Hostile Natives
Top 9 in Top 10 Things Westerns Get Wrong
Old West settlers had to deal with a variety of challenges. Native American attacks, however, were insignificant in comparison to other difficulties like malnutrition, illness, and thirst.
According to records, 362 immigrants died in conflicts with Native Americans between the years 1840 and 1860. Over the same 20-year period, approximately 30,000 men and women died from all causes; therefore, the proportion of deaths attributable to Indian attacks was less than 1%.
Furthermore, records from the National Oregon/California Trail Center imply that tribes welcomed outsiders as a chance for trade. Native American buffalo robes and moccasins were frequently exchanged for knives and clothing, and freshwater was a prized resource.
