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=== Historical Background === | === Historical Background === | ||
The Santa Fe Trail was an overland international trade route, military road, and pioneer migration trail in central North America between the [[United States|United States]] and [[Portal:Mexico|Mexico]] from 1821 to 1880. Shortly after [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_independence Mexican independence from Spain] in 1821, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Becknell William Bicknell], a merchant-trader opened the Santa Fe Trail as a lucrative trade route from Franklin, [[Portal:Missouri|Missouri]] to Santa Fe, [[Portal:New Mexico|New Mexico]]. During most of its history the trail was used to carry wagon loads of trade goods between Missouri and New Mexico. In 1846 at the start of the [[Mexican War, 1846 to 1848|Mexican War]] the United States Army used the Santa Fe Trail to invade and later supply New Mexico. At the end of the war Mexico ceded territory that would become [[Portal:California|California]], Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico to the United States. Some American | The Santa Fe Trail was an overland international trade route, military road, and pioneer migration trail in central North America between the [[United States|United States]] and [[Portal:Mexico|Mexico]] from 1821 to 1880. Shortly after [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_independence Mexican independence from Spain] in 1821, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Becknell William Bicknell], a merchant-trader opened the Santa Fe Trail as a lucrative trade route from Franklin, [[Portal:Missouri|Missouri]] to Santa Fe, [[Portal:New Mexico|New Mexico]]. During most of its history the trail was used to carry wagon loads of trade goods between Missouri and New Mexico. In 1846 at the start of the [[Mexican War, 1846 to 1848|Mexican War]] the United States Army used the Santa Fe Trail to invade and later supply New Mexico. At the end of the war Mexico ceded territory that would become [[Portal:California|California]], [[Portal:Nevada|Nevada]], [[Portal:Utah|Utah]], [[Colorado|Colorado]], [[Arizona|Arizona]], and [[New Mexico|New Mexico]] to the United States. Some American [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Gold_Rush forty-niners] used the Santa Fe Trail on the way to the California gold fields. Before long, ox teams pulling wagons began to carry more and more [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_pioneer pioneers] from the United States into New Mexico and the western states. Eventually, in 1880, the old wagon trail was replaced by the [[Atchison,_Topeka,_and_Santa_Fe_Railway|Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway]] which mostly followed the Santa Fe Trail from Kansas City into Colorado and New Mexico. | ||
Part of the reason the Santa Fe Trail was a success was because it linked the United States to two other significant trade routes, the Camino Real, and the Old Spanish Trail, all forming a hub in Santa Fe. Since 1598 the Camino Real had been used to carry settlers and goods from Mexico City and Chihuahua to Santa Fe. When the Santa Fe Trail opened these Mexican goods could be traded for goods from the United States. In 1829-1830 the Old Spanish Trail also was opened connecting Los Angeles to Santa Fe making even more merchandise available for trade. | Part of the reason the Santa Fe Trail was a success was because it linked the United States to two other significant trade routes, the Camino Real, and the Old Spanish Trail, all forming a hub in Santa Fe. Since 1598 the Camino Real had been used to carry settlers and goods from Mexico City and Chihuahua to Santa Fe. When the Santa Fe Trail opened these Mexican goods could be traded for goods from the United States. In 1829-1830 the Old Spanish Trail also was opened connecting Los Angeles to Santa Fe making even more merchandise available for trade. | ||