trails
• Develop discussion questions to answer using data in the resource

Classroom Considerations

• Learners must have access to a computer

Pros

• Integration of journals and maps allows individuals to visualize history
• Maps are visually engaging and easy to use

Cons

• Resource neglects the stories of native peoples affected by westward migration

Common Core

RH.9-10.1 RH.9-10.2 RH.9-10.3 RH.9-10.6 RH.9-10.7 RH.9-10.9 RH.9-10.10 RH.11-12.1 RH.11-12.2 RH.11-12.3 RH.11-12.6 RH.11-12.7 RH.11-12.9 RH.11-12.10