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The Santa Fe Trail for kids: Background History
The Spanish conquered the are they called
"New” Mexico" in
1598. The Spanish were jealous of their lands in the New
World and closely guarded Spanish territory.
Contact with other Europeans was discouraged and the
Spanish prohibited trade with their neighbors to east of
Mexico and effectively closed their lands to foreigners.
The Mexican War of Independence (1810–1821) resulted in
victory for the Mexicans over the Spanish. Mexico
allowed a large population of American people to settle
in Texas and freedom to travel and trade with Mexico.
The departure of the Spanish opened a great gateway to
the West - the Santa Fe Trail.
Importance and
Significance of
the Santa Fe Trail
The importance and significance of the Santa Fe Trail was:
● Trade via
the route brought much needed silver to the United States
● The trail
tied the New Mexican Southwest economically to the rest of the
U.S. and hastened American infiltration of the region
● Use of the
route paved the way for American claims to New Mexico in the
Mexican-American War
Facts about the Santa Fe Trail History for kids
Interesting History Facts about the Santa Fe Trail History are
detailed below. The Santa Fe Trail History is told in a series of
facts providing a simple method of relating the growth of trade
along the 'Santa Fe Trail'. The facts answer the questions of when the
Santa Fe Trail was
opened, its length, types of transport along it and its significance
to the United States of America.
Facts about the
Santa Fe
Trail History for kids
Santa Fe Trail History Fact 1:
The route was
pioneered in 1821 by a trader called William Becknell
(1796–1865). Because the road
began in Santa Fe, it was called the Santa Fe Trail.
Santa Fe Trail History Fact 2:
William Becknell was
the first American trader to do business in Santa Fe
following the departure of the Spanish
Santa Fe Trail History Fact 3:
William Becknell
traveled through the mountains of northeastern New
Mexico that became known as the Santa Fe Trail - he is
called the 'Father of the Sante Fe Trail'
Santa Fe Trail History Fact 4:
The trail stretched
for 900 miles (1,400 km) through a landscape of
prairies, deserts, and mountains.
Santa Fe Trail History Fact 5:
Apart from the
inhospitable terrain it also carried many other dangers
- it was located in a foreign country and Indian
territory
Santa Fe Trail History Fact 6:
The Trail had two
main routes: the Mountain Fork, which went through
Colorado, and the Cimarron Fork, which went through
Kansas
Santa Fe Trail History Fact 7:
The Mountain Fork,
the northern route, went through the Colorado Rockies
which was a difficult passage for wagons
Santa Fe Trail History Fact 8:
The southern Cimarron
Fork shortened the journey by 100 miles but carried the
danger of offering limited water. 75% of people chose
this route.
Santa Fe Trail History Fact 9:
Most goods were
hauled across the "prairie ocean" in wagons that were
driven by either oxen, mules, or horses
Santa Fe Trail History Fact 10:
Wagons traveled in
parallel columns - two abreast in eastern Kansas and
four abreast in the dangerous Indian territory
Santa Fe Trail History Fact 11:
At night the wagons circled to make camp, usually after
crossing a stream
Santa Fe Trail History Fact 12:
Council Grove was the
only trading post between Independence, Missouri and
Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Santa Fe Trail History Fact 13:
The route got its
start in 1821, when an advertisement in the Missouri
Intelligencer by William Becknell, seeking 'men willing
to join and invest in a trading expedition to the west'
Santa Fe Trail History Fact 14:
In 1825 a treaty was
signed between the Osage Indians and the United States
Government obtaining the right of way for a public
highway known as the "Sante Fe Trail."
Santa Fe Trail History Fact 15:
Bent's Fort (Fort
William), fur trade post on the upper Arkansas was
established in 1834
Santa Fe Trail History Fact 16:
Trade goods into
Mexico included cloth, hardware, glass and books. Trade
goods from Mexico into the United States included
Mexican blankets, beaver pelts, wool, mules, and Mexican
silver coins
Santa Fe Trail History Fact 17:
Westward Expansion
was encouraged further by the belief in the
Manifest Destiny of
the US. The number of wagon trains increase, usually
leaving in the early summer to make the 40 - 60 day trip
then returning after a months stay in Santa Fe.
Santa Fe Trail History Fact 18:
In 1848 the
Treaty of Guadalupe
Hidalgo confirmed the cession of New Mexico to
the US
Santa Fe Trail History Fact 19:
The U.S. Army built a
series of forts along the trail to protect wagon trains.
Traffic along the route expanded to include a mail and
stagecoach service.
Santa Fe Trail History Fact 20:
The introduction of
the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad in 1880 made
wagon travel a less attractive option, and the Santa Fe
Trail fell into disuse.
Facts about the
Santa Fe
Trail History for kids
The Santa Fe Trail
for kids
The info about Santa Fe Trail provides interesting facts and
important information about this important event that occured during the presidency of the 5th President of the United States of America.
The Santa Fe Trail
for kids:
Transportation Systems in America
The Santa Fe Trail was just one of the
massive transportation projects undertaken in the 1800's. Another
migration route for early settlers also started in Independence
Missouri, it was called the
Oregon Trail. For
additional facts and information refer to:
The Santa Fe Trail for kids - President James Monroe Video
The article on the
Santa Fe Trail provides an overview of one of the Important
events in his presidential term in office. The following
James Monroe video will
give you additional important facts and dates about the political events experienced by the 5th American President whose presidency spanned from March 4, 1817 to March 4, 1825.
The Santa Fe Trail
●
Interesting Facts about Santa Fe Trail
● William Becknell and
the opening of the route
●
Definition of the Santa Fe Trail
●
Location and map of the Santa Fe Trail
●
Fast, fun, interesting facts on the Mexican War of
Independence
● Why was the route important?
●
James Monroe Presidency and Santa Fe Trail for schools,
homework, kids and children
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