| Get your American paper. Read through the paper and be sure you know for what you are reading. Read this entire web page and then complete the paper. You may refer back to the web page as needed to complete the paper. Use full sentences, good spelling, proper capitalization and punctuation on your paper. |
Jedediah Smith's Journeys |
| In April, 1827, Jedediah Strong Smith, a fur trader and explorer, reached the American River. He was the first American trapper to come into the Central Valley. The land was no longer under the control of Spain. A war between Spain and New Spain saw a change of control over the land. New Spain's citizens fought for their independence, and after an eleven year war, they won. The land and new government became known as Mexico. Mexico didn't like that Smith had come into California over the Sierra Nevada Mountains and wanted him to leave. He was thought to be a spy for the Americans. |
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Jedediah Strong Smith |
| Smith made two trips to the American River and explored the area along what is now the American River Parkway. In fact, the bicycle trail along the American River is named after Jedediah Smith. After Smith's second trip to the American River, he gave reports of high quality beaver and otter furs along the river. He also indicated that there were many furs available. That created interest for the Hudson's Bay Company to send expeditions into the area. The Hudson's Bay Company was a fur trapping company. |
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Hudson's Bay Company fur traders |
| Smith wrote of meeting native Californians and gave them gifts as a gesture of goodwill, but they became frightened and ran. Others surrounded his men, and fired killing one and wounding another. Smith tried to offer gifts to those who had fled, but one of the natives had fallen. He found out that the fallen native was a girl of only 14 or 15, and she died from her fall. He was quoted as saying, "Could it be possible that we who called ourselves Christians were such frightful objects as to scare poor savages to death?" He left gifts with her and covered her with a blanket. |
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Painting of Jedediah Smith crossing the desert |
| Jedediah Smith named the American River "Wild River" because of the wildness of the natives in the area. |
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Painting of Jedediah Smith |
