diaries

Did you know that diaries are historical documents? Diaries from the past tell stories of days gone by. The people who wrote them took the time to write things as they saw them. They give details about events and people they knew. Each writer comes alive in the words they wrote on the paper. Diaries help us to learn about how people lived and what was important to them.

Diaries of the pioneers on the Oregon Trail help us to understand the hard times those people faced. They tell how they came looking for land to build homes. Diaries tell stories about traveling in covered wagons. They describe how children walked alongside the wagons and often wore no shoes on the path. They tell of snakes and wild animals and crossing wild river waters. Diaries describe attacks, how many travelers got sick, and how it felt to reach their goals.

Many diaries of the Oregon Trail have been made into books. These diaries, or records, help us understand how people lived on the Oregon Trail. They help us understand what went right and what went wrong. These diaries help us learn from their mistakes. They show us how to enjoy the simple things in life.