Why Go West?

One of the most common reasons to go west was the homestead act. This act was passed in 1862 giving 160 acres of land to any american including freed slaves. Another reason to go west was the gold rush. The gold rush attracted miners and prospectors west for the gold.

Life in the West

The Pony Express is a great example of life in the west. Since the pioneers did not have the American Postal Service they used the Pony Express to deliver mail. The cowboys and ranchers are also an example of this. Cowboys and ranchers were the riders of the pony express. They also cooperated with each other to develop the Cattle Industry.

Explorers of the West

Lewis and Clark were two of the explorers of the west. The were the two main explorers of the west. They worked together as a team to explore the west. Along the way they met an Indian named Sacajawea. Sacajawea help Lewis and Clark get around the tough obstacles of the western USA.