It began as an unconnected series of trails used by Native Americans. Fur Traders expanded the route to transport pelts to trading posts and rendezvous. In the 1830s missionaries followed the still faint trail along the Platte River and the Snake to establish church connections in the Northwest. A combination of economic and political events in the 1840s converged to start a large scale migration west on what was then known as "The Oregon Road." Joel Walker is credited as the first settler to make the complete trip with a family, in 1840. Large scale migration started in 1843, when a wagon train of over 800 people with 120 wagons and 5,000 cattle made the five month journey. In 1847 Mormons escaping persecution headed toward Salt Lake, and the discovery of gold in California in 1848 sent a wave of fortune seekers west. Military posts, trading posts, shortcuts, and spur roads sprang off the Oregon Trail over the next three decades.
—Department of the Interior
Question
Use the passage to answer the question.
Which of the following best summarizes this passage?
(1 point)
Responses
The Oregon Trail was first used by Mormons fleeing religious persecution.
The Oregon Trail was first used by Mormons fleeing religious persecution.
The Oregon Trail grew from small beginnings to a major migration route.
The Oregon Trail grew from small beginnings to a major migration route.
The Oregon Trail was made more accessible by missionaries who helped define the route.
The Oregon Trail was made more accessible by missionaries who helped define the route.
The Oregon Trail was developed by the military to monitor interactions between Native American groups and settlers.
The passage provides a historical overview of the Oregon Trail, starting from its early use by Native Americans and developing through its use by fur traders, missionaries, and eventually large-scale migration of settlers, including families, Mormons, and gold-seekers. The route transformed from a series of unconnected trails into an established migration path due to various factors, such as economic and political events.
The best summary of the passage would be:
"The Oregon Trail grew from small beginnings to a major migration route."
This summary encapsulates the progressive development of the Oregon Trail from a modest network of trails to a significant route used by a diverse array of people moving westwards for various reasons.