19330 - Diaries of Women Pioneers

Course Overview

The journey West was perilous and exciting. The journals kept by women pioneers, and the letters they sent home, provide details that enrich our understanding of the experience in a way that differs from and enhances the information we get from the writing of the men. The women prepared the meals, healed the sick, kept track of the children, counted the dead and the miles traveled, and drove the wagons if their husbands were lost along the way. This class examines the writings of women pioneers and reveals “behind the scenes” secrets of the settlement of the West. It will introduce you to a group of hardy and dedicated women, including some familiar names and a few you may not know yet.