We Were There On the Chisholm Trail

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On our list of 'places to visit soon' is the Chisholm Trail Museum in Duncan, OK.  We're going to start studying it ahead of time, and are sharing the unit with you now, too!

The Chisholm Trail was a trail used in the post-Civil War era to drive cattle overland, from ranches in Texas to railroads in Kansas.  The portion of the trail marked by Jesse Chisholm went from his southern trading post, near the Red River, to his northern trading post near Kansas City, Kansas.

The trail was the route to take for moving livestock.  Although it was used only from 1867 to 1884, the longhorn cattle driven north along it provided a steady source of income that helped Texas recover from the Civil War.  At the time, cattle were only worth $2 / head in Texas, but upwards of $20 / head in the north.  Moving the cattle helped bring much-needed funds into the area. 

It would take as long as two months to travel from a ranch in Texas up to the railheads (where cattle were loaded onto trains and shipped to large cities). At approximately 1,000 miles long, it took about two months to drive a herd of 3,000 cattle north.  In spite of the costs for cowhands, the trail helped bring Texas out of the depression that followed the Civil War.

Our spine novel is We Were There on the Chisholm Trail

Access the complete unit in the 'We Were There' Novel Studies Bundle!

Includes THIRTY-SIX unit studies covering World & American History. Each unit addresses a new topic, spanning the the ancient world through post-WW2.  Each unit has introductory text, which will give the student basic background information about the topic at hand.

• There are photographs and illustrations, and we have also included primary documents when available.
• After this text, there are featured videos, which augment the background information and help make the topic more accessible for more visual students.
• You will also find a short list of reading books, including a featured novel that the unit builds upon.
• There are vocabulary words, places, and people to identify.
• Reading comprehension, critical thinking questions, and writing assignments are included.
• We add fun with hands-on activities and extra videos to watch that will bring the era to life.

These studies are directed toward upper grades students, but some have resources for younger students so that the whole family can work together. Our family has used unit studies as curriculum for many years, and we hope that your family will enjoy these, too!

Product Samples:

• We Were There with Richard the Lionhearted in the Crusades
• We Were There with Byrd at the South Pole
• We Were There at the Opening of the Atomic Era