In the early decades of the nineteenth century, "mountain men" such as Jedediah Smith and Jim Beckwourth explored the western United States and earned a living by trapping animals for their fur. How did they contribute to westward expansion?

Question

A.
They blazed trails that later pioneers would follow.
B.
They recruited workers to build the transcontinental railroad.
C.
They established outposts that would later become towns.
D.
They surveyed land so it could be sold to farmers.

Answer 1

A. They blazed trails that later pioneers would follow.

Mountain men explored and mapped the western territories, opening up routes that would enable pioneers and settlers to move westward during the westward expansion. Their knowledge of the land and trails facilitated migration and settlement in those areas.