Explore the Wild West!

According to the passage, how were mountain men helpful to explorers and pioneers?

• They trapped small animals for their fur.

• They traded goods with Native Americans.

• They acted as guides, sharing their knowledge of the land with travelers.

• They went ahead of the pioneers, building a safe trail west for those in search of fortune.

What did Jefferson hope Lewis and Clark would do?

• become missionaries

• write a book about prairie dogs

• trade beaver pelts with fur trappers

• discover a water route across the continent

Why did people leave furniture along the Oregon Trail?

• to mark the trail for other travelers

• to make the wagons lighter for the oxen

• because old furniture was considered garbage

• because they wanted to buy new furniture for their new lives

The passage says that scientists still study plant specimens gathered by Lewis and Clark. What is the meaning of specimens as it is used in the passage?

• A) sketches

• B) samples

• C) models

• D) copies

What caused the most pioneer deaths along the trail?

• getting cholera from polluted drinking water

• getting caught in mountain storms

• being crushed by frightened cattle

• leaving too late in the season