A pioneer family took six months to cross the country. Today, your family could drive the same distance in about four days — or fly it in five hours!
But some things about journeys have not changed. Pioneers packed carefully, and so do you. Pioneers got bored and asked, "Are we there yet?" Kids today ask the very same question! Pioneers sang songs around the campfire; families today sing along in the car.
It is also important to remember that Native Americans already lived on the lands the pioneers crossed. Moving west changed their lives forever, and many were forced to leave their homes. Every journey in history has more than one side to its story.
1. How long did pioneers take to cross the country? How about a car today?
2. Name one thing about journeys that has NOT changed.
3. Who already lived on the lands pioneers crossed?
4. How did moving west change Native American lives?
Write THEN if it describes pioneer travel, or NOW if it describes travel today.
| Description | THEN or NOW |
|---|---|
| The trip takes six months. | |
| You fly across the country in five hours. | |
| Oxen pull your covered wagon. | |
| You stop at gas stations for snacks. | |
| You cook dinner over a campfire every night. | |
| You listen to music with headphones. |
Think about a trip your family has taken — long or short. Interview a grown-up who was there and fill in the table together.
| Question | Our answer |
|---|---|
| Where did we go? | |
| How did we travel? | |
| How long did it take? | |
| What did we pack that mattered most? | |
| What is our favorite memory from the trip? |
1. How would your last family trip have been different in a covered wagon?
2. Why is it important to remember the Native American side of the story?
Write T for true or F for false in each circle.
| I learned... | Circle one |
|---|---|
| How travel then compares to travel now | YES / NOT YET |
| The Native American side of the story | YES / NOT YET |
| About my own family's journeys | YES / NOT YET |