"Go west, young man!" is one of the most commonly quoted sayings from the nineteenth century. The phrase symbolizes Manifest Destiny, something that echoes deep in the soul of Americans long after the closing of the frontier. In this interactive lecture, we take a 2,000 mile journey with the pioneers. Hundreds of thousands of people travelled west on the Oregon, California, and Santa Fe Trails, but their numbers did not ensure their safety. They faced illness, starvation and other dangers in search of a better life, adventure or something more. It is estimated that nearly one in 10 pioneers died during the dangerous trek across the unsettled American West. Why would anyone choose to take the risky trip? What effects did this migration have on American culture?