The Pony Express Lesson

The Pony Express Lesson

The Pony Express

• Only way to travel in the early 1800s was on horses or wagon trains

• Sending letters could take anywhere from three weeks to two months

• Mail service needed improvement as the country grew

• In 1860, a group of people had an idea so they set up the Pony Express

Multiple Choice

It could take anywhere from 3 weeks to two months to send a letter

• True

• False

The Pony Express Continued

• The Pony Express was a mail system that carried letters between St. Joseph, Missouri and Sacramento, California

• Young men carried mail bags on horseback for 75-100 miles

• Riders changed horses every 10 miles at relay stations

Multiple Choice

What was the route of the Pony Express?

• St. Louis, Missouri to Los Angeles, California

• St. Joseph, Missouri to Sacramento, California

Multiple Choice

How far did young men carry mail bags on horseback?

• 40-75 miles

• 10-20 miles

• 75-100 miles

Multiple Choice

How often did riders change horses at relay stations?

• Every 20 miles

• Every 10 miles

• Every 30 miles

The Pony Express Continued

• At the end of their route, riders would wait at their last station for a horse coming the opposite direction

• They would pick up the riders horse and mail bag and head back home

The Pony Express Continued

• The Pony Express improved how people communicated

• Now letters could be sent in only 10 days

• The Pony Express only lasted about 18 months due to new forms of communication being invented

Multiple Choice

What did the Pony Express improve for people?

• How they slept at night

• How they communicated

• Their grades in school

Multiple Choice

How long did it take for letters to be delivered using the Pony Express?

• 20 days

• 30 days

• 10 days

Multiple Choice

How long did the Pony Express last?

• 12 months

• 2 years

• 18 months