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Students will analyze the role of mountain men in Wyoming and their influence on Westward expansion through collaborative research and discussion.

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1. Students will work effectively in groups to gather and share information from multiple sources (I.C.1)
2. Students will engage in inquiry-based learning to explore historical questions (I.D.4)
3. Students will reflect on and revise their learning strategies (IV.B.1)

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Display an image of a mountain man and ask students: What do you notice? What do you wonder? Record responses on a collaborative Padlet wall.

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In small groups, students examine primary sources (journals, maps, illustrations) about mountain men like Jim Bridger and Jedediah Smith. Each group member takes on a specific role (researcher, recorder, presenter).

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Road to Rendezvous: The Rocky Mountain Fur Trade in 1834 | WyoHistory.org

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As soon as Europeans came to the coasts of North America, they began trading for furs with the people who already lived here. On the first of June 1834, about 60 men and a caravan of horses and pack mules splashed across the Laramie River. They were headed for rendezvous in the mountains — the big summer fur-trading fair — and they were late.

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Create a class timeline of mountain men's activities in Wyoming. Students contribute key events and discoveries they found in their research.

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Students investigate the relationships between mountain men and Native American tribes. Groups create cause-and-effect charts showing positive and negative interactions.

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Students work in pairs to map important trade routes used by mountain men, identifying key geographic features and Native American territories.

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Create a digital museum exhibit about a specific mountain man, including artifacts, journal entries, and impact on Western expansion.

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Teacher checklist for monitoring group participation, collaboration skills, and understanding during research activities.

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Students complete a self-assessment rubric evaluating their research strategies and group contribution.

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Students create and present a digital story answering the guiding question, incorporating evidence from multiple sources.

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Teams share their most surprising discovery about mountain men and Indigenous peoples using a think-pair-share format.

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Students respond on individual Padlet posts: How did mountain men serve as a bridge between different cultures? What evidence supports your answer?

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Write a diary entry from the perspective of either a mountain man or a Native American describing a typical day of interaction.

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Complete the digital map activity identifying major fur trading posts and Native American territories in Wyoming.

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The Fur Trade in Wyoming | WyoHistory.org

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In the 1820s and 1830s, what’s now western Wyoming was at the center of the fur trade of the northern Rocky Mountains. Indians, trappers and their suppliers met each summer at a big trade fair called rendezvous, where trappers exchanged their season’s beaver pelts for hardware, whiskey and supplies. By 1840, demand for beaver had disappeared and the species had been nearly rubbed out. But the rendezvous supply routes were already becoming the trails that would bind the nation together.

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Read about the legacy of mountain men in Wyoming's history using provided digital resources.

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The Wyoming State Museum was established in 1895 by the 3rd State Legislature. It collects, preserves, and interprets a diverse range of objects, including history, art, anthropology, and natural history. These collections represent Wyoming’s heritage, from prehistory to the present day.