The Topic: Santa Fe Trail Easier - During the 1800s, the Santa Fe Trail took people and goods back and forth between Independence, Missouri and Santa Fe, New Mexico. It took about 8 weeks to travel on the trail. There were many dangers such as storms and attacks from Indians and bandits. When the railroad was built, it replaced the trail in moving goods and supplies west.   Harder - From the 1821 to 1880, the Santa Fe Trail was an important travel route. Along with the Oregon and Chisholm Trails, it is one of the 'big three' trails of United States history. During its sixty years, the Santa Fe Trail was mainly a commercial route. It carried goods and promoted trade between what was first the Southwestern Spanish Provinces, then became independent Mexico, and later was a U.S. territory.   Before 1821, early American explorers and mountain men made the trip to Santa Fe, pronounced san tuh FAY, on horseback with small strings of pack horses. Their route to this Spanish Provincial capital followed a winding path of both Indian and game trails. Under Spanish rule, open trading with the United States was forbidden. However a few goods were smuggled into Santa Fe to be traded secretly.   In 1821, Mexico gained independence from Spain and trade barriers were removed. That same year, William Becknell and four other men traveled from Franklin, Missouri for a distance of 1,203 miles to open trading between the US and Mexico in Santa Fe. In the next twenty years, about 80 wagons and 150 people traveled the trail each year. Suspicion and tension between the United States and Mexico escalated and finally erupted into the Mexican-American War in 1846. The Santa Fe Trail carried soldiers and supplies to New Mexico and beyond. The war ended in 1848 with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.   Santa Fe then became part of US territory. Military forts such as Fort Union, Fort Larned and others were established along the trail to control Indian conflicts and protect travelers. In the 1850's and 1860's, traffic on the Santa Fe Trail burgeoned. The US Civil War again brought increased military operations along the trail and led to the decisive Union victory at Glorieta Pass, New Mexico. By the late 1860's, more than 5,000 wagons traveled the trail each year. Merchants pushed enormous trains of freight wagons loaded with manufactured goods westward. In Santa Fe these were traded for burros, furs, gold, horses, and silver. The 'Old Spanish Trail' was extended westward to connect Santa Fe to Los Angeles. However the completion of the railroad to Santa Fe in 1880 brought a swift abandonment. Today the Santa Fe Trail route still has some 200 miles of visible ruts and traces; witness to the long-gone traffic and commerce.   Interactive Santa Fe Trail from Kansas University http://history.cc.ukans.edu/heritage/research/sft/ and http://raven.cc.ukans.edu/heritage/research/sft/ This comprehensive site provides a history of the trail, information about present-day locations, and lots, lots more. Related Websites: 2) History of Pawnee Rock State Historic Site http://www.kshs.org/places/pawrhist.htm 3) Like a Ribbon across the Prairie . . . http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/nebraska/gpng/santafe_trail.html 4) Santa Fe Trail http://www.ptsi.net/user/museum/santafe.html 5) Santa Fe Trail from Kansas Historic Trails http://www.ukans.edu/heritage/owk/128/trails.html#santa 6) Santa Fe Trail from Kaw Mission State Historic Site (Kansas) http://www.kshs.org/places/kawmission/eurosantafetrail.htm 7) Santa Fe Trail History http://www.ukans.edu/heritage/trails/sfthist.html   Santa Fe National Historic Trail from National Park Service http://www.nps.gov/safe/fnl-sft/webvc/vchome2.htm Start your tour of the historic trail here with a brief interpretative history, maps and photos, and more. Related Websites: 2) National Historic Trails - Santa Fe National Historic Trail from GORP http://www.gorp.com/gorp/resource/us_trail/santafe.htm 3) Prairie Highway - Santa Fe Trail http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/nebraska/gpng/sftrail_prairie_highway.html 4) Santa Fe National Historic Trail Brochure http://www.nps.gov/safe/fnl-sft/broch/newbro.htm 5) Santa Fe Trail http://sangres.com/sftrailmap.htm   Santa Fe Trail Net http://www.nmhu.edu/research/sftrail/ The site of the Santa Fe Trails Association provides a collection of historic documents, maps and photos, plus a few links to other sites. Related Website: 2) Santa Fe Trail Association http://www.santafetrail.org/   Santa Fe Trail Research Site http://www.stjohnks.net/santafetrail/ Here you can find out about the wet and dry routes of the Santa Fe Trail in the state of Kansas. Not-To-Be-Missed Section: 2) Mileage Charts http://www.stjohnks.net/santafetrail/mileagecharts/amileagechartlinks.html    After visiting several of the websites, complete one or more of the following projects.   Send A Santa Fe eCard. Send an eCard to someone telling them three things: (1) something you already knew about the Santa Fe Trail, (2) something you recently learned, and (3) something you would like to learn more about . Go to Santa Fe Trail On-Line eCards to send your message.   Compare/Contrast Santa Fe Trail and Oregon Trail. The two main overland routes in US westward expansion were the Oregon and Santa Fe Trails. Using a spreadsheet or graphics software, detail the ways in which the two trails were alike and different. An alternate activity would be to compare and contrast the Santa Fe Trail to the Chisholm Trail. You can find information about the Chishom Trail at another 42explore project, Old West . Go to 42eXplore's Oregon Trail for lots of online resources about that route.   Complete A Santa Fe Trail WebQuest. Follow or adapt the instructions found at the following webQuest sites: 1) Santa Fe Trail in Kansas WebQuest http://learning.usd383.org/santafe/student.htm 2) Trekking the Santa Fe Trail http://education.nmsu.edu/webquest/wq/sft/sftrail.htm    Write A Santa Fe Trail Journal. Pretend that you are part of a wagon train headed for Santa Fe with a load of goods. Create a journal of your imagined experiences for at least two weeks of the journey. Use the website information to make your entries as historically accurate as possible. You can also include sketches.   What Is The Best Way To Retrace The Santa Fe Trail? Map out your pathway. Plan your rest stops, select your mode of transportation, and calculate what supplies you will need. Estimate how much time your journey will take and itemize your extimated costs. Decide between the northern Mountain Fork or the Cimarron Cutoff. Your goal should be to make the most economical trip possible and still arrive safely, comfortably, and rested.   Websites By Kids For Kids Santa Fe Trail from St. George Elementary http://www.rockcreek.k12.ks.us/sg/broncs/westho/Trisoe.htm This brief student project site provides a map and description of the trail.   More Websites for the Santa Fe Trail Advice to Emmigrants http://learning.usd383.org/santafe/resources/advice.htm This brief site houses an historic document giving advice to travelers. Related Website: 2) American Pioneers: Life on the Trail http://www.selah.k12.wa.us/SOAR/Projects2000/PioneerWeb/trail.html   Bent's Old Fort National Historic Park from National Park Service http://www.nps.gov/beol/home.htm For much of its 16-year history, the fort was the only major permanent white settlement on the Santa Fe Trail between Missouri and the Mexican settlements. Related Website: 2) Photos of Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site http://www.homestead.com/bentsoldfort/index.html   Fort Larned National Historic Site from National Park Service http://www.nps.gov/fols/home.html Fort Larned was established in 1859 as a base of military operations against hostile Indians of the Central Plains, to protect traffic along the Santa Fe Trail and as an agency for the administration of the Central Plains Indians by the Bureau of Indian Affairs under the terms of the Fort Wise Treaty of 1861. Related Website: 2) Virtual Tour of Fort Larned http://www.nps.gov/fols/Virtual_Tour/body_virtual_tour.html   Fort Union National Monument: An Administrative History from National Park Service http://www.nps.gov/foun/adhi/adhi.htm In 1851, Lt. Col. Edwin V. Sumner decided to establish Fort Union at the junction of the two branches of the Santa Fe Trail in order to provide more effective protection for the region. Related Websites: 2) History of Fort Union by T.J. Sperry & H.C. Myers http://raven.cc.ukans.edu/heritage/research/sft/ft-union.htm 3) Santa Fe Trail and Fort Union by D. Sedivy from Highlands Ranch High School, CO http://members.tripod.com/~mr_sedivy/colorado8.html   Santa Fe Trail http://klesinger.com/jbp/sfetrail.html Here is a timeline on the history of the Santa Fe Trail.   Santa Fe Trail Center at Larned, Kansas http://www.larned.net/trailctr/ This is the website of a regional museum telling the story of the geographic area once known as the Santa Fe Trail, a transportation route blended Indian, Spanish, and American cultures.   Santa Fe Trail Map http://www.powerplace.com/sftrail.html Here is a historic map of the Santa Fe Trail. Related Website: 2) Santa Fe Trail (Map-links and more) http://www.titchenal.com/trails/sftrail/index.html   Santa Fe Trail Report http://kuhttp.cc.ukans.edu/carrie/kancoll/books/sftrail/sfmain.html This 1912 report focuses on the correct route of the Santa Fe Trail through Kansas. Related Website: 2) Points of Interest Along the Santa Fe Trail http://www.lasr.net/leisure/kansas/poisft.html   Santa Fe Trail Scenic Byway from Northeast New Mexico http://nenewmexico.com/tours/santafe_trail.html This regional site provides information and history on the Santa Fe Trail.   William Becknell & The Santa Fe Trail from Bicknell Family Home Page http://www.bicknell.net/sftrail.htm Learn about Captain William Becknell, who has been called 'Father of the Santa Fe Trail.' Other Websites for William Becknell: 2) Becknell's Formation of a Trading Company http://www.nmhu.edu/research/sftrail/trade.htm 3) Becknell Letters http://www.xmission.com/~drudy/mtman/html/becknell.html 4) Diary of William Becknell http://www.nmhu.edu/research/sftrail/becknell.htm 5) William Becknell from New Mexico History http://www.cia-g.com/~rockets/dNMhist.wbecknell.htm   Websites For Teachers Americans Move West: The Santa Fe Trail (Grades 6-8) by L. Arnett from Denver Public Schools http://www.denver.k12.co.us/programs/almaproject/pdf/AmericansMoveWest.pdf This is the site of an extensive unit plan on the Santa Fe Trail.   Life Along the Santa Fe Trail (Grades 4-6) by R. DesCombes http://trails.kcmsd.k12.mo.us/Pdfs/LessonPlans/Kcmsd/Descombes.pdf Here is a unit plan for study of Santa Fe Trail. Related Lesson Plan Site: 2) Along the Santa Fe Trail: Marion Russell's Own Story (Grades 4-5) by L. Morrow http://www.cde.state.co.us/action/curric/pdf/sf_trail.pdf 3) Santa Fe Trail from Cobblestone http://www.cobblestonepub.com/pages/compquest199005.html   Santa Fe Trails (Grades 4-8) from Trails Project http://trails.kcmsd.k12.mo.us/sanfepdfs.htm This is the site of a large collection of lesson plans (pdf) for study of the Santa Fe Trail.   Santa Fe Great Plains freight wagon prairie ancient trade route merchant Mexican-American War mountain men oxen Taos horse bullwhacker elk Spanish mission Indian Bent's Fort prairie dog Old Spanish Trail Pecos Pueblo Spainards Raton Pass Oregon Trail 'Uncle Dick' Wootton Pawnee Rock Fort Union commerce Fort Larned 'Manifest Destiny' Arrow Rock Fort Union Old Franklin, Missouri Civil War buffalo Spanish explorer 'Old West' William Becknell Treaty of Guadalupe Hildago wagon train trails and roads Mountain Fork wagon road fur trade Battle of Glorieta Pass Indian trade Apache Comanche Cimarron Cutoff City of Santa Fe        Created by Annette Lamb and Larry Johnson, 5/02.