Migrant Journeys to the West (OCR GCSE History B (Schools History Project)): Revision Note

Summary

From the 1830s, people travelled to the West of America because of economic, social and religious factors.

Many settlers were motivated to move westward for land and opportunity. The concept of 'Manifest Destiny' was very important. The white Americans believed that it was their mission to spread Christianity and populate the West. As a result, the US government established policies and schemes to encourage migration.

The desire for religious freedom motivated some groups to migrate to the West. Religious groups like the Mormons sought to create communities where they could practice their beliefs freely. They had faced severe persecution within the USA.

Westward migration had significant consequences for America. It led to the establishment of societies and states for the US government. There were also many negative impacts on the existing Indigenous tribes in these areas. Settlers disrespected tribal boundaries and monopolised resources. This also caused issues with law and order in newly established towns.

Migration to California & Oregon

• In 1837, there was a significant drop in the Eastern and Southern US economy

  • This crash lasted until the mid-1840s

  • The impact of the crash was:

    • Loss of people's savings

    • The closing of multiple banks

    • The failure of businesses

    • An increase in unemployment by 25%

    • A reduction in wages by 40%​

• Poorer and unemployed settlers wanted a chance at a new life

  • They had heard stories of the riches in West America

• Many people were unable to afford to stay in the East of America

Farmland in Oregon, 1830s

• Settlers heard from traders about rich farmland on the West Coast and in Oregon

  • Traders had travelled along the Pacific Coast of America for many years by sea

  • The sea route took a year

    • The route went around South America

• It would have been quicker and less expensive to travel by land

  • The sea route to Oregon cost $300

    • An average farm labourer earned $11 a month

  • Migrants could take all their possessions by wagon if there was a land route

• The Rocky Mountains formed a huge barrier to migrating to the West

  • Travellers needed a way through the mountains to reach Oregon

Why did farmland in Oregon increase western migration?

• Farmers could earn more in Oregon

  • They could grow more crops

  • There was less competition for farmland than in the East of America

• The problems with the economy in the East made Oregon more attractive to settlers

The Oregon Trail

• The Oregon Trail was the only practical land route to the West

  • The South Pass, a key section of the route, was found and advertised by Jedidiah Smith in 1825

  • Fur trappers began to clear this route

• The Oregon Trail became important

  • By 1836, the Oregon Trail was used for the first time with covered wagons

  • By the 1840s, groups as large as 900 people completed the trip

  • By 1869, 400,000 people had used the Oregon Trail to settle in the West

Why did the Oregon Trail increase western migration?

• The Oregon Trail made western migration easier

• Many missionaries took the Oregon Trail

  • They wanted to travel to Oregon to convert Indigenous people to Christianity

• The US government encouraged settlers to use the Oregon Trail

  • In 1841, the government gave $30,000 for an expedition to map and publish the best way to get to Oregon

    • John Fremont led the expedition

    • Many migrants used Fremont's guidebook

    • The guidebook made the route sound exciting and achievable

The belief in "Manifest Destiny"

• "Manifest Destiny" was the belief that it was God's will for white, Christian settlers to control the whole of America

  • The intention was to spread Christianity across the country

  • Euro-American settlers believed they should "civilise" the Indigenous population

Why did "Manifest Destiny" increase western migration?

• The government encouraged the belief in "Manifest Destiny" to increase the number of settlers travelling westward

  • Guidebooks like John Fremont promoted the value of "Manifest Destiny"

• Euro-Americans believed that they had been given a mission by God to travel to the West

  • This made settlers resilient enough to overcome the problems of migration

The Mormon settlement of Utah

Who were the Mormons?

• Mormons are a religious group

• They are a sect of Christianity

• Joseph Smith founded the Mormon Church in 1830

  • Smith stated that the Angel Moroni visited him in 1827

  • Moroni instructed Smith to dig for golden plates and translate them into the Book of Mormon, the third section of the Bible

• The Mormon Church gained followers

  • By 1831, 1,000 people followed the Mormon faith

• The Mormons also angered other Christians

  • The Mormon Church believed in polygamy

  • Other Christians accused Smith of committing blasphemy and lying about his experience

The Murder of Joseph Smith

• The Mormons often moved to avoid persecution

  • The Mormons had travelled from New York and settled in Kirtland and Missouri

  • Smith reached Nauvoo, Illinois, in 1839

• By 1845, the Mormons were no longer welcome in Illinois

  • In 1844, an angry mob murdered Joseph Smith

• The Mormons' new leader, Brigham Young, wanted to find the 'promised land'

  • He believed that God had ordered the Mormons to travel west to the Salt Lake Valley

    • The Salt Lake Valley was not a part of the US

    • Young hoped that the Mormons could settle there without persecution

Reaching Omaha, 1846

• The angry residents of Illinois forced the Mormons to start their migration in February 1846

• Young wanted to begin the journey in the spring because:

  • The grass would have grown to feed their livestock

  • The weather would be warmer

• The first stage of the Mormon migration was slow

  • The weather was bitterly cold

  • Families struggled to make the journey

• The Mormons reached Omaha in June 1846

  • Young decided it was too late to begin the next stage of their migration

  • The Mormons stayed in Omaha until Spring 1847

Reaching the Great Salt Lake, 1847

• In April 1847, Young sent a small group to travel to Salt Lake Valley, 2,000km away

  • Only 150 Mormons were in the group

  • The group had enough food and supplies for a year

    • They also had a portable boat to cross rivers

• The Mormons left the Oregon Trail at South Pass, in the Rocky Mountains

  • The Mormons found a suitable route through the terrain

  • To prepare for future migration, the group:

    • Planted crops

    • Located water supplies

    • Built river crossings

• The group reached the Salt Lake Valley in July 1847

  • A larger group of 1,500 Mormons followed the route and reached Salt Lake Valley in August 1847

• From 1847 to 1869, 70,000 people followed the Mormon Trail to the Salt Lake Valley

Establishing Salt Lake City

• The Salt Lake Valley was a challenging environment in which to establish a settlement

  • The lake held saltwater, so this could not serve as drinking water

  • The land around the lake could not grow crops

• Under Young's strict leadership, the Mormons created Salt Lake City

• The Mormons believed that Brigham Young was God's prophet

  • This meant all Mormons followed Young's instructions, and every person worked together

  • Mormon followers accepted that the Church owned everything

• The Mormons built irrigation systems which transported fresh water from streams

  • This meant the community could grow crops

  • The responsibility to build, maintain and operate the irrigation systems gave Mormons jobs

• Later, the Mormons founded new settlements away from the Salt Lake Valley

  • Resources from these new settlements were sent to Salt Lake City to help provide for the community

• New Mormon settlements had a mix of skilled labourers and a Church leader

  • Each settlement was productive and shared valuable resources

  • The Church leader ensured that all settlers followed Mormon principles

Why was Mormon Migration Successful?

Young's leadership

• Young created manageable groups

  • Each group had:

    • A leader

    • Mixed skills

• Young insisted on strict discipline

  • Everyone had a specific role

  • Arguments were not allowed on the journey

Good planning

• The Mormons formed circles with their wagons, with the livestock within the circle

  • This protected them from attack

• They planned regular resting places

  • This helped keep their oxen healthy

• Young did extensive research on the Salt Lake region