8. Native Americans Were Friendly and Helpful, But Most Pioneers Feared Them
One of the biggest things the pioneers on the trails dealt with was fear. They often feared the Native Americans in the area due to many reasons. First, they were told of stories where the Native Americans would try to harm and kill men and often kidnapped women and children. The pioneers were usually prepared for an attack at any moment. They would also organize their wagon trains in a certain way at night to protect themselves and their belongings from the Native Americans. Every night the wagons would be set in a circle, where the pioneers and their belongings would reside to protect themselves from an attack.
Pioneers would also fear that Native Americans would dig up the bodies of those who had died along the Oregon Trail for the corpse’s clothing. Therefore, to stop the Native Americans from knowing where they buried their loved ones and travel mate, they would have their campfire where on top of the actual dirt. Then they would run over the ashes with the wagons in the morning to keep the ground from looking like it had recently been dug up.
However, as time went on, many pioneers came to learn that the majority of Native Americans did not want to harm them. The Native Americans were often very helpful towards the pioneers. Native Americans would often help any starving pioneers by showing them how to cook certain foods or trading food for other items that they had. They also advised the pioneers to find the best places to cross the rivers. The Native Americans also would help the wounded or the sick if they could. In many ways the relationship between the pioneers and Native American were positive.