PechaKuchaSlideSpeeches24BG

Slide 5: This military site marked a welcome site for us. Our first sign of civilzation in 6 weeks. It was a unique respite from the endless wilderness. Fort Laramie marked that we were 1/3 of the way to Williamette. Here we regrouped and rested. Some gave up and went home, but most of us decided to keep moving.the Post-Traders Store was the only reliable post office, and items could also be purchased here,however it was very costly.

Slide 6 : Scourge of Cholera - There was no cure for this terrible disease. The people would be alive as ever, and the next moment this epidemic would have taken over and spared their lives. If you didn’t die within 12 hours to a day then you were on your way to recovery. Slide 15: Overcrowding- Many of the diseases were caused by the overcrowded trail. There was no where obviously to go to the bathroom, therefore people did what they must right on the trail. Epidemics, pandemics, and many viruses started this way. There was no way of escaping the bacteria from the human waste. This relates back to the topic of the only civilzation in 6 weeks when the pioneers entered Fort Laramie. None of the emigrants could withstand the foul odor, the bacteria, and the sicknesses that lurked among the excretions of the other travelers. Slide 16: Terrible weather and lack of preparation caused people and animals much suffering. The first known example of blessing a sick animal took place at Indian Creek in Van Buren County,an act occasionally done in pioneer days. The death of an animal was a serious loss. Obviously disease was a major issue on the the trip, and survival depended on their will to live. The trail was so littered with this debris, that scavengers from the jumping off towns would collect full wagon loads of flour, bacon--even cast iron stoves.

Slide 17: Only a few miles outside of Independence, nearly all the emigrants realized they had grossly overloaded their wagons. Their only choice--start throwing things out.. Most emigrants loaded them to the brim with food, farm implements and furniture--often over a ton of cargo.