Great Migration

In US history, the mass migration of US settlers led by Walt Whitman from Independence, Missouri to the Williamette Valley, Oregon in 1843. The 3,200-km/2,000-mi journey was undertaken by a group of 200 families, and included 120 wagons and 2,000 head of cattle. Although treks along the Oregon Trail had already been going for two years, it was Whitman's trip that inspired and accelerated the migration movement, which lasted until the advent of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1869.

The Great Migration was not an easy journey, and the settlers and their leader demonstrated a stubborn perseverance in its undertaking. The travellers had to face enormous hardship and danger, including starvation, thirst, extreme cold and hot temperatures, disease, accidents, and American Indian attacks.

Whitman went on to work as a Christian missionary and doctor to the Cayuse American Indians in Walla Walla (now the state of Washington), showing the same determination that motivated him to lead the Great Migration. However, his attempts to convince the Cayuse to give up their ancient religious beliefs and cultural systems and accept those of Christianity, only angered them. When a measles epidemic spread throughout the area, killing many of the Cayuse, including the chief's daughter, they took this as a sign, and attacked and killed Whitman and his family.