Fabric of History

The Oregon Trail: The Game vs. Reality

May 04, 2022 Bill of Rights Institute Season 5 Episode 37
The Oregon Trail: The Game vs. Reality
Fabric of History
More Info
Fabric of History
The Oregon Trail: The Game vs. Reality
May 04, 2022 Season 5 Episode 37
Bill of Rights Institute

What happens when a pop culture depiction of history is better known than the history itself? The well-known Oregon Trail computer game created in the 1970s brings players on a tumultuous journey from Independence, Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon in the mid-1800s, but how accurate to history is it? In this special episode of Fabric of History, Mary is joined by Dr. Andrew Fisher, author and Associate Professor of History at the College of William and Mary, to shed light on how accurate the game's challenges were. Why did so many Americans choose to go West in the mid-1800s?  What were the impacts of pioneers interacting with Native Americans and their territory as they moved West?

View our episode page for additional resources!
https://billofrightsinstitute.org/podcasts/the-oregon-trail-the-game-vs-reality

Show Notes

What happens when a pop culture depiction of history is better known than the history itself? The well-known Oregon Trail computer game created in the 1970s brings players on a tumultuous journey from Independence, Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon in the mid-1800s, but how accurate to history is it? In this special episode of Fabric of History, Mary is joined by Dr. Andrew Fisher, author and Associate Professor of History at the College of William and Mary, to shed light on how accurate the game's challenges were. Why did so many Americans choose to go West in the mid-1800s?  What were the impacts of pioneers interacting with Native Americans and their territory as they moved West?

View our episode page for additional resources!
https://billofrightsinstitute.org/podcasts/the-oregon-trail-the-game-vs-reality