Authoring, Researching, Reporting and Other Work

Old National Road Activity:  For Students of All Ages-- Your Job
Learning On-Line Activity Page by Howard Taylor
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Welcome to My National Road Activity
19th Century
Travel on the "Old National Road"
. . . .Also known as Cumberland Trail, Cumberland Pike, National Trail.  the Nemacolin's Path and old Braddock's Road are connected with this First Interstate Highway for the United States
 
Now known as 
U.S. 40
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Signs at the Intersection of U.S. 40 and Old National Road, W. of Marshall, Il

This Activity will start with George Washington and General Braddock the French and Indian War and can end with what's on U.S. 40 today.  U.S. 40 used to be called the Old National Trail.  It was the 1st Interstate Highway for America and was initiated by President Thomas Jefferson.

Sounds Interesting, huh!  and the Old Trail is our neighbor in Central Illinois!  Have fun doing some or all of the activities I am providing.

Your JOB:
1.  Work the Old Trail Puzzle
2.  Answer the questions in the boxes below from National Trail resource sites.
 3.  Create a paper document (book) with illustrations and text
Include images and text (information) about each of these topics:  cover, table of contents, illustrations, page numbers and all the neat stuff you see in a good book.
4.  Use the Notepad Sheets to record your research information.  Be sure to give credit to the web site including Title and URL.

Find Your Answers from these National Road Resources
&
Check Out these Additional Pioneer Resources
Include the points you will research from
any or all the boxes below:
Box #1
The Beginning:

1.  The Origin of the National Trail--
2.  When did it start? 
3.  What President authorized it? 
4.  Why did our country need a "coast-to-coast highway?"
5.  Where did the trail start?
6.  How did the Native Americans and Colonial Americans get around in the 18th century?
7.  How far did the original National Trail go?
(Where did it end?)
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 Box #2
Pioneers Travel West

Plan a journey on the National Trail--
1.  Why are you and the rest of the group going West?
2.  Group names and make-up (talents, ages, names)
3.  Decide where your destination will be.  Usually Pioneers in the mid 19th Century would go beyond Illinois.  Find a map for the journey.
4.  Decide how much money you have and go about purchasing a wagon(s), draft animals, medical, food, clothing, guns, ammo, spare parts for the upcoming trip.
5.  Decide when you are going to start (month, year, season(s) you will travel through.

Go on to the next box, for further directions
Box #3
Travel the Trail

1.  Get the group organized and start the journey.
2.  Keep a daily journal of the trip.  What happened that day-- good and bad, distance gained, weather, people's health, etc.
3.  Make your way using the stars, your map of sorts, Milestone Markers, Geographical landmarks, etc.  Maybe you have a compass.
4.  Describe river crossings, very bad swampy paths, "mean people" on the trail who would like to steal your money, condition of the animals, and the people in the group.
5.  Continue traveling until the destination is reached. 
6.  When reaching the final destination, make a report about who survived the trip from the group, the possessions that you didn't have to throw out to reduce weight, and other important thoughts.  Your journal will help to make this report.
7.  Why did towns, villages and cities form and grow on the route of the trail?
8.  What is the first town on the trail (only one for some time before Indiana?
 

 Box #4
Memorials and Historical Sites on the Old National Trail

1.  Write a persuasive paper on why it was a good thing that you and the group made the trip West.  Why is it better to be "Out West" than back home in the East.

2.  Make a memorial out of paper mache or even a poster, sign or painting to help further memorialize the people who made the long journey West, so that we can have the big country we have now.

3.  Write an expository paper on what the Madonna statues along the present U.S. 40 "Old Trail" stand for.  You will be surprised, after reading the reference links on the Madonna's.
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Box #5
Renamed U.S. 40

1.  Find out when the first U.S. Highway was built.
2.  How many U.S. highways are there?
3.  What was the highway surfaced with before being made a U.S. highway?
4.  Describe the vehicles that traveled on the highways--  1920's, 30's, 40's, 50's, 60's
5.  As time went by, the "Golden Age" of the old U.S. highways (including Rte. 66) faded.
Why do we like to visit the sites remaining on old U.S. 40?  Find some interesting places and describe them.
6.  How did U.S. highways like U.S. 40 help to move people to California, wind World War II, compete with the powerful railroads?
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 Box #6
U.S. Highway Demise

Businesses flourished along U.S. highways, people traveled them for recreation and business, and the "Golden Age" went on for several years.

1.  Why did the major highways, called U.S. highways, lose popularity, and all the businesses along them closed for no business?
2.  What is happening to old historic U.S. highways now?
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