People traveling west in the 1800s primarily followed two main trails, the Oregon Trail and the Santa Fe Trail.
The Santa Fe Trail became popular in the 1820s. Traders filled wagons with manufactured goods and headed from Western Missouri to Santa Fe New Mexico. This area was a part of Mexico. There, they would trade goods with Mexicans and bring back gold, silver, and other goods. It took about two months to travel to trail.
Fur traders and trappers created trails that eventually became the Oregon Trail. Missionaries were the first to travel to full trail.
In the 1840s, hundreds of thousands of other settlers followed the trail northwestward the Oregon Territory. They wanted to live in the Oregon territory. The trip took 5 to 6 months.
Travelers on both trails used wagons pulled by Oxen. People walked beside the wagons, which were filled with food and household goods. They traveled in caravans (large groups) so they could defend themselves and help each other.
Still, people died along the trails for many reasons:
Diseases caused by drinking contaminated water
Drowning while crossing rivers
Snow storms, sand storms, rain, and lightning
Overturned wagons crushed travelers
Attacks from an Indian tribes especially along the Santa Fe Trail
Lack of water along the Santa Fe Trail led to starvation or dehydration