We are currently studying the homesteaders and moving west. Do you think you have it in you to be a pioneer? Why or why not? Be specific about qualities you need or qualities you would need to overcome in order to be a successful pioneer. Agree or disagree with prior responses. Post for full credit by 1/10/2010.
47 comments:
I have to say, I don't think that I could move out west. I just don't have it in me to be a pioneer. Being from Connecticut, I'm used to the hills, rocks, and New England towns. I couldn't adapt easily to the wide, flat plains with no trees and no organized town settlement. That being said, adaptability is a skill people needed to move out west. They had to be able to take any problem thrown at them and work around it, and they had to be able to adjust quickly. They also needed a reason to move out west, such as discrimination or poverty. This way, the West had a "pull" effects, while their current environment had a "push" effect. There is no such magnetism in my life to move out west. Manifest Destiny won't affect me. Also, anyone that moved out west had to know how to make money. If people were moving out west, they should know how to farm Western soil or be able to set up jobs in the West. Knowledge of farming or jobs is the last skill the people needed before they would be a successful pioneer.
Kevin R.
Class 3
I believe that in order to become a successful pioneer you need to have many qualities. A few of the important ones are, bravery, endurance, charisma, wit, charm, good planning skills. A pioneer needs to be brave in order to face a lot of the danger and blocks in the road. Without bravery you can't cross a river in a wagon. You need to be able to endure the cold, the heat, loss that occurs on the trail, and keeping hope when everyone else has given up. You need to be charismatic if a pioneer is to get along with other people who settle nearby, an able to work out better deals with salesman along the way. You need good planning skills to not only achieve a successful journey, but make decent decisions that will effect the rest of your life. You need wit in order to take what you come across and make it work when in trouble. Like if a wheel is broken on the wagon, a witty and crafty person could fix the wheel with supplies around. Finally, craft is needed to build a home and make a good farm. I would make a decent pioneer, but I'm comfy where I am. I also believe that if I had to face that decision I would only go if I had a tightly knit supportive no matter what family with me. Plus, if you are living in the middle of no where no one but family around, you have to love everyone. I think my family with just one sister wouldn't be enough. I would want at least one more sibling so I could vent my problems if they involved another family member. So in conclusion, I wouldn't leave New England to move to 'free' land unless I had bigger family.
Paige O.
Class 7
Back then, moving out west was a life changing decision. It would require outdoorsman skills and lots of motivation. I think that I'd have the skill to go out and stay alive as a pioneer but like kevin said, it would be much different than life here on the east coast. If I was a farmer, I would have to adapt to a different way of farming because of a difference in terrain and soil. Meanwhile, I would need to think and work intuitively to be successful as a merchant. While I would not have much competition at first, I would probably struggle to keep my store stocked with the product that I carried. Moving west seems like a big game of chance. I'm giving up everything to go out there and there's a possibility that I find success. Those odds don't seem to enticing.
For me, the west would not be enticing enough to leave my life behind and start anew. There would have to be something that made it necessary to leave home. If I was a criminal in that time, or in debt over my head, I might have made the choice to go west to escape my troubles. To sum my point up, I think that I would have the skill to move west, but not the motivation to restart my life on the basis that I might be more successful there.
Patrick B. Class 3.
Like Kevin, I do not believe that I have what it takes to be a pioneer and move out west. One of the qualities that sucessful pioneers need is motivation. With the harsh prairie winters, wind storms, and extremely hot summers, one must execute a lot of will-power and drive in order to survive out west. I do not have this motivation because I love my home in the more populated New Enland region. I am not driven by Manifest Destiny for this reason and therefore I do not have enough motivation to make the effort to survive. Another important quality that female pioneers must have are skills in crafts such as sewing, knitting, cooking, cleaning, and more. I cannot do any of these skills besides cleaning, therefore I would not be able to mend and make clothing for myself and my family. If I cannot cook meals, my family could go hungry. I also agree with Kevin that the environment would be extremely hard to adapt to. A treeless environment lacks shade in hot weather and protection from wind and snow in cold weather. Also, if the trees are far away, I doubt that I could physically manage to gather fire wood and lumber for a house considering the far distances that I would need to travel. Due to my lack of upper body strength, this is yet another ability that I would lack as a potential pioneer. Therefore, for all of the above reasons, if I were to be a pioneer I would probably not survive due to my lack of required skills on the prairie.
It takes a lot of courage and bravery, as Paige mentioned, and you also must know what you're doing. You have to have a set plan, which could be that you will go out west to the spot that you purchases, build a cabin, hunt for food and provide the necessities (food, water, shelter, etc.) for you and your family. This would be a challenge for me because first of all, I'm a vegetarian and it's quite challenging to find wild tofo in the woods. So I would have to buy much of my food from nearby towns, and who knows if I would have enough things (like game) to trade for what i need. Also, as Kevin said, I don't think I have what it takes to be a pioneer. I probably couldn't adapt to that kind of living, and I wouldn't like to be so far away from other people and communities. It would be a very hard life out in the almost-empty West, and I personally don't see the good side. Of course, this is mainly if I lived somewhere where I already had a good life with a job, house, etc. that I wouldn't want to leave.
Another reason is that, as Anna said, women must have certain skills that I do not posses. I'm thinking of careers in design so this would not help me at all when it comes to sewing, cooking or making money without a steady income.
Shannon Barra
period 7
while I do beleive that I would make a good pioneer, I think that what everyone is missing here is that you may not have the skills you would need to survive, but then again, if you lived in the late 1800's these skills were normal. knowing how to hunt or build a fire was as common at that time as knowing how to use a computer is in modern times. that being said, I believe that i would make a good pioneer because I love to work outside, and I love to explore new places. I wouldn't mind spending a day traveling across the prairie to the nearest town for supplies, or doing hard work on a farm. to me, this is almost more appealing than modern life because if its simplicity. the only thing I would miss, I think, would be living in a community.
I agree with Kevin and Anne in saying that I wouldn't have it in me to move out west. I think I would lack the motivation to make such a move and change in life style. Most pioneers at the time knew how to use their skills in order to make a living and at this point in my life, I don't think I have acquired enough labor skills in order to be a successful farmer or craftsman. As a woman I would be able to do the basic sewing, cooking, and cleaning, but I think the trip would be hard and the environment change would be difficult to adjust to. Like Kevin said, I am used to living where there are hills and trees, not flat plains.
I think that qualities needed to become a successful pioneer would be bravery, a strong will, and determination. Based on these qualities I believe that I would need a very strong reason to move out west. Without a strong personal will to move, I would not have the determination or will needed in order to survive such a trip.
I really don't think I would be comfortable moving in general because I have lived in one place my entire life. I think it would be hard for me to move far away from everything that I know and am familiar with. On the other hand, I think that if my family was in desperate need to move, I think I would be able to accomplish anything I set my mind to, including being a pioneer.
Lauren
Period 3
I honestly do not belive that anyone can have it in them to be a pioneer alone, as we saw in the movie, you need a family to have what it takes to be a pioneer. That being said, if I had my family with me I strongly believe that we can be pineers but i'm unsure how much we would like that life style. As Kevin said, because we are from Connecticut we are not used to the wide flat plains with no trees and no organized town settlement.It is hard to determain if my family would make the move, because we are so content where we are now, but everything was much different back then. If my family chose to make the move, I strongly believe we would be able to survive.
I agree with Kevin, I don't think I would be able to move out west and become a successful pioneer. The people who moved out west and became successful pioneers definitely had qualities such as: courage, endurance, optimissim, outgoing, and problem solver. they'd need courage to go and move to unknown territory away from civilization. They need to be outgoing to try new things that you aren't customed to, for example: eating new food if there aren't that many animals out west that you normally eat. They'd need to be optimistic and a good problem solver if they encountered a problem along the way like a wheel or something poped off of their wagon they'd need to be able to fix the problem right there and then without hesitation. And endurance to make the whole trip. It's not that I don't have all of these qualities but I wouldn't feel comfortable in leaving civilization out west where there is no guarantee of a great new home that would be able to support me in becoming a successful pioneer. There just isn't enough info. on the new land discovered out west to make me want to go leave my home.
Ale F Period: 7
Like Kevin said, being from Connecticut we live a completely different lifestyle. My entire life has been spent in the North East where we rely on industries and small towns. I don't even have the proper skills to become a farmer because I would have to learn about the seasons, harvesting and managing animals. I feel like as a pioneer you have to be very confident in the work that you proceed to because it's your income. I have visited both the South and West various times and I could never imagine living their. In the North the people live a very fast paced life which I have become accustomed to. I don't think I could move my entire family out west because if things turned wrong, I would feel really guilty. As a pioneer you have to be very willing to give up everything like your relatives, your house, average day life etc. As a pioneer you have to be willing to take risks. Paige discussed a perfect scenario that I would feel uncomfortable in, crossing a river (frozen or flowing). I would be too paranoid about losing my belongings, the wagon breaking or flipping over. As a pioneer it's vital to be charismatic and good at negotiating. There are many different people that affect my journey out west. If you run out of food you need to know how to negotiate and offer trade to another person. If you encounter Indians you have to be charismatic in order to not disrespect them. Furthermore, as a female pioneer there are many skills that one must have that I don't. You have to be able to sew and cook correct quantities for your family. My family has six people in it so it would not practical for us to move that far away. I have gone on vacations where we all had to fit into a RV, and I honestly don't think we could make it to the west without killing each other first. Manifest Destiny does not affect my decision in any way either. Lastly, a pioneer moving to the west has to be really optimistic no matter what. You have to stay strong and positive for your family. It's important to not dwell on your past life and memories that we once shared back home. We have to be positive towards the unknown future ahead of us.
Meaghan C.
Class 3
I don’t think that I would be able to move out west. Someone who moves out west must be ready for an adventure and a new lifestyle. I don’t think that I would be able to leave everything behind for something that really isn’t definite and a very hard lifestyle. In order to live out west you had to be independent and have your own skills, skills for men such as, farming, building houses and for women, sewing and cooking. In New England at this time you could easily go to the market and buy goods and food, while out west you had to fend for yourself and make everything yourself, something that I don’t think I would be able to do. I think that Kevin makes a really great point, “That being said, adaptability is a skill people needed to move out west.” This is so interesting because someone who eventually moves out west is going to a lifestyle like no other. They must be able to change with the new temperatures, new jobs and what else is thrown their way. Also someone moving out west can’t be someone who plans everything. This is because you can’t predict anything out west, because it is such a new lifestyle. This being said, I don’t think that I would be able to survive out west.
Meghan L
Period 3
Similar to many of my peers, I would not have it in me to be a pioneer and move to the West. I agree with Kevin’s point that both push and pull factors are needed in order for one to make the voyage to the West. This means that there need to be some sort of injustices or unfavorable conditions in my home as well as amazing benefits in the West. Since I have no issues with the life I am currently living and am not lured in by any benefits of the West (since I do not farm), I would have no reason to leave. Also, I agree with Kevin’s point that knowledge of farming is necessary. Since 160 acres of land were given to every family that took the trip, farming would need to be the main source of income. Since farming is not extremely popular in CT and the type of farming in CT varies greatly from the farming of the West, I would not have enough information or experience about farming in order to take the extreme risk and make the trip to the West.
Moreover, I agree with Patrick’s point that outdoorsman skill and determination are needed to make the voyage a success. In addition to “outdoorsman” skills, one would need skills in basically every aspect of life. Although adapting to the outdoor conditions and weather, as Anne stated, would be very hard to do and would thus require these skills, one would also have to have knowledge in health care, cooking, and even sewing. If a member of the family got injured or sick during the trip, one would have to know how to treat the injury or disease. Meals would have to be cooked for the entire trip and repairs would most likely have to be made to clothes. These skills would be vital for a successful voyage.
In summation, I would not be able to make the trip to the West. Although I feel as though I would have the wit and planning skills needed (as mentioned by Paige), I would not have the outdoorsman or other such skills. Also, I would have no real reason to make the trip.
Drew R.
Class 3
Honestly, I think that today there are very few people who could move out west and be a pioneer. Times are so different, and the things we learned and the lifestyle you had back then is nothing like how we live today. I basically agree with Dan, for the skills you would know if you lived during that time would help you immensely if you were to move out west. Today, there aren't many people who would have a clue how to crate a life from nothing, out in the prairie with no community around you to support you. However, unlike Dan, I really don't think I could have made the move then or would make a similar lifestyle change today. I am just not a outdoorsy person, and the skills I would need (even as a woman in that time period) I just don't posses. Although it would be exciting, I would have never made the move myself.
Kristin L.
Class 7
I wouldn’t have it in me to be a pioneer and to move out West. I agree with Kevin that I am accustomed to the land and forests of Connecticut. I would not be able to adapt to the open lands and lack of settlements. In order to be a pioneer the skill/trait of adaptation is key for survival and success. To be a pioneer one also has to be able to deal with the “Indians.” I think I would have difficulties with communicating and not upsetting them. Another difficulty is what Meghan said, a pioneer needs to be able to leave everything behind including your home, family, and friends. My family is too settled in this area so it would be too hard for me to leave them. A pioneer also needs to know how to farm and survive because supplies are limited in the West. I would not make this journey.
Adam M.
Class 7
I agree with Janis that family is a necessary component in keeping motivation and a pioneer spirit. I also agree with Kevin that people would need to learn how to change themselves in order to embrace the new life out in the West.
I couldn't handle life in the west because I'm not used to open spaces and lots of land. I don't think I have it in me to go hunting everyday for food, like Charles does in "The Little House on the Prairie." I'm very inexperienced in farming and cooking, and I couldn't travel long distances every day.
Being a pioneer would mean moving a lot, and providing for your family. It would also require financial skills, and I'm not ready for that because I don't know what will happen in the future. I'm not sure how much food, land, and shelter I would need and I believe a proper house would much better suit me than a log cabin.
Andy H.
Class 7
If it came down to it, I do not think that I would have been able to make it as a pioneer. I think that one of the hardest things about moving out west would be adapting. As Kevin said we are used to things such as hills and rocks, and also trees. Getting used to the wide open plains of the west would be very difficult.
In New England there is no scarcity of trees while in the west you will not be able to find as many. This fact might make building a house much more difficult in the west because every time you needed logs you would need to travel to get them, while in a place like Connecticut they are right outside your house.
Another thing that would be hard to deal with would be the lack of people. Out on the prairie there might not be anyone around for miles leaving you with just your family or maybe even nobody. This would lead to extreme loneliness. Also there might not be any towns close by so not only would you not be near any people or civilization. In the movie Little House on the Prairie we saw how it might take a week just to go to town and back, and also how life without things such as a church or school could greatly affect a person.
The final thing that I think would be hard to deal with would be the Native Americans in the west. You might not be able to tell if they were hostile because of you taking their land, and if they were friendly then you might offend them and that could spark hostilities.
So, in conclusion, I do not believe that I would be able to survive as a pioneer because of the many adaptions I would have to make, and the hardships that I would have to endure.
Matt H.
Period 7
I think that I do have it in me to be a pioneer, for several reasons. Many people have agreed with Kevin, who said that he doesn’t think he could be a pioneer because he is used to life on the east coast in Connecticut. In particular, Kevin said that he is used to the landscape and the organization (or relative lack thereof) of New England, while others (such as Meaghan) said that being a pioneer would necessitate leaving behind almost everything in your current life. Another reason that people used to support their arguments is that they do not really have much of an impetus to leave Connecticut. I would agree with these people in part, but I think that I would be a pioneer because of the opportunity it would afford me. It would be a chance to start anew, to be (literally and figuratively) a trailblazer, to help shape a land that was relatively untouched by the (white) human hand. I would relish the opportunity to move west because of its wide-openness—there would be no societal pressures and I would be able to live almost completely of my own accord. With that said, I think that if I were 16 when the Homestead Act was enacted, I would wait a few years to take advantage of it in order to mature more fully and maybe find someone to take along with me so I would have something of a foundation for my new life out there.
The traits that a successful pioneer would possess that people have already enumerated include bravery, being able to survive in the outdoors, and determination, along with some knowledge of farming. I think that I would add general problem solving skills and a logical thought process to this because countless problems would arise both on the journey out to the homesteads and once there, and there would not be many people around to help out. I feel as if I am determined and would be able to will myself out there even if placed in a daunting circumstance, and I also feel that I would be able to prepare myself for life out in the West if I waited a few years to move out. If anyone else could do it, why not me? I feel as if I possess the traits—such as determination, problem solving skills, being calm even in the face of danger and being comfortable in the great outdoors—that would lay a solid foundation for life on the trail/on a homestead, and I think I would have liked to take advantage of the Homestead Act had I lived in that time period.
Brian R.
Class 3
I believe I have it in me to become a pioneer because In order to survive during those times many people would need to move out west to grow crops and raise cattle for food and money. I have it in me because I have actually lived out west in the state of Colorado. Everywhere you went you can see farms, crops, and cattle. In order to raise cattle, you only need to really give them hay and water. In order to raise crops you need a little more experience with the land. Most of the land out in Colorado is very dried out and difficult to farm on but it is possible to cultivate corn if you rotate your crops and not keep growing them in the same place. Although I do agree with Kevin that transferring from Connecticut to out west is difficult but I think it is easier then he thinks to adapt there. After all, I moved out there from New York.
Kelsey P Per.3
Contrary to what most of my peers have said, I do think that I would have what it takes, logistically speaking, to become a successful pioneer.
To be a succesful pioneer, one had to be hard working and relentless individual, and I believe that I demonstrate those attributes. As a pioneer, one would have to toil long hours to plow land, gather building materials, etc. All of these jobs were difficult and strenuous; however, there is a sense of accomplishment that accompanies completing a difficult task. For example, when I finish an arduous fitness session for soccer the endorphins that the strain release in me sets forth a wave of euphoria, a feeling of immeasurable pride and happiness.
Furthermore, I posess the relentlessness that is necessary to be a successful pioneer. As a pioneer, one had to face thieves, poor crop harvests, etc. If a person was not relentless and had poor resolve and will power, they would become discouraged after one setback. No pioneer was lucky enough to have everything go according to plan with no setbacks; therefore, every successful pioneer faced setbacks and overcame them. I have the ability to overcome hardships and bounce back from failure.
Patrick and Kevin brought up the point that there would be many aspects that a person moving from the Northeast would have to adjust to if they were to move out west. I think that as an American, I posses the inherent ability to adapt to new situations. After all, if the colonists hadn't adapted to living conditions when they first settled in America, they would not have survived or prospered. Likewise, I would be able to adjust, and perhaps become a successful pioneer.
I think that I would have it in me to move out West. As a woman living back then I would have the necessary skills to move with my family considering I had to cook and sew. I have two men and two women in my family who are all in very good health and who are all adults, so our journey would be easier than that of families with small children. I think that i would also be really excited to move out west. My curiosity would definitely get the best of me and i love the idea of moving away to somewhere unknown and starting over. My family members are not lazy, we are good negotiators, and when we want to get something done, we do it. I think all of these qualities make for good pioneers. It wouldn't be easy but if we thought it was time to start a new life and take advantage of the homestead act, we would be very successful. Unlike my fellow classmates, I guess I'm not as content with my life in connecticut which would make me a perfect candidate to explore the west.
leah b period3
I think to be a pioneer and move out west not only do you need skills, you have to want it more than anything. If you don't want it bad enough then you might not have the drive to finish the trip and to settle a life for yourself and your family. That being said, I think moving out west would be possible for me. If I was out of options in Connecticut and I needed to start a new life, I would be able to do what was best for my family. I would bring people with me that would be able to build each other up if one of us were having doubts. Like Patrick said, skills are incredibly important in a venture like this. I would be lacking in skills, but if I had someone with me who had the skills, I could learn quickly and be able to help support my family. Kevin said that adaptability is a necessary skill for someone moving out west and I couldn't agree more. Since the west is slightly different than our terrain, being able to deal with curve balls being thrown at you is key.
Sarah Z.
period 3
I don't know if I have what it takes to be a pioneer. This is because i have never been put in a scenerio that would determine if I could be a good pioneer. A good pioneer must be comfortable about taking chances. When you move west you don't know what to expect or if you will be sucessful period. It all depends on chance. Also you have to have important skills, like hunting, in order to trade and feed a family, you must be able to build your own home, and thats certaintly not easy, and you have to be able to tend to your land. Skills like that aren't really needed in Newtown so I doubt I would be a good pioneer and im generally not a risk taker either.
Audra Sarna
Class 7
When it comes to being a pioneer, I think I would be able to, like Janis said, with my family by my side. I have been to 3 different schools and lived in 2 different countries in the last 8 years, so I've learned adapt to different situations and life styles. Unlike what Kevin said, I like the change in scenery every now and then. I think that seeing different places gives you a feel for the vast contrast in the world. Especially when it comes to moving west. It had its qualities that were totally different and even life-altering in comparison to New England. Some found promise in that, others didn't.
It is a personal journey, it is about how much of a risk-taker you are. And it also depends on what you want for yourself and your family. If you like an adventure, a challenge then this journey would be for you.
I believe that i would be able to be a pioneer in the west. As Brian said, we live on the east coast, we experience the hot summers and the freezing cold winters. I think that it takes a good amount of outdoor skills as Drew stated, in the summer i work on 2 farms, where i do anything from building fencing for the livestock to building sheds for the tools. On the other farm i have long experience with bailing hay, and moving cows from field to field. I also have a long time experience with camping outdoors in the summer, at night you may hear coyotes, or footsteps, and you may experience different weather conditions. In addition Page stated that you must have certain qualities to overcome the hardships that may come during the trip to the west. I believe i have the most important qualities, bravery, trust, and love for the outdoors. Ultimately i think i would be an acceptable pioneer, that could still learn many things about the outdoors, especially scavenging skills.
To a certain extent I would have taken the risk and moved out west. I would have enjoyed moving out west and becoming a cowboy or cattle driver. I like the concept of moving around from place to place not knowing where you're going to be next. Not having family responsibilities tie you down and just to have a sense of freedom and adventure. Although, it would not have been fun for me to build a home out west and become a farmer. That would have become very repetitive and not being able to interact with individuals outside your immediate family might have annoyed me.
Douglas Brodbeck
Class 7
I honestly would not have been able to move west. In the movie little house on the prairie it shows just open space, hills, and just land that goes on forever. which is great. but what comes with it is a journey full of hardships. Life there is tough, building your own and fending for your self. Being from connecticut, it would have been even more difficult because i would be used to more people around cause the state has been around for a while. And the fact Connecticut is different in terrain would make it even more difficult to move out to the west and start out a whole new life.
ricky grasso
period 7
I agree with the Patrick and Kevin in that some of the most important skills a pioneer needs to have are outdoorsman skills and adaptibility. Outdoorsman skills are incredibly important for a pioneer because, put simply, they are going to be living in the wildnerness, the open plains, when they move west. Furthermore, one must be able to adapt to any situation, be it a broken wagon, an encounter with Natives, or quite simply the move west.
With all that said, I do not think that I could be a pioneer ( or rather I wouldn't want to be one) because, while I probably could adapt to the move west and the situations involved with the move, I lack the outdoorsman skills needed to survive. And to go along with that, I don't even know how to farm, which would be vital to survival (most of the people who were pioneers had at least some knowledge about farming)
Colin S.
Class 3
Unlike people like Kevin and Lauren, I don’t have a particular connection to Connecticut and New England. In the time of the pioneers my situation probably wouldn’t exist, because I have already lived “out west” for a good part of my life. That being said, I do believe I have what it takes to be a pioneer.
Off of what Brian mentioned, about being 16 when the homestead act was enacted, I think that being a teenager in the time of the pioneers would be an ideal situation to be in. If I was to travel west with my family, I would have enough youth to embrace the hard work, while still enjoying the thrill of traveling to a new place and the appeal creating my own life. I would also be mature enough to learn from the journey, absorb skills from my parents, and even practice for my future with a family out west by caring for younger siblings.
On the other hand, if my family was opposed to becoming pioneers, I would probably plan on heading west as soon as I was old enough. I have never felt a fondness for Connecticut, and believe the freedom of the pioneer lifestyle would overshadow the negatives. The only negatives I can really think of are the danger, the hard work, skills are required, and leaving your home. Of course I would like to think myself brave, but also, I think danger is exciting, to a point. It is much more exciting than staying home and watching everyone else move west. Like Ishan mentioned, hard work is rewarding. As for the skills, I would probably have, or be able to learn most of them, if I was living in this time period. Leaving ones family is something I am throughly prepared for by modern culture, kids go “off to college” after high school, and for years, I haven’t planned on staying close to home. So, if i decided at age 16 that once I had started a family I was heading west, I could begin planning and learning skills, and of course, dreaming of the freedom of the frontier.
Melissa C. Period 3
Although I agree with Kevin, and realize how different the west would be compared to my home in Connecticut, I feel like if I were to travel with a group and had a plan of what I would do when I get to my plot of land, I would be able to be a successful pioneer. Pioneers need to be able to think on their feet and be independent. Once you're out west, it might be hard to find other people close to your land, so you need to know how to keep yourself alive without the help of others. Most importantly you need a plan, but also know what to do if that plan goes wrong. You also need to be used to manual labor. You're going out their and making what you need. Your house and furniture will be made by yourself, and you will catch and grow your on food. This takes a lot of work, and if you aren't in the condition to do the work, you are going to be successful. You also need to encouraged to do what your doing, because if things start going wrong and you give up, your entire family pays the price. I also agree with Patrick, that moving west is a big chance to take.
Mark A
Class - 3
Personally, I don't believe I could live out west as a pioneer because of the many essential qualities a pioneer must have. Like Paige said, a pioneer needs to be crafty and well prepared. I could not survive as a pioneer because I do not have the experience or skill to fix a wooden part or construct a house from tree logs. A pioneer must have first hand experience in building and constructing houses in order to live safely. I also would not be able to plan properly for the trip because I am used to being able to buy supplies whenever I need them. It would be hard to know what to pack for a trip that could take years to complete. Pioneers also need the ability to survive in different outdoor environments because they are always out in the elements. I agree with Kevin that it would be hard to adapt to the new environment in the west. I would not have the skills to harvest the few resources you can find in a large plain. I would also lack the motivation to travel such distances because I would much rather live in a populated town with buildings and stores than a deserted field with a couple of trees.
In order to be a pioneer you need to have strength, motivation, bravery and skill. You have to know in the back of your mind that this journey is going to involve taking a lot of risks. Also, I think that it would be close to impossible traveling westward alone. As we saw in the movie, Little House On the Prairie, you would need at least two hands to get things done quickly and properly. For example, when building a house it would be hard and very time consuming to get it done alone. Having at least one person with you would also keep you motivated and entertained which was limited even with a family. I do not think I would make a good pioneer because I would be anxious and impatient to get there. I am not easily motivated and although I work hard I wouldn’t have the strength to start my life from scratch. It would be very hard for me to travel with limited resources and knowing that I left my life behind would be hard to cope with. Traveling west would involve a lot of things thrown at you at random times. It comes with so much danger that I wouldn’t find the trip worth it. You have uncontrollable weather, dangerous animals, rapid rivers that must be crossed, limited food, and the loss of hope every time something goes unplanned. In conclusion I agree with majority of the students that say they do not have what it takes to be a pioneer. Like Patrick said, the west would not be alluring enough for me to want to start a new life knowing that I was leaving everything I had behind.
I don't think i have what it takes to be a pioneer. I am too adjusted to my life as it is in the present and anything away from that may possibly be a disaster, to say the least.
Paige stated you need many qualities such endurance to be a pioneer. Endurance and I have never been very well acquainted. I find that after a certain amount of time i seem to want to calm down. This is not the life of a pioneer.
Brian B
Class 7
After being so used to the modern day lifestyle, I don't think i would make for a successful pioneer. The conditions were much different from what i am used to; flat, windy terrain, spending treacherous hours in a rickety wagon, not having clean clothes easily, etc. also, i don't have any skills i would need, like how to wash clothes, cook by the fire, etc. unlike Patrick said, i don't think i have the skill to make it, but i also differ because defending on my situation back home, i may have what it takes to survive the trip. and if i thoroughly thought the trip was worth it, (having enough money to prosper in the new environment) and everyone i knew was going including my family, i would probably suck it up and go.
I do not believe that I would be able to move out west as a pioneer. Being a guy from a city-like area I need to be around people in order to live a comfortable life and, as we saw in "Little House on the Prairie" they had very few people around and had to find other forms of entertainment and activity to keep them in at least a slight frame of sanity. It would also be difficult to deal with hunting and Indians coming and stealing food and other items and, being a male, having the role as a protector of the family
Justin D
Per. 7
I agree a lot with what Melissa said. If I were to be a pioneer, being a teenager would be great age to be one. One thing I really enjoy but don't get to do enough of is travel and I think that seeing so much new land, even though it would be hard work, would be exciting and tempting. I believe this is one of the main reasons that so many people did move west. They valued the idea of expansion, travel, and change.
However, one thing that I don't know if I would be able to put up with would be traveling in the winter. I hate the cold in this day and age. If I had to face long winters in nothing but a covered wagon being pulled by a horse, I don't know how much fun I would really be having.
The idea of moving west is invigorating and interesting and there are many aspects on both sides of the argument that make it difficult to decide whether or not I would want to move west. I think in the long run it would be worth it and I would have it in me to be a pioneer, I would just do a lot of complaining along the way.
Unlike many of the others, I think that I would have it in me to be a pioneer. Even though it would be a very daunting task, and it would be very stressful and tight at times, I think it would pay off in the end, when I had a very simple and easygoing life on the prairie. In order to be a successful pioneer, you definitely would need wilderness survival qualities, carpentry qualities, farming qualities, hunting and trapping qualities, etc. You would have to be capable of building a new house out where supplies are more scarce and you would have to be able to keep your family fed until you could harvest your own crops. I agree with Kevin, that one needed several push and pull factors in order to want to go through with moving out west, because if you weren't determined enough, it would be much tougher to accomplish. I also agree with Shannon, that it would take a lot of courage and bravery to be able to leave everything you have ever worked for in life, and risk your life by going out west. In conclusion, I think I would have it in me to be a pioneer, even if I didn't have every quality that was needed, it would be a learning experience for me.
Andrew M
Period 7
To be a pioneer one would have to be strong minded and truly willing to do what lay ahead of them, being aware of everything that could happen and everything that would change, and still be willing to take the chance. If someone's mentality was like this, they would probably have a good chance at succeeding. The biggest element it seems in being a pioneer is just being tough and able to endure the hardships of travelling to a secluded area, relying completely on your own strength to build shelter, to hunt, and ultimately keep yourself alive. Intelligence is neccesary in knowing and understanding how to deal with all of the adverse conditions a pioneer would be faced with. Personally, I think I would be able to move out west, however I would not. The idea of moving out into seclusion to own land, farm and support yourself sounds great, and is easily possible, but at the end of the day your in the middle of nowhere. Not to mention the fact that thousands of others are doing the same thing as you, leaving the farming market very limited. It would be a challenge for someone who would see it as worth it.
Clark G
class 7
Overall, I do not think I would be able to make the move out west. Like as Jenna shared, I feel that I would miss my family and that in itself would be a hard task to overcome. Being around family is a security I could not live without. I feel that it would quickly get lonely and I would need others around me other than my immediate family and neighbors. I need being in a more city like setting to be comfortable. To live out on the west you need to be an independent person, one who doesn’t need others to help them. But that is not me, I feel I work better with others and do better when I depend on others to help. Also to make that move you need to be very self sufficient, you need to be able to make everything you need for a while until you go to the nearest town. But I do not have that quality so that would be difficult for me to adjust to.
But I also agree with Doug. It would be nice to have the cowboy lifestyle. I think it would be fun and adventurous to move from place to place living off the land and having no rules. Just the thought of having true freedom to do whatever you want surely entices most people. But to do this you need to be a tough person who isn't afraid of much because you are living in a uncivilized area for the most part. But, for kids who get in trouble for breaking rules, the old west would have been the place for them to live.
Brian M.
Class 7
I don't believe that I would have it in me to be a pioneer. Being a pioneer would require too much for me to sacrifice. I would have to go and create a new life for myself. The incredible journey would require extreme motivation to go build a completely new life that would include a lot of isolation from the rest of the world. I just would not be able to make that great a change in my life. The life I already have is great, so why would I throw it away. Also, I don't believe I would have the skills required to make it out in the frontier. You would most likely need to farm in order to live. And even if I could farm, the land out west is much different from land in New England, so you would have to experiment with crops which is risky.
In order to be a pioneer you need to have strength, motivation, bravery and skill. You have to know in the back of your mind that this journey is going to involve taking a lot of risks. Also, I think that it would be close to impossible traveling westward alone. As we saw in the movie, Little House On the Prairie, you would need at least two hands to get things done quickly and properly. For example, when building a house it would be hard and very time consuming to get it done alone. Having at least one person with you would also keep you motivated and entertained which was limited even with a family. I do not think I would make a good pioneer because I would be anxious and impatient to get there. I am not easily motivated and although I work hard I wouldn’t have the strength to start my life from scratch. It would be very hard for me to travel with limited resources and knowing that I left my life behind would be hard to cope with. Traveling west would involve a lot of things thrown at you at random times. It comes with so much danger that I wouldn’t find the trip worth it. You have uncontrollable weather, dangerous animals, rapid rivers that must be crossed, limited food, and the loss of hope every time something goes unplanned. In conclusion I agree with majority of the students that say they do not have what it takes to be a pioneer. Like Patrick said, the west would not be alluring enough for me to want to start a new life knowing that I was leaving everything I had behind.
Emily Teri
Class 7
I could never leave my life in Newtown to move out west and start over. The amount of skill and determination it would take to leave a developed town and all of your friends and family, and move to the unsettled West and build a house and live off the land is unbelievable and is something I don't think I would ever have. To be a pioneer you would have to be so brave and adventurous and willing to risk it all. You would need to endure such extreme and unescapable conditions like the cold, wild animals, hunger, and fatigue. It would be so hard to try to journey all the way over there in only a wagon, and even once you got there, it would still be tough. You're forced to be completely independent, because there aren't really stores or that many people to help you out, so you have to hunt for your own food, chop all your own wood, build your own house, etc. Honestly, I can't see a city life ever being so bad that I would want to subject myself to these conditions, especially when it's so uncertain what will happen to you. If you get hurt or sick, there is no hospital to help you. If you changed your mind, there would be the same long journey back. I think the amount of risk and hardship involved would never be worth it to me, and becoming a pioneer would be too nerve-racking.
Alex Fogelberg
Period 7
I do believe that I would have what it takes to make the move out west. Like Melissa, I also feel no personal connection to Connecticut and like many others who felt that they have what it takes I also believe that the excitement of having to rely completely on one’s own survival skills would be more exciting than frightening. The idea of getting away from here and living it rough with as little as possible and not necessarily being near anyone would be wonderful. Like Dan said, the skills required to move out there were typically know at the time so I wouldn’t be worried about that. I completely agree with Jenna that it’s beautiful out west even though the landscape is completely different that it is here but, like she stated, a change in one’s surroundings is good. Plus, seeing and experiencing different parts of the world would be an adventure in itself that I am totally for. I think being able to live away from a community and its social restraints would be the best thing of all. I think that staying inside the cushioned society we live in would be more frightening for me than risking everything to go and facing what could be out there. So, it may not be having the bravery that would motivate me to move out there but feeling the excitement that living there would bring and getting out of here. Of course it would take a lot of courage and bravery and everything else that was mentioned as well, but that wouldn’t stop me.
Sarah P.
Period 7
On the contrary to what others would choose, i myself would surely have the courage to be a pioneer and move out west. i feel that it would be an amazing experience to endure and a pioneer lifestyle would really sit well with my personality. being that i grew up spending much of my childhood up north in the woods in Vermont, and still to this day live there during the summer and make frequent trips throughout the other seasons, i feel i would already posses many of skills necessary for living such a strenious life on the praire. as Andrew mentioned, some skills necessary range widely from carpentry to hunting to farming and so on; the list appears endless and quite scary, for sure. but, thats all what a pioneer was looking for back in the days when western migration began to take fold. as for what i would need to overcome if i were to migrate towards the west, my largest obsticle would be seprating from my family which is an obsticle many pioneers had to face themselves. the thought of leaving them and posibly never seeing them again or even dieing all together from the harshness of western winters or from whatever other risks i may encounter would likely eat away at my conscious. however, it seems to me that the benefits outweigh the risks and struggles for such a situation and pioneering out west would be my decision.
I believe that moving west would take a lot of effort and time, which a pioneer probably wouldn't have. We would be used to the landstyle of New England. Meaning, here we have trees and hills. If we were to move out west it would be flat wit noe a lot of trees. I used to live in Illinois which is not all the way in the west but it has some of the atmospheres of the west. It is flat with no trees. They would have to adjust extremely quick to get their life back on track. Why not improve your life that you have, instead of moving to the west. You would have to have good planning skills, and know how to fix things in case something like your wagon broke along the journey. In conclusion,I think moving to the west would be too risky.
Being a pioneer would take a lot or hard work and skill. I think that I might be able to do it, just because I've been going on camping trips my whole life. And camping is similar to what the pioneers had to go through. There is very limited supplies to work with. So I think that I just might be able to handle it, but if I was given the chance, I don't think I would. Like Alex said, leaving a well developed town, like Newtown, would be very hard. We already have everything we need right here. Moving out west, where nothing really was, it would be hard to survive. Sure, it's possible, but it would be a struggle, like we saw in Little House on the Prairie.
I do not believe I would be able to be a pioneer and start a new life out west. The travel out there and the start from nothing would be most difficult. As Kevin said the West's climate and geography is much different from what I am used to. It would be a whole different scenery and therefore I would be lacking many of the supplies I already take for granted for example the easy access to wood and good soil for planting. It takes a motivated, brave, and hardworking person to move out West with their family. They need to be motivated enough to travel through the harsh conditions and not give up. THey need to be brave because they don't know exactly what to expect and many of the situations they will face are dangerous. Finally, they need to be hardworking to build a home and gather all the necessary items to live out in this brand new land. If I had the choice, I would not want to go through all of that to live in the West. In my opinion, I think I would be content living in the North and not feel its necessary to move that far to start a new life.
I am not to sure I could move out west and be a pioneer, simply for the fact that I cant leave my home town. To become a pioneer and move out west you need to be very self educated and independent. While I do have those qualities, without support or competitiveness I don’t believe I would be able to get things done. Walking miles just to get food and water would kill me. I would hate having to walk that far every single day to get something so little for my family. Im sure I would also get very lonely after a while with my husband always leaving, and if I had children not getting a break from them. I know that sounds terrible but its true. The husbands were also extremely demanding and I don’t thinki would be able to take that. Although it is for the safety of the family it would be rather hard to sit back and listen to whatever he tells me. Being a pioneer and moving outwest would be difficult. I am used to the high maintence life in Newtown and even Connecticut where people are wealthy and it takes 5 minutes to go out somewhere and eat.
dugan period 7.
Post a Comment