GLOSSARY
 
  

A
ANCESTORS: people from whom you are descended; your relatives.

AXLE: a pin, pole, or bar on or with which a wheel revolves.

B
BUFFALO CHIPS: dried buffalo manure which pioneers used to light a fire.

C
CARAVAN: a group traveling together on a long journey through dangerous regions.

CONESTOGA: a covered wagon used to carry freight across the prairies.

D
DANGEROUS: exposing to or involving great risk.

DISEASE: an abnormal condition, illness or sickness.

E

F

FERRY: a boat that carries people or things across a river.

FERTILE: producing plenty of crops.

FORDING: crossing the river at a safe place.

FORT: a strong place or a permanent army post.

FRONTIER: a place that has never been seen.
 

G

GERMS: a microscopic living thing, especially one that causes disease.

GREAT SALT LAKE: a large salty lake in the Northwest section of Utah.

H
HOMESTEADING: to settle on public land to use as a home.

I

J
JOURNEY: a trip from one place to another.

K
KEELBOAT: a shallow covered riverboat which is usually rowed, poled or towed.
 
 

L
LEAN-TO:   a shelter used by the pioneers to live in when they first arrived at their land; similar to a wooden shed with an open side that faced the fire.

LIVESTOCK: animals kept or raised on a farm.

M
MOUNTAIN MAN: a person who lived in the mountains and was usually a trapper or a hunter.

N

O

OXEN: a kind of cattle used for pulling heavy loads, milk, and meat.

P
PELT: an unfinished skin with its hair, wool or fur.

PIONEERS: someone who went to an area before it was settled.

POSSESSIONS: the items or belongings a person owns.

PRAIRIE SCHOONER: another word for covered wagon, so called because they looked like ships sailing across a sea of grass.

PREDATOR: an animal that lives by killing and eating other animals.

PROSPECT: to explore, especially for mineral deposits.

Q

R

ROCKY MOUNTAINS: a range of mountains, reaching from Canada to Mexico.

S

SAGEBRUSH:  a low shrubby plant with bitter juice and a strong smell.

SCOW: a large flat boat.

SHALLOW: not deep.

STOCKADE: a line of stout posts set firmly to form a defense.

T

TRADE: a kind of job such as doctor or the business of buying, selling, or bartering goods.

TRENCH: a dug-out ditch.

U

V

VITAMINS: a substance found in natural food needed in small amounts for health.

WXYZ

WATERPROOF: not letting water through.

WESTWARD EXPANSION: the settlement of the North American continent from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific.

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