The result was the first version of what became the most popular educational computer game of the 1980s and 90s. We had access to a mainframe computer that did all its communicating via printed text. My partner math teachers knew some programming. I wanted a game to help me teach about the Westward Movement in the mid-1800s.

We'll set off early tomorrow, before dawn if we can get Billy up and dressed early enough.The Oregon Trail game was invented in 1971 by Bill Heinemann, Paul Dillenberger, and myself when we were seniors at Carleton College (MN) training to be teachers. I got extra sets of clothing so the children do not die of exposure out there. I got 1500 pounds, which is a lot but I do not wish to hunt all the time, especially when you get out west and stand there for a long time hoping to even see a jackrabbit. Then I had to get food, flour, sugar, bacon, and coffee. Sometimes they wander off or die so it's best to have more than you think you might need, or at least that's what Pappy always said. It was expensive but I think it's best to start the trip with at least three yoke of oxen. Today we took the kids with us to Matt's General Store to purchase supplies for the trip. Billy was colicky last night and I am beat tired but I had some coffee and we set off for Oregon at long last. We will set off on a grueling pace tomorrow morning.ДЇrom Independence it is 102 miles to the Kansas River Crossing. They will wish they were more helpful when we are out west on bare bones rations. I do not know why these dag blasted kids do not help me carry the food back to the wagon. I got a buffalo but I was only able to carry 100 pounds of food back to the wagon. I sized up the situation and decided to hunt for food since the animals are more plentiful out here on the plains. I am tired of buffalo for now.ДЄ thief came during the night and stole 48 bullets. We will set off strenuously after a day of rest, a coffee and some bacon. Grass is good for the oxen, so they can eat. It is nice and blue and green here, water and grass. Fording the river is always an adventure, but I would hate to lose my vast store of supplies, so I think we best caulk the wagon and float it across. A ferry is nice but expensive and I am but a carpenter with limited resources. I do not foresee conditions improving unless the river dries.

I do not need more information than that. Well, there is a river and we have to cross it. I have to decide if we should attempt to ford the river, caulk the wagon and float it across, take a ferry across, wait to see if conditions improve, or get more information. I hope I can get accepted over at wtf_user_info2 because it would give me something to do to distract myself from my worries and the thoughts of the long, long road ahead of us. I am distraught over that wagon mishap back at the river. Those squirrels are much too fast for me, the little devils. We set off on our journey after a filling breakfast of flapjacks on the griddle over the fire, but then we lost the darn trail and lost two days. We will rest here before setting off again. I am a bit worried after our last river-crossing endeavor in which we tipped over and lost 8 sets of clothing, among other things. Everything is fine now as we have made it to the Big Blue River crossing. That silly girl would lose her head, I tell you. We had quite a scare yesterday when Anna Mae got lost. I think I have improved my caulking skills. We had no trouble floating the wagon across. Remind me that I have to teach these kids the value of pulling their weight around here when we get to Oregon. Hopefully someone will discover the buffalo while it is still fresh. I suppose if we had an extra day to spare, I could have spent more time carrying meat to the wagon because it seems silly indeed to waste 870 pounds of food. However, I was only able to carry 100 pounds back to the wagon. From the animals I shot, I got 970 pounds of meat.

Oregon trail 2 two wagon weight