Unit 3: Growth and Change

A Day in the Life

A Young Pioneer Settler

Living the life of a pioneer in the 1840s and 1850s was dangerous and difficult. Pioneers had to combat illness, enemies and lack of supplies on their way into the West. There was more hard work in store when they arrived on their new land. A house would be built and crops planted. Every member of the family had his or her own responsibilities. Girls helped their mothers with the cooking and cleaning and boys helped their fathers with the farming and hunting.

Links to the Past

Slates
Some pioneer children who attended school had copy books in which to practice their writing. Those who did not have the money for copy books used slates. Slates were like small chalkboards.

McGuffy Readers
The McGuffy Readers were widely used in 19th century schoolrooms across the West. They were the first series of textbooks to become more difficult with each volume. The readers are still in print today.

Chores
There was always something to be done on a pioneer farm. Men and women tended to their land and homes every day. Their children were expected to help. But, when all the work was finished, they also set time aside for fun.

Log Cabins
The way homes are built in America changes with time and location. Most pioneers who had staked their land in the West built log cabins. Find out how building these cabins a certain way helped pioneers keep track of the direction in which they were heading.