Product Description

Created by a four-time Emmy-winning filmmaker, "The Oregon Trail" chronicles the great mid-1800s trek across the unsettled American West. One in ten pioneers died along the way; many walked the entire 2,000 miles barefoot; but in the end nearly a half-million Americans followed the ruts west in search of a better life. Rare photos, diary excerpts, and stunning footage tell a fascinating story of tragedy and triumph.

This program received first-place awards from the Broadcast Education Association, the Oregon-California Trails Association, and the prestigious Telly Awards.

The film provides a comprehensive overview of the Oregon Trail, including: Lewis and Clark, the Astorians, the Whitmans, the Great Migration of 1843, reasons behind the journey, life on the trail, and encounters with Native Americans. Plus, the program includes background on all the key sites along the way: Ash Hollow, Chimney Rock, Scotts Bluffs, Ft. Laramie, Independence Rock, South Pass, Ft. Bridger, Ft. Hall, Three-Island Crossing, Whitman Mission, Ft. Vancouver, Oregon City, and many more. Two hours in length--divided into 4 half-hour segments.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #25869 in DVD
• Released on: 2002-09-01
• Formats: Collector's Edition, Color, Full Screen, Original recording remastered, Special Edition, NTSC
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 110 minutes

Amazon.com
Why did a half-million Americans walk from Missouri to Oregon? Were they escaping malaria? Seizing land from the British? Seeking out a better life? Classroom-friendly, The Oregon Trail is an easy-to-digest introduction to this historic route, to those who blazed and followed it, and to its pivotal impact on the shape of North America. Although the two-hour series is inefficiently divided between four separate cassettes, each half-hour program is conveniently divided into short two- to four-minute chapters, each focusing on a specific aspect of the journey, perfect for fourth- to eighth-grade classroom viewing and discussion.

Excerpts from men and women's diaries, archival photos, and reenactments help the viewer feel what life must have been like on the trail, capturing the fear, heartbreak, and breathtaking sights early pioneers experienced. The videos dispel myths of Native American violence, explaining that the Cheyenne and Pawnee people were far more likely to offer assistance or trade with the pioneers than to attack them. The series avoids in-depth discussion of politics or placing the trail in a larger historical context, focusing instead on the elements that will be most interesting to students: Did more pioneers die from gunshot wounds or being run over by wagon wheels? Why were oxen better than horses? Why did kids walk instead of ride in the wagons? For anyone curious about what life was like on the Oregon Trail, this is a great, easy-to-follow introduction. --Tara Chace

Library Journal
"...one doesn't just hear about the Oregon Trail, one actually makes the trip... highly recommended."

Booklist
"...an absorbing journey into American history."

Customer Reviews

Great movie for your classrom
My class was studying about Westward Movement and I thought that this movie was a great resource for it. While Historians comment on the hardships and hazards along the trail, the movie shows stunning pictures of the trail and its famous landmarks. My students enjoyed watching the tapes because it gave them a visual aid to everything they were reading and learning about.

Great dvd to history
I think ths is the best historical dvd Ive ever seen. Lots of video and still of the actual trail and an excellent commentary. I learned so much about the Oregon Trail that I want to travel some of it just to see some of the sights.

Very entertaining
This program is jam-packed with interesting tidbits. A lot of fun for adults and kids. Plus, I learned a lot. Who knew that almost all the children crossed the country barefoot!