266 - The Oregon Trail

The Oregon Trail was 2,100 plus mile journey from Independence, Missouri all the way to Oregon City, Oregon. And along this trail and its offshoots, between 1841 and 1869, somewhere between 250,000 and 500,000 travelers headed West, motivated by the philosophy of Manifest Destiny and the hope for economic prosperity. The Homestead Act and the Monroe Doctrine also fueled  US westward expansion. The journey to get oneself a 160 acre homestead was not for the faint of heart. Somewhere between 1 in 10 and 1 in 20 settlers died along the trail, some from accidents and violent clashes with other settlers or local tribes, and many died from diseases like cholera. Those who made it truly connected the United States from sea to shining sea, and solidified the nation as a new global power. Lot of yip, yip, yaw in today's Suck! Hope you enjoy the journey. 

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