Westward Movement Page
American History Sources for Students:
The Westward Movement
Archiving the American West - superior selections of primary and other sources
The Adventures of Col. Daniel Boone ... - This is the 1784 autobiography.
Daniel Boone Here is a sixteen picture annotated slide show.
Life and Adventures of Wilburn Waters about life in southwestern Virginia published in 1878
The Louisiana Purchase This is the text.
The History of the Northwest Coast Explorers and events are here.
Welcome to the West This great PBS site presents excellent and comprehensive information.
Lewis and Clark Journals primary source in 28 chapters recounts the trip
Lewis and Clark: National Geographic As always, the magazine does a great job!
Lewis and Clark a nineteen part record including many sidelights of the journey
Exploring the West from Monticello: Home - another set of Lewis and Clark Links
Lewis and Clark in North Dakota - fantastic selection of material
Lewis and Clark - Idaho - good material provided by Idaho public television
Lewis and Clark in the Rockies - learn about this epic journey, July 1805
Journey of the Corps of Discovery - fine PBS companion about Lewis and Clark
Minnesota Explorers and the Rockies -Learn about Pike and Long.
Early American Trails This is a brief description of the major ones.
Mountain Men and the Fur Trade - information about the first white people to go west
Diaries, Narratives, and Letters - first person account from the trappers and others
River of the West - The Story of Joe Meeks and his years as a mountain man in 21 chapters
Links to Mountain Men of the West - great link list
The Museum of Westward Expansion - take the full tour
The Oregon Trail - good primer
Fantastic Facts - interesting information that is probably not in your test book
The Oregon Trail About the trail and those who traveled it.
N.Wyeth's Journal - Follow along to Oregon in 1832.
Pioneer Diaries and Emigrant Biographies - there is a new one each month
Old Settlers - primary sources from 1859 in Indiana
Emigrant Biographies and Diaries - great primary source reading
Across the Plains in '64 - many chapters make this a most complete account
Outfitting for the Trail - What was needed?
Oregon Trail Illustrations - done by the masters: Frederick Remington, N.C. Wyeth and Thomas Hart Benton
Food Along the Trail - some interesting insights
The Barlow Road Excellent source
The Applegate Trail Southern route of the Oregon Trail
Kansas Historic Trails - diverse and interesting materials
Across the Plains in '64 - transcribed diary
Notes Among the Indians -varying accounts from the 1860's
Diaries, Memoirs and Letters Along The Trails West - links to excellent resources
Trail Stories many from which to choose and learn
Trail Graves life was harsh
The Emigrants get personal information on some who traveled the trails
Distressing News about the Donner party from the Museum of the City of San Francisco
The Overland Trail Journal of An American Emigrant and His Family the 1863 journal of George Hamrick
The Interactive Santa Fe Trail - many sources
Orphan Trains of Kansas - This is the story of the 5000 - 6000 children who were sent.
Black Cowboys and Pioneers - links to many interesting resources
Riding the Overland Stage, 1861 - This is Mark Twain's account.
Adventures of Wells Fargo - great first hand stories
Charlie Parkhurst - He was really a women in disguise
The Overland Traveler - the 1849 complete guide
The Concord Coach - used on the Overland Trail
Along the Chisholm Trail b - it is almost like being on the cattle drive
Perspectives on the American West - a great source from PBS
Sketches of Wisconsin Pioneer Women - great primary source insights
The Mormon Trail - excellent information about life on the trail
Women on the Mormon Trail - life was difficult
Journals, diaries, biographies and Autobiographies from the Mormon Trail
Brigham Young - journal entries
Donner Party - narratives about the frightening experience
Source Material about the Donner Party - great depth
Across the Plains in the Donner Party a primary resource about the tragedy
New Light on the Donner Party - attempts to remove fiction and misconceptions
The Spanish Missions of California - Learn where, why, and how they affected life in the area.
Gold Rush History - comprehensive links and great art
The Gold Rush - excellent resources from PBS
The Discovery of Gold by Gen. John A Sutter - great primary source material from the Museum of the City of San Francisco
Art of the Gold Rush - fantastic collection from the Oakland Museum
Tales from the Mines - learn much about the times
Letters from the Miners great primary source insights
California as I saw It - Great first person accounts on many topics
Ghosts of the Goldrush Varied and interesting accounts are shared.
Gold Rush Fascinating accounts should not be missed.
The Gold Rush This is another good site from PBS.
California as I saw It Great first person accounts on many topics
California as I Saw It: 1849 - 1900 - from the Library of Congress
Chinese Goldrush This was the time of the huge migration to the US.
Vigilantes of Montana - lynched 22 in 1864
Women of the Klondike - They were there.
Klondike Weekly - celebrates the gold rush and its characters
Quest for the Klondike - great photos of Ashael Curtis included
Women of the West Museum - a great virtual museum
The American West -comprehensive and excellent site listings
There was a Tale - great oral histories
People of Color On the Western Frontier - super information
Buffalo Soldiers on the Western Frontier - Here is the story of Sheridan's 9th cavalry.
Massacre at Wounded Knee - the account of Philip Wells
OLD WEST KANSAS - well organized links to the past in Kansas
Emigrant Life in Kansas - great online book
Texas, Texans, and the Alamo Pictures and background information are featured.
The Alamo - detailed information
The Alamo: Five Hours that changed History - details the events leading to and following the famous Texan stand in 1836
Pony Express Home Station Learn about the rides, the history, and the routes.
The Austin Colony - excellent early Texas history
The History of Railroads and Maps - great information from the Library of Congress
Historical Maps See the expansion of the west in period maps.
Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum Photographs, engravings, maps, and documents illustrating the history of the first transcontinental railroad
Photograph Archives, Univ. Utah - interesting to see things as they were
Photographs of the American West - great glimpses into the past
Photographs of the American West - from the National Archives
Western Graphics - bars, backgrounds, animations, and links
Old West Page -clip art and more
Wild West - ezine shortened version of the magazine
Free clipart Samples - well done
