Wyoming State Museum
MOUNTAIN MAN
Discovery Trunk
TEACHERS GUIDE
DRAFT
Revision Prepared by: Kasey Bresso
Mountain Man Discovery Trunk
Table of Contents
I. LIST OF TRUNK CONTENTS/ JAW HARP INSTRUCTIONS..............2
II. TEACHER OVERVIEW..............................................................................4
III. UNIT ONE: THE FUR TRADE ................................................................6
IV. UNIT TWO: MOUNTAIN MEN LIFESTYLE........................................13
V. UNIT THREE: LEGENDS OF THE MOUNTAIN MAN......................18
VI. DESCRIPTIONS OF TRUNK ITEMS......................................................22
VII. BIBLIOGRAPHY/ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.........................................27
VIII ACTIVITIES..............................................................................................30
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TRUNK CONTENTS
-Beaver Pelt
-Hawk Bells (6)
-Powder Horn
-Belt
-Horn Comb
-Steel Beaver Trap
-Bullet Mold
-Jaw Harp
-Steel Points (3)
-Castor Bottle
-“Jim Bridger” Hat
-Steel Striker
-Clay Trade Pipes (2)
-Knife Sheath
-Tinder
-Cloth Caps (2)
-Lead Balls (3)
-Tinder Box
-Cloth Shirt
-Lead Bar
-Tobacco Canteen
-Playing Cards
-Leather Bag
-Tomahawk
-Flintlock Pistol
-Moccasins
-Trade Cloth (2)
-Flintstone
-Percussion Lock Piece -Trade Mirror
-Glass Trade Beads (3) -Possibles Bag
-Trade Silver Pieces (2)
-Green River Knife
-Trousers
-Twist Tobacco
-Wooden Dice (4)
-Wooden Water Canteen
MEDIA COMPONENT
- VIDEO: Legacy of the Mountain Man
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THE JAW HARP
The Jaw Harp is a sensitive and requires instruction for proper use. This Jaw Harp can be
harmful to teeth if mishandled and the following instructions are intended to help the teacher
understand the required steps to safely operate the Jaw Harp.
Hold the round part of the Jaw Harp frame between the thumb and the
forefinger of your left hand, with the long extension of the Jaw Harp tongue
pointing away from your mouth. Place the narrow part of the frame
between your lips to just touch the bars on each side without toughing the
metal tongue, while holding the bars in position against your teeth. Your
teeth must be slightly parted to allow for a vibrating space for the metal
tongue and a passageway for your breath. The vibrations of the Jaw Harp
tongue, which produces this instruments distinctive sound, are set in
motion by plucking or stroking the metal tongue towards yourself with the
first finger of your right hand; tones are produced and varied by your
breathing rhythm. First try a simple tone by breathing out (as in a sigh)
while plucking the tongue. Then experiment with breathing in and out in
rhythm with the vibrating tongue to the beat of a familiar tune. Be sure that
no part of your mouth is in contact with the metal tongue, as this will
prevent its proper vibration and is the most common source of difficulty in
mastering the instrument.
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Teacher Overview
The Mountain Men Discovery Trunk seeks to introduce students to some of the basic
elements of the Mountain Mans way of life. Topics covered in the trunk include: reasons for
beaver pelt popularity; the yearly trappers rendezvous; trade companies roles; clothing and
equipment; and the daily life of Mountain Men. It is intended that students who have
participated in the lesson will be able to demonstrate the following knowledge about
Mountain Men:
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Explain why beaver pelt was so coveted
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Background of daily life, equipment, and trapping methods
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Describe the importance of the yearly rendezvous
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Know how pelts and furs were traded
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Level of cohabitation between Indians and Mountain Men
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Give details of how Mountain Men were useful after they left the mountains
Preparation
Teachers should preview all materials in the Discovery Trunk before use. This will help
familiarize with our “hands on” learning approach and will give teachers deeper insight on
which items to use during the lesson plan.
The following readings relate to the materials in the trunk and have been divided into
individual units. Each unit provides background information, suggestions for material use,
and student follow up activities. Teachers may present trunk objects all at once or
individually. Ultimately, the provided lesson plan and activities are suggestive in nature.
Teachers are encouraged to manipulate or tailor the following units to fit the needs of his or
her students in the classroom.
If the teacher chooses to use student activities included in this Teachers Guide, please
do not write on the master copies. Please do not remove/discard any pages from the
Teacher’s Guide.
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Tips for teachers
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Modify the degree of informational detail to suit the age and ability of the students.
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Define large and/or lesser-known terms (i.e Jaw Harp).
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Use audio and visual aids to help with understanding.
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Allow students to handle or touch Discovery Trunk items.
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Ask or facilitate constructive conversations involving Discovery Truck items.
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Supervise all students handling of Discovery Trunk items.
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Remind students Discovery Trunk items are not Toys and can be dangerous if handled
incorrectly.
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The Jaw Harp is harmful to the teeth if mishandled.
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Make conscious decisions on which items to let students handle and which items
should be only displayed.
-
Item identification exercises are a useful way for students to recall information.
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View all media (i.e video or cassettes) prior to class and select segments for use during
class time. Due to the large volume of media included in the trunk, not all media will
be able to be shown in the span of one class period.
Activity information
Activities provided in this Teachers Guide are meant to aid in memory retention to
solidify lessons taught in class. There are activities accompanying each of the following units
and it is encouraged that teachers use the included activities. To provide a multilayered
teaching approach the Teachers Guide includes both individual and group activities for
students to complete. Teachers might first use a group activity to promote collective learning
and/or enhance classroom cohesiveness then follow that activity with an individual activity
promoting individual learning. As mentioned before, when using the student worksheets, use
the master copy located in the grey museum folder to copy for students then return the
master copy to its appropriate place.
Children’s books are included in this Discovery Trunk for further reference to the
materials provided. Teachers may use these books as a teaching aid or for the extra activities
that are included in the books. Please do not write on or tear pages out of books.
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Preface
The following is a condensed historical telling of the Mountain Men experience in the
region. Due to the amount of material involved in telling the story of Mountain Men this
Teachers Guide has been miniaturized to provide general background with a detailed
overview of general areas of the Mountain Men’s lives. Each unit addresses an aspect of
Mountain Men life and legend. Item suggestions and student activities for each unit are
located at the end of each section. Also provided are book suggestions and other materials
that will help teachers understand the material taught. Teachers are encouraged to implement
information included for teaching purposes. Review of this Teachers Guide should take 45
minutes to 1 hour.
UNIT ONE
Introduction to
the Fur Trade
TOPICS INCLUDED:
- History behind the North American Fur Trade
- Mountain Men of Wyoming
- Annual rendezvous
- Importance of the beaver
Student Objectives: Understand the importance of the beaver during the 19th century,
how the beaver trade started in North America, and what happened during the annual
trappers rendezvous.
Tips: It is suggested that teachers use the Discovery Trunk items listed at the end of this unit
for classroom learning.
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THE FUR TRADE
It would be the attempt to discover the "Northwest Passage" that would lead to the
eventual start of the North American fur trade. The "Northwest Passage" was an overland
route believed to a quicker and more direct route to the Far East, this never proved to be true.
However, instead of a viable land route for migration, explorers discovered a vast reserve of
Beavers in the lakes and streams they took while trying to discover this passageway to the
East. The Beaver had been extinct in Europe for years due to their highly sought after pelts
that were used for hat making or other luxury items.
While the exploration of the "Northwest Passage" gave Americans the first glimpse of
the potential beaver trade, the first real discovery of this abundance of beavers was credited
to the French during the 17th and 18th centuries in both Canada and the US. Eventually it
would be the conclusion of the French-Indian war against the British that would shuffle the
French out of the region ushering in a age of British control of the Fur Trade in North
America. Following the French defeat the
Hudson Bay Company took control of
basically every fur outlet, monopolizing the
market for the next two decades. By 1787,
frustrated by the monopoly that Hudson Bay
Company had, independent trappers formed a
coalition named the Northwest Company to
challenge that monopoly. This company
rivalry would eventually lead to competition
in securing frontier forts, bribery, thievery, arson, and sometimes even murder. After news
spread to the British about the actions of the two companies, government officials forced both
companies to merge under the single name of Hudson's Bay Trading Company. After this
merger the Hudson's Bay Companies only competition was the American Fur Company and
the Russian Otter trade that was booming on the pacific coast. This all would happen after the
War of 1812 had established duel use for both British and Americans in the Oregon Territory.
With the battle lines drawn the Hudson's Bay Company issued orders for its trappers to hunt
the beaver into extinction in the Northwest to create a Beaver free buffer zone that would
keep the Americans out of prime British trapping territory. This order would prove to be the
first in a hotly contested industry that was just getting underway in North America.
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After a short pause in the Beaver trade during the war of 1812 the American Beaver
trade reignited and the rush to get the valuable pelts was on again. New Companies such as
the Rocky Mountain Fur Trading Company sprung up to beginning trapping the Beaver in
large numbers starting in 1824. This company would set the standard for trappers
everywhere in the region with the establishment of the "Rendezvous" which was held
annually and would be a tie of trading in pelts for
goods needed to restart the trapping hunter for the
next year. This was a deviation from the traditional
method of relying on local Indians to provide the
pelts in trade for common goods. From this staging
point new bases of operation began to show up in
the central and southern Rocky Mountains also. It would be the abundance of hunters and
trading posts that would lead to the eventual collapse of the Beaver industry. Over trapping
and shifting fashion interests in Europe contributed to the swift decline in the Beaver trade in
Northern America. By 1840 the Beaver trade was completely finished, however the trappers
who had been a part of the trade soon found fame in a variety of different professions such as
hunting guides, army scouts, or explorers. This would prove to add to their legend,
solidifying the Beaver/Fur trade as a
staple of the American West.
THE BEAVER
The Beaver is a water dwelling
animal that is brown in color and is
approximately 4 feet in length weighing
around 40 pounds. The Beaver is the
world’s second largest rodent. The
Beaver tail is notably flat, rounded in
appearance and is made up of rough
skin that resembles scales. The Beaver
uses its tail to signal other beavers by slapping its tail in the water also using its tail to
navigate while it was in the water. It can seal its ears, mouth and nose when it is underwater
and is an agile swimmer using its webbed hind feet to propel itself in the water. The Beaver
eats primarily the bark of birch, willow, and cottonwood trees while favoring the Aspen tree
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the most. Beavers emit an odorous substance to mark its territory called Castoreum This
Castoreum would be used to attract the Beaver to areas where trappers had laid traps and
subsequently catch the Beaver in the trap. According to Indian legend the Beaver was
worshipped and believed by some tribes to cause
thunder with its large tail. Indians would believe
that the reincarnated would become Beavers and
thus Beavers in close proximity to a tribe were
considered family in some instances and would not
be hunted. Soon however, with the white man’s
intrusion in to the area Indians began to hunt the
Beaver to trade for much sought after goods like
rifles or metal tools manufactured in the United
States.
In the Wyoming area, Beaver was one of the most sought after animals in the region for
one reason, its pelt. It was not the fur of the Beaver that made it so valuable to trappers, it was
the rough barbed under hair called the pelt
(pictured above). This under hair would be
pounded, mashed, stiffened then rolled to make
felting material for hats. Hats of all types were
produced in Europe and in America using the
pelt of the Beaver due to its popular color and
pliable pelt (pictured left). Virtually every
European had a Beaver hat, even some military
figures had hats made from beaver. Many
shapes and sizes were made to satisfy the
European fashion trends at the time. However,
as the trends in fashion shifted towards silks and other materials, the Beaver demand melted
away bringing to an end the Beaver trade. As quickly as it came, the rush for Beaver was
over, with the Mountain Men who trapped Beaver moving on to other endeavors earning
themselves spots as legends of the American West.
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MOUNTAIN MEN OF WYOMING
The tale of the Mountain Man would not be complete without Wyoming. The
Wyoming territories played a crucial role in the Beaver/Fur Trade in America. Before trading
posts were established in the area, Wyoming provided a route to the Pacific Northwest where
the first rush for Beaver took place. Famous explorer Robert Stuart is credited in 1812 with
finding the south pass, which would later be known as the Oregon Trail. This south pass
would be the gateway to the west as thousands of settlers traveled this path in the following
years to either strike it rich in California, or simply start fresh in booming cities such as San
Francisco. Stuart would not stop at just discovering the South
Pass as 10 miles farther down the trail he located what he
called "Fiery Narrows" which is today a national landmark
located thirty miles west of Casper. Stuart is also credited with
building Wyoming's first cabin at Bessemer Bend while
preparing to hold up for the winter, however he relocated his
camp near Torrington after threats from local Indians forced
them to change plans.
In 1820 a Fur trapper who went by the name LaRamee
told close friends that he was going up the Platte River to
establish a base to trap Beavers and would return the following spring. When LaRamee never
returned, his friends who became worried sent out a search party that included Jim Bridger.
After the return of the search party the public learned that LaRamee's body had been found
after a 23 day hike up the Platte River. This was an accepted end to the story however, years
later Jim Bridger (pictured above) would sit down with a friend and tell a different story.
Bridger described the search and contradicting the official story stating that they found a halffinished cabin and one broken Beaver trap but no LaRamee. Bridger would go on to say that
two years after the search failed to turn up LaRamee a local Arapahoe tribe had told him that
they had killed LaRamee and put his body under the ice near a Beaver dam. Regardless of the
real story, LaRamees name lives on in the region with towns such as Laramie, Wyoming
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being named after him, along with Fort Laramie, Laramie River, Laramie Peak, and many
other notable places around the state.
Forts in the Wyoming territory played a major role in the continuation of the Beaver
Trade. Most notably, Fort Laramie was one of the most strategically important forts in the
area, first being used as a trapping fort by the Hudson's Bay Company. After trading hands
many times, even though the grip of Jim Bridger himself, Fort Laramie changed its role to a
more military nature with the Fort being used in later years to protect wagon trains, the Pony
Express, and to keep local bands of aggressive Indians at bay. The Fort was used up until
1890 when it was abandoned and lay dormant until 1937 when the State of Wyoming bought
the fort and designated it a National Historic Site in 1938. Like Fort Laramie, Fort Bridger,
which was first built by Jim Bridger, would suffer the same fate-supplying trappers with
greatly needed supplies until the Beaver Trade concluded in the area. Fort Bridger was then
converted into a Military outpost until its eventual abandonment in 1890. While forts played
a key role in highlighting Wyoming's part in the Beaver/Fur trade, the annual trappers
"Rendezvous" would make Wyoming legend for its involvement in the Fur Trade.
THE ANNUAL RENDEZVOUS
The annual trapper rendezvous was a gathering of hunter, trappers, Indians, and
merchants that last for 16 years until the end of the Fur/Beaver trade in the area in 1840. The
rendezvous was the creation of
William Ashley a famous fur
trading company owner.
Originally Indians would trade
pelts with the local outpost for
common goods such as food or
hunting materials. Ashley saw
an opportunity and created the
first ever Trappers
Rendezvous in 1825 at Henrys
Fork on the Green River. At
the rendezvous Ashley would
bring in commodities from the
states to refit fur traders for the
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next season while buying pelts from the previous haul. Trappers would usually buy and sell
goods, celebrate and relax for several weeks because of the midsummer lull in Beaver
hunting. Understandably this Rendezvous would turn in to a raging wild party full of hybrid
Indian rituals, fighting, gambling, and many other explicit activities that would let the
Mountain Men get a taste of civilization before heading back off in to the wilderness for the
next years trapping trips. During the Rendezvous, due to the scarcity of products, selling
beaver pelts at a low rate while buying trapping necessities at a high rate was common. After
the Rendezvous was held trappers were encouraged to explore new areas to trap, which led
to many of the Mountain Men becoming pathfinders for more viable routes to the Pacific
although many would stick around the Rocky Mountain region until the end of the Beaver
trade. Wyoming is best known for the Rendezvous due to the fact that most of the gatherings
were held in Wyoming Territory at the time. In all, approximately 11 Rendezvous were held
in Wyoming due to grass/water supply, availability of wood for fuel and game for sport. The
most suitable site was considered to be in the vicinity of Horse Creek and Green River, near
present day Daniel, Wyoming. In all 6 of the rendezvous were held at this location making
the region synonymous to the mountain men and their legends. By 1840, with demand
dropping for pelts, fewer than 120 trappers found their way to what was the final
Rendezvous down from a high of over 2000 people in 1837.
UNIT ONE WRAP UP
As seen in Unit One, the Fur Trade in Wyoming was a important part of the states
rugged history. The Mountain Men of Wyoming and the work they did with Beavers helped
build the image of Wyoming as a territory of wilderness and individual achievement which
continues on to this day. Listed below are suggested items for teachers to use during
classroom time.
-Beaver Pelt
-Beaver Trap
- Tobacco
-Castor Bottle
-Lead Bar
-Horn Comb
-Trade Mirror
-Hawk Bells
-Arrowhead
-Wooden Dice
- Jaw Harp
-Lead Balls
-Percussion Lock -Clay Pipes
-Steel Points
-Deck of Cards
-Bullet Mold
-Trade Cloth
-Trade Silver
-Trade Beads
- Beaver Trade Book
-Activities are located at the back of this Teachers Guide.
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UNIT TWO
Mountain Men Lifestyle
TOPICS INCLUDED:
- Mountain Men equipment and clothing
- Methods of trapping
- Mountain Men's wives
- Typical characteristics of the Mountain Man
Student Objectives: To be able to understand the daily life of the Mountain Man, how
they trapped, what they did to survive. Also, students should know about the Mountain
Men's wives and the role they played in trapping.
Tips: Teachers are encouraged to use the Discovery Trunks contents with the teaching of this
unit. Allowing students to handle items will give them the chance to land hands on the items
that kept the Mountain Men alive in the wilderness. Item suggestions are located at the end of
this unit.
The Life of the Mountain Men
Long before the first formalized fur trade entered the rocky mountain region a system
of trade was set up with the local Indians. Trappers would only head to local Indian villages
and in exchange for common items such as black powder, cooking ingredients, or farming
tools, would receive the pelts of beavers or other sought after furs. However, this all changed
with the arrival of fur trading companies in the region. With the arrival of the fur companies
came a formalized fur trade where trappers would be outfitted and paid for by the fur
companies. These trappers were employed for 200 to 400 dollars a year. Typically the fur
company would loan out gear to trappers who would in return bring back pelts or furs to
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make up the cost of the original items. This cycle would continue year around for the trappers
employed by the largest fur companies. All of the pelts and furs that were sold by the
trappers would end up in the fur capitol of the world, St. Louis. From there they would be
manufactured in to popular hats such as the ones mentioned in the first unit.
With the fur companies now establishing a
formalized trading system it wouldn’t be till the
development of the "rendezvous" that the legend of the
mountain man was born. The rendezvous led to a
period of free trappers, who would go out in to the
wilderness and return for the annual rendezvous to refit
and prepare for the next year. By 1830 there were
several hundred of these free trappers roaming about
the Wyoming and rocky mountain territories collecting
furs and beaver pelts for the companies in St. Louis. The mountain men knew the back
country by heart and developed close relationships with the Indian tribes of the mountains
often marrying Indian women, adopting their customs while becoming more Indian than
white in appearance. Understandably this adoption of Indian ways was for necessity rather
than fashion. Many of the articles of clothing that the mountain men set out with from the
East coast would deteriorate to the point of being unusable. For the mountain men, stopping
by the local general store was not an option and Indian clothes made up of natural
components such as buffalo hide served the mountain men perfectly for the harsh
environments of trapping country.
Mountain men came from a wide range of backgrounds. Some were could read other
could not, some were escaped convicts running from the past, while others were noble men
that preferred the absence of the civilized crowded cultures of the west. Many of these
mountain men took great pride in their work and loved the freedom of the untouched terrain,
the mountains, the skies, the plains, and the forests. Most were younger in age averaging
between 20 and 30 years old. For the most part, many of the mountain men had no grasp of
the word "saving" and as a result would spend their hard earned money gambling, whoring,
or drinking during the few weeks they had in-between trapping seasons. A traveler named
Zenas Leonard, who traveled with the early trappers of the region described the mountain
man’s way with money stating, Scarcely one man in ten of those employed in this country
ever thinks of saving a single dollar of his earnings, but all spend it as fast as they can find an
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object to spend it for. They care not what may pass tomorrow, but think only of enjoying the
present moment." These Mountain Men would live true to this legacy with only a few ever
saving enough to advance their own lives out of hard labor.
The mountain men even had their own form of language, which was a combination of
English, French, and Spanish, typically with barely a hint of grammatical accuracy or literary
correctness. Their humor was of a dry wit and conversations were littered with small tidbits
of humor. Rarely would anyone hear a mountain man be loud or laugh uncontrollably, and
many believed these men to be men of silence, often observing more than they spoke. Life in
the mountains for these men was valued for its freedom from legal restraint however few
believed in being lawless. Life, liberty, and the rights of property were greatly respected by
the men of the mountains. Trust was central to interactions between trappers, and rarely was
there written contracts due to the adherence to this "Golden Rule" of trust.
At the close of the yearly rendezvous the mountain men would head back in to the
wilderness for another year living off freshly caught meat while sleeping under the stars. The
mountain men worked through the fall season till the first snowfall, generally around
November. At this point Mountain men would set up for winter in a winter camp, typically
consisting of a tipi or basic log structure that would shelter them from the weather till the
next trapping season would start during the spring thaw. The spring was considered the best
time for trapping beaver as the pelt was at its
prime. Mountain men would set out in parties of
a dozen or so for protection but would split up
into groups of two or three for actual trapping.
Trappers had mules or horses carry their
equipment. Usually trappers would carry six or
seven traps in a trap sack while other equipment
such as a rifle, powder horn, hatchet, etc. were
carried on the saddle of the horse or mule. Many
trappers would begin their trapping seasons with many luxuries such as sugar, coffee, and
whiskey, however they would run out quickly soon after leaving the towns and forts.
The trapping parties would travel along the main river valleys and trapped beaver in
main different tributaries. When the trapping party exhausted all the resources in the area
they would move to a new location where there were more trapping opportunities. A few
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times during the season, mountain men would meet at preselected places to report on their
progress, cache furs, and to count "heads". When mountain men first selected a likely site to
start trapping they based the placement on where the beaver would enter or leave the stream.
They would then enter the stream down current from where they were going to place the
trap. This was to prevent the spread of human scent around the trap area. Setting the trap a
few inches below the water, the mountain man would then spread castoreum to attract the
beaver to the trap, once the beaver was caught in the trap it was only a matter of time before
the beaver either drowned or bit off its own foot to avoid from drowning. Traps were usually
set at dusk and raised at dawn. The caught beavers would be skinned immediately and any
castoreum that could be extracted was. The pelts were then taken back to camp where Indian
wives would process the pelt by scraping it clean, stretching it, sun bathing it, and finally
folding it in to bundles of sixty to eighty for
transportation to the annual rendezvous. Mountain men
would cache pelts by burying them in the ground. By
doing this, mountain men could attain a large number of
pelt/furs while avoiding Indians or bandits stealing them.
Nonetheless trappers learned from these Indians where
to find winter shelter, natural resources, areas with
abundance of beavers, even wedding some of the Indian
women. The mountain man’s connection with the Indian culture would define the image of
the burly back country white man as a unique individual that no one from the east could
compare. These ties between mountain men and Indians would transcend boundaries and
would be the first attempt to intertwine Indian life with the white man’s ways.
Mountain Men Indian Wives
The story of the mountain man is incomplete without talking about their Indian wives.
These Indian wives provided the necessary support for mountain men to live their lives in the
wilderness while trapping beaver. Indian wives have received little attention in the history
books due to bias masculine writing. However, Indian wives played a prominent role in
mountain men’s lives and the fur trade. It can be said that without these wives the mountain
man would not have succeeded to the degree they did over 20 year span of their existence. In
contrast to the popular image of the lone mountain man some scholars assert that the taking
of Indian wives was "common" practice among the mountain men. For the wedding, the
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customs from the wife’s tribe were used and the mountain man had to perform it according
to the tribe’s wishes. These marriages would carry many names including prairie wedding,
mountain marriage, Indian marriage, etc.
Indian wives had been trained since childhood for the rugged outdoor life led by her
people. This proved to be of great help to the mountain men. They would clean pelts that
were caught, set up camp, help move camp, cook, clean, search for food, etc. These were all
essential tasks that helped the mountain accomplish his mission in fur trapping. Often these
Wives and even the children would go off in to the wilderness with the mountain men and
work alongside them. Indian wives also played important roles in soothing tribal tensions,
preventing tribal wars, and maintaining diplomacy in general. Mountain men preferred
Indian women not completely for their work ethic, but liked them due to them being the only
women around in the region. Often times mountain men would show off their wives by
dressing them up during rendezvous or meetings of trappers. Indian women preferred white
trappers because it was thought that white men were better husbands as they helped with
chores where the Indian men would not help at all. The Indian wives’ families would also
benefit from a union to a mountain man due to the ability to receive European goods or other
commodities from the east coast. Many of these unions resulted in mixed blood children,
which sometimes blurred the lines between cultures. This mixed blood lives on today in
many Indians who can trace family lines back to the "prairie weddings" of their family past.
UNIT TWO WRAP UP
Unit two has demonstrated the hardships and livelihoods that the mountain men
endured on a daily basis. Listed below are items that should be used for the teaching of this
unit.
-Moccasins
-Powderhorn
-Knife Sheath
-Tinderbox
-Trousers
-Beaver Pelt
-Glass Trade Beads
-Hawk Bells
-Trade Cloth
-Shirt
-Trade Mirror
-Trade Silver
-Possibles Bag
-Flint/Striker
-Wool Hat
-Bullet Mold
-Green River Knife*
-Flintlock Pistol* -Tomahawk*
-Lead Balls
Items with * following the name require special supervision by teacher when handling.
-Activities are located at the back of this Teachers Guide.
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UNIT THREE
Legends of the Mountain Man
TOPICS INCLUDED:
- Stories and journals of mountain men
- Tales of hardships trapping
- How mountain men legends began and continue today
Student Objectives: Know the dangers that mountain men faced on a daily basis and be
able to know how mountain men dealt with these hardships. Students should also be
able to distinguish mountain man myth from the real historical facts.
Tips: Teachers are encouraged to display all of the items relating to the mountain man life.
These items should be handled by students and detail the uses of the items. Also, teachers
should utilize the Discovery Trunk media components provided during the teaching of this
unit.
Tales of the Mountain Man
While the mountain men of Wyoming came and went in a short 20-year span, the tales
and legends of the mountain men’s adventures endure to this day. Great tales of conflict,
exploring, and danger has been made in to legend by many helping to carry on the legacy of
what the mountain man did for Wyoming and the West. Many of the mountain men after the
end of the fur trade went on to scout, explore, or guide for the Eastern Americans heading
westward, these endeavors would only add to the legend of the mountain man. Listed in this
unit are only some of the tales involving the mountain man, some are fact while others are
mythical. These tales were meant to immortalize the mountain man and have done so in such
a way that many of the stories are for the listener to decide whether it is fact or fiction.
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The Story of Hugh Glass
Hugh Glass was a member of a party of trappers traveling through the Yellowstone
area when a horrifying attack took place. One day Hugh glass went out on a solo-hunting trip
and stumbled upon a bear. Before Glass could react, the bear had bit down in to his throat
while tossing him like a rag doll. Only after sustaining serious wounds threatening his life
did the main hunting party reach Glass and kill the bear standing over his motionless body.
When the hunting party assessed Mr. Glass the outcome looked grim, Glass had received
many wounds and was not expected to last the night. Amazingly however, Glass survived
the following day and night. Although surviving, Glass could not be moved or get treated for
his wounds in the remote wilderness and the
main hunting party elected two men to stay
behind and wait for Glass to die. These men,
who included a young Jim Bridger, stayed with
Hugh Glass for 5 days watching him suffer
considerably from the wounds he had suffered.
On the fifth day, fearing for their own safety
both men who were elected to watch Glass left
him to die, taking everything they had left with
Glass initially.
While these men hiked to catch up to the
main hunting party, Hugh Glass who was left to die with nothing but the clothes on his back
miraculously continued to hang on to life. Several months later, Hugh Glass would show up
at Henry's Fort near Yellowstone thirsty for revenge on the men that had abandoned him.
Unfortunately for Glass, only young Jim Bridger was there and due to Bridger’s young age
and inexperience was spared by Glass. It was the older man of the group Glass wanted. After
being told that this man was stationed at Fort Atkinson located down the Missouri river Glass
joined four other men headed that direction. While with the four other men, Indians attacked
and killed everyone but Glass who miraculously made it to the Fort. Nearly a year after the
bear attack that nearly killed him Glass finally found his man, however after the garrison
commander warned Glass the consequences of killing a United States soldier, Glass conceded
and gave up his plot for revenge.
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Escape from the Blackfoot
In the fall of 1808 John Colter and his partner "Potts" were floating down a stream near
three forks when they came upon a large group of Indians. After identifying the Indians as
Blackfoot Colter and Potts were ordered to the shore by the
Blackfoot. Refusing this order, Potts shot a Blackfoot from
the boat and was immediately killed by a storm of arrows.
Colter, who survived the attack, was ordered by the chief of
the Blackfoot’s to strip naked and run for his life. With a
band of angry Blackfoot Indians hot on his tail, Colter ran
for six miles to the Madison River and hid underneath a
raft of driftwood. Amazingly some Blackfoot even walked
over the raft he was hiding under. Only when the sun set
did the Indians give up the chase and Colter was able to
swim downstream to safety then traveling two hundred
miles to Fort Manuel to spread his story.
The Mountain Man Legacy
Living in the modern age many can find it hard to imagine living in the wilderness of
frontier America. Due to many factors today it is hard to re-create the same conditions that
the mountain men faced while trapping. For some people, living in the twenty-first century
the life of the mountain man is viewed as one of simplicity, getting back to nature, getting
away from the restrictions of urban life. For many others the mountain man and his life are
synonymous with independence, self-reliance, a "don’t tread on me" attitude, along with
daring and courage. Some historians have argued that the fur trade was never very important
economically and that the fur trade was not rocky mountain specific. Unfortunately for these
historians, they fail to realize that basically all of the annual rendezvous were held in the
rocky mountain region. Due to this, it can be seen that the rocky mountain region was the
central area of the fur trade. Furthermore, beaver trade and the fur trade in Wyoming is a
corner of Wyoming culture. Even today trapper festivals are held along with a recreation of
the annual rendezvous near its original locations in southwest Wyoming. Even if in
comparison with the national or global fur trade the amount of business did not add very
much to the gross domestic product, it was a major economic activity in the region. At its
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peak no more than 500 traders existed and only 5000 people worked in the fur trade in the
west. Paintings, motion pictures, books and even public textbooks have exaggerated and
romanticized the life of the mountain man. Many of the mountain men only lasted one or two
years at the most. The work was often laborious and exhausting, making it a hard life to live
for long. Freezing winters and dropping prices of the beaver pelt led to the ultimate demise of
the mountain man. Even though their life was filled with hardship and danger the reader of
history will have to decide whether this life is desirable to them. The final verdict will concern
the romantic vs. realistic interpretation of the mountain man’s life. As seen although the
mountain man only lasted a short time in the region, their legacy lives on through the tales
and campfire stories of their feats that are still told to this day.
UNIT THREE WRAP UP
In unit three it has been seen that the tales and legacy of the mountain man lives on
today. Whether viewed through a realistic lens or a romanticized lens the mountain man life
still draws considerable interest from many around the country and world. Items listed below
are meant to be used in teaching this unit during class time.
- Media components
- All items in Discovery Trunk
-Activities are located at the end of this Teachers Guide.
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DESCRIPTION OF TRUNK CONTENTS
BEAVER PELT: The primary fur-bearing animal trapped during the era of the
mountain man. It was traded with fur companies for essential materials needed to survive a
winter in the mountains.
BELT: This belt, made of heavy tanned leather with a hand-forged buckle, was worn
outside of the shirt and held a knife, tobacco bag, and other personal items. It was wider than
the inner belt which was used to hold up trousers, when one was used at all.
BULLET MOLD: These came in various sizes, depending on the size or type of the
bullet that was needed. (Included are two different sizes of bullets.) The size of the bullet
determines the “caliber” of the weapon. Hot liquid lead was poured into the mold and cooled
to form the round ball.
CASTOR BOTTLE: Taking a peeled willow wand, the trapper would dip into his
castor bottle, which contained castoreum produced from beaver glands. He would spread
this yellowish substance near his trap, generally on a limb poised above it. The castoreum
produced a scent that attracted beavers from miles away to the location of the trap.
CLAY TRADE PIPES (2): the practice of smoking tobacco was common among most
of the fur trappers and Indians. Clay pipes were light and could be packed anywhere. They
were cheap to make and were used for trade between whites and Indians.
CLOTH CAPS (2): Caps were worn by mountain men chiefly during the winter
months for warmth. The styles were so numerous that rarely two were alike. The stocking cap
was highly popular with the French-Canadian voyagers. Most were personally decorated
with furs, feathers and quilled or beaded designs. Scottish bonnets were worn by trappers
from Scotland and decorated with trade silver pieces.
CLOTH SHIRT: Cloth shirts were worn in the summer when the heat made buckskin
clothing uncomfortable. These shirts could be worn under buckskin in the winter for
additional warmth. They could be made of cotton, wool, linsey-woolsy, calico, muslin, linen,
or pillow ticking and were commonly used as a trade item.
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DESCRIPTION OF TRUNK CONTENTS (Cont’d)
DECK OF PLAYING CARDS: Many mountain men passed the long winters, and
the Rendezvous, gambling with playing cards. Take note of the colored face cards, which
include four U.S. Presidents.
FLINTSTONE: The flint stone and striker were used to start fires much the same way
that we use matches. The flint would be struck on the steel to produce a spark. The spark
could be “captured” on char cloth and placed into tinder in order to start a flame. (The flint
could also be used in flintlock ignition system to fire a rifle or pistol. See also Steel Striker.)
GLASS TRADE BEADS (3): There were numerous styles of glass beads that were
used as trade items with the various Native American tribes; a few have been included as
examples.
GREEN RIVER KNIFE: This was the trapper’s favorite type of knife. The knives
were practical, light, abundant and relatively inexpensive. Because of hard use, the knives
frequently wore out but were easy to replace. They were named “Green River” after John
Russell’s forge on the Green River in Massachusetts. (CAUTION: THIS BLADE HAS BEEN
DULLED BUT SHOULD BE HANDLED VERY CAREFULLY.)
HAWK BELLS (6): These were traded to the Indians for the purpose of decorating
clothing.
HORN COMB: The cow horn comb included in the Trunk has “teeth” of two sizes.
The larger teeth were used to straighten the hair while the smaller teeth were used to comb
out lice.
JAW HARP: Also known as a mouth fiddle and gewgaw, the harp was used as a
musical instrument and often accompanied the jovial and out-of-tune singing of the
mountain men. The origin of the harp is not known but I can be traced to the 16th century.
JIM BRIDGER WOOL HAT: Hats, styled such as this, were what made the beaver
so popular. Although the hat included in the trunk is made of wool, the shape was common
to the period and viewed as fashionable in Europe and America.
KNIFE SHEATH: Case for the blade of a knife made of buckskin or rawhide.
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DESCRIPTION OF TRUNK CONTENTS (Cont’d)
LEAD BALLS (6): Round bullets of the type used before modern ammunition.
(Bullets are .67 caliber.)
LEATHER BAR: Bars similar to this were brought to the mountains and served as the
raw material for bullets. The lead would be heated until it was in liquid form and then
poured into a bullet mold. As it cooled, the lead would become solid and formed into the
desired size for bullets.
LEATHER BAG: A handy drawstring pouch such as this was ideal for carrying the
mountain man’s flint and steel, musket balls or dice.
MOCCASINS: These were worn by virtually all the mountain men. They were
comfortable, durable and more suited to their mountain lifestyles than store-bought shoes.
They also enabled the trapper to move about quietly.
PERCUSSION LOCK PIECE: A type of ignition system for firearms of the period. A
brass cap is placed on the nipple and when struck by the hammer, a spark is sent into the
breach to fire the weapon. The percussion/cap system was more efficient than the flintlock
system and by 1850 the majority of firearms being made were of this type.
POSSIBLES BAG: This bag served as the carrying pouch for items the mountain man
might “possibly” have needed, such as tools for the firearms, tinder to start fires, bullets and
personal gear.
POWDER HORN: A hollowed out horn from a cow or buffalo was used to store the
black powder needed to fire a pistol or rifle.
STEEL BEAVER TRAP: Traps varied in size, style, and method of setting, but the
most commonly used beaver traps were double spring and weighed about four to five
pounds each. A mountain man would carry six or seven traps in his leather trap sack. (TRAP
SHOULD NOT BE SET!)
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DESCRIPTION OF TRUNK CONTENTS (Cont’d)
STEEL POINTS (3): An item used for trading with the Native American tribes.
Indians substituted more efficient steel point over the stone point for their arrows. This
allowed them to use the time that would have been used to make arrowheads for other
activities.
STEEL STRIKER: The striker was used to start fires much the same way that we use
matches. The flint would be struck on the steel to produce a spark. The spark could be
“captured” on char cloth and placed into tinder in order to start a flame. (See also Flintstone.)
TINDER: Tinder was used to start a fire. Char cloth was also used which consisted of
cotton squares that had been charcoaled with fire so that they will readily hold a spark. A
magnifying glass could be used instead of the flint and striker to produce a spark on the
tinder or char cloth.
TINDER BOX: This style of box is similar to that issued to the trappers by the
Hudson’s Bay company during the fur trade era. Tinder along with the flint and striker could
be carried in the box and used to start fires. A magnifying glass could be used instead of the
flint and striker to produce a spark on the char cloth. The char cloth consists of cotton squares
that have been charcoaled with fire so that they will readily hold a spark.
TOBACCO CANTEEN: Made from rawhide sewn together when wet, pounded full
of sand and allowed to dry. Popular for strong tobacco, but can be used to store beads,
percussion caps, small caliber lead bullets, and other items.
TRADE CLOTH (2): Since Native Americans did not produce cloth, this item was one
of several that was transported to the mountains and used by the mountain men to trade for
furs or other items they might have needed.
TOMAHAWK: This was an item that figured prominently in both the trade and
personal life of the mountain man. Tomahawks and trade axes of numerous styles circulated
widely throughout the fur trade region. Sometimes designs such as weeping hearts were cut
into the blades of the “hawks.” Brass tacks nearly always adorned the handle and beaded
pendants were frequently seen on Indian-owned tomahawks. (CAUTION: EDGE HAS BEEN
DULLED, BUT STILL REQUIRES CAREFUL HANDLING.)
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DESCRIPTIONS OF TRUNK CONTENTS (Cont’d)
TRADE MIRROR: Another item used for trading with the various Native American
tribes.
TRADE SILVER PIECES (2): During the later years of the fur trade era, the
mountain men traded silver to the Plain Indians in exchange for furs. The Indians used the
silver as ornaments on their clothing and in their hair.
TROUSERS: These 1820s men’s trousers are made of cotton canvas with pewter
buttons to which suspenders were attached. Cloth pants like these were bought from back
east. As they disintegrated due to the wear and tear of the rigorous outdoor life, many men
patched the trousers with deerskin or lined them with animal skin to extend their useful life.
Ultimately the cotton trousers fell apart and they were replaced by clothing fashioned from
animal skins, as the mountain man left behind Anglo culture and embraced native American
culture in order to survive in the mountains.
TWIST TOBACCO: A form of tobacco used by mountain men. Tobacco was either
chewed or smoked or put against a tooth to alleviate a toothache.
WOODEN DICE: Many mountain men passed the long winters, and the Rendezvous,
gambling dice.
WOODEN WATER CANTEEN: Pinewood construction with nailed wooden hoops,
lined with brewers pitch. Common among many fur trappers.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Barnard, Edward. Story of the Great American West.
New York: Reader’s Digest, 1977.
Berry, Don. Mountain Men.
New York: Macmillan Company, 1966.
Burger, Carl: Beaver Skins and Mountain Men.
New York: E. P. Dutton & Company Inc., 1968.
Chittenden, Hiram Martin. The American Fur Trade of the Far West.
Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1986.
Cobbleston Magazine. The North American Beaver Trade.
New Hampshire: Cobbleston Publishing Inc., 1982.
DeVoto, Bernard. Across the Wide Missouri.
Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1947.
Fetter, Richard. Mountain Men of Wyoming.
Boulder: Johnson Books, 1982.
Fridley, Russell W. Aspects of the Fur Trade: Selected Papers of the North American
Fur Trade Conference.
St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society, 1967.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY (Cont’d)
Goetzmann, William. Exploration and Empire.
W. W. Norton & Company, Inc,: New York, 1968.
Gowans, Fred. Rocky Mounatin Rendezvous
Brigham Young University Publishers, 1976.
Hafen, Lefoy R. Trapper of the Far West.
Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1965.
Hanson, James Austin and Kathryn J. Wilson. The Mountain Man’s Sketchbook.
Nebraska: The Fur Press, 1976.
Irving, Washington. Astoria.
Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1976.
Laycock, George. The Mountain Men.
Danbury: Grollier Book Clubs, Inc., 1988.
Phillips, Paul Chrisler. The Fur Trade.
Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1961.
Robinson, Sandra Chisholm. Expedition Yellowstone.
Colorado: Roberts Rhinehart Inc. Publishers, 1986.
Russel, Carl P. Firearms, Traps and Tools of the Mountain Men.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY (Cont’d)
Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 1967.
Sandoz, Mari. The Beaver Men: Spearheads of Empire.
New York: Hastings House Publishers, 1964.
Utley, Robert. A Life Wild and Perilous: Mountain Men and the Paths to the Pacific
New York: Henry Holt and Co., 1997.
Victor, Frances Fuller. The River of the West: The Adventures of Joe Meek.
Walters, Keith. The Book of the Free Trapper.
Tennessee: Pioneer Press, 1981.
Wishart, David J. The Fur Trade of the American West.
Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1979.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The Wyoming Stat Museum Discovery Trunk Program has been assembled by the Wyoming
State Museum Staff. Funding was provided by the Wyoming State Museum Volunteers to
establish the Discovery Trunk Program at the State Museum.
Special thanks to the Fort Casper Museum for assisting in the creation of this Discovery
Trunk. Fort Casper's Discovery Trunk Program is recognized as the model for the Wyoming
State Museum Discovery Trunk Program.
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ACTIVITIES
In this section, activities are presented for teachers to consider for class use.
Included in these activities are classroom components and take home components.
For take home assignments the museum has provided research paper prompts that
can be used by teachers for framework for actual assigned homework. These prompts
are designed to help build students constructive writing base and will prepare
students for further writing assignments down the line in middle school and high
school. Other activities that are included are in-class assignments such as a maze
worksheet, a crossword worksheet, and a create your own mountain man worksheet.
Writing Prompts:
Have students write 1-2 pages about the following prompts.
UNIT ONE: Image yourself as a mountain man, write a story about how you trapped
beaver and then headed to the annual rendezvous to sell the pelt. Make your story a
adventure with lots of detail.
UNIT TWO: Detail the 3 hardships mountain men faced in the wilderness. Write about
how the mountain man overcame these hardships by himself.
UNIT THREE: Write about the legacy of the mountain man, include any personal
stories of going in to the wilderness with family and how this relates to the mountain
man.
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MOUNTAIN MEN BEAVER MAZE
You are a mountain man on the trail and you must find the beaver to collect its
pelt! Work your way through the maze until you reach the beaver!
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MOUNTAIN MEN BEAVER MAZE
ANSWER KEY
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Create Your Own Mountain Man
Create your own mountain man by naming, dressing, and giving the mountain
man 5 items out of the Discovery Trunk. Then once your mountain man is made, write
a paragraph describing your mountain man. If needed used the back of this worksheet
to finish your mountain man story.
MOUNTAIN MAN NAME:______________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
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____________________________________________________________________________________
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MOUNTAIN MEN CROSSWORD
ANSWER KEY
For this activity teachers should lay out the items that are listed on this
answer key, then students will be able to see the items that are being talked about
in the descriptions on their worksheets. This will help teach through visual
learning.
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35
Exploring History with Artifacts - Individual Activity
(This activity works well as either an introduction before the students know the uses of the
artifacts, how they were made, what they are made from, or who might have used them.)
For this in class activity, students should be provided with the “Exploring History with
Artifacts” worksheet, found on pages 37 and 38 as well as in the back of this notebook, as well
as an artifact from the Mountain Man Discovery Trunk. Students will also need a ruler.
The purpose of the “Exploring History with Artifacts” worksheet is to provide students with
an opportunity to closely examine the details of an artifact and also begin thinking of its
tangible characteristics as well as those that cannot be viewed. Page one of the worksheet has
students example the tangible aspects of their artifact, while page two prompts them to think
about the use, dates, and questions they have about it.
After students have had time to complete both pages, it can be fun to go around the
classroom and have each student show his/her artifact and share something interesting they
noted about it as well as a question they have about it.
Classroom Museum
Exploring History with Artifacts Follow-Up Activity
Classroom Museum: This activity can be revisited at the end of the unit where each student
write a label for their artifact based on what they’ve learned, and then the class can put
together a classroom museum with all of the artifacts and invite other classrooms to visit their
museum.
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Name: __________________________
Exploring History with Artifacts
Artifact: An object that was made or used by humans and is of archaeological or historical
interest.
1. What is the artifact made out of?




Bone
Pottery
Metal
Wood




Stone
Leather
Glass
Paper

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Cardboard
Cotton
Plastic
Other Material
2. Describe how the artifact looks and feels.
Shape: ___________________________
Size: ____________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
Color: ___________________________
Weight: __________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
Texture: _________________________
Moveable Parts: ___________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
Is there anything written, printed, or stamped on it: _____________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
3. Draw and color pictures of the object from the top, bottom, and side.
Top
Bottom
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Side
4. Uses of the artifact
How do you think the artifact was used? ______________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Who do you think might have used the artifact? _______________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
When do you think the artifact was used? _____________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
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Can you name a similar item that is used today? _______________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
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5. Discussion
What does your artifact tell you about technology at the time your artifact was made and
used? ____________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
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What does the artifact tell you about the lives of the people that made or used it?
__________________________________________________________________________________
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What are some questions you have about the artifact or things you want to learn about it?
___________________________________________________________________________________
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