why would settlers choose to use oxen to pull wagons rather than mules?
A) mules were thought to be bad tempered
B) mules were not as fast as oxen
C) mules were prone to injury
D) mules would not forage off the land
And your answer is?
To understand why settlers might have chosen to use oxen over mules for pulling wagons, we can analyze the provided options and assess each one:
A) Mules were thought to be bad tempered: This option suggests that settlers may have believed that mules were more difficult to handle due to their perceived temperament. However, it does not directly explain why oxen were preferred.
B) Mules were not as fast as oxen: This option highlights a potential advantage of using oxen. If mules were slower than oxen, settlers may have preferred the faster-moving oxen to cover greater distances in less time.
C) Mules were prone to injury: This option suggests that mules were more susceptible to getting injured compared to oxen. If mules were perceived as less durable or more likely to suffer injuries, settlers might have chosen oxen for their sturdiness and ability to withstand the rigors of long journeys.
D) Mules would not forage off the land: This option implies that mules did not have the same ability as oxen to find and consume food from the surrounding environment. Since settlers relied on the availability of forage for their animals during long journeys, the fact that oxen could graze while mules could not may have played a role in favoring the use of oxen.
Based on these options, it seems that D) mules would not forage off the land is the most relevant factor that would influence settlers to choose oxen over mules. This suggests that the ability of oxen to graze and find food along the way was advantageous for long journeys where reliable sources of feed might be scarce.
If that's what your assigned reading says, it must be right.
I'd think oxen were better because they could pull heavier loads.