An illustration shows a line of covered wagons traveling along a trail through the wilderness what was the biggest threat of traveling west in the manner shown in the illustration •disease spread quickly because the travelers lived so close together •individual wagons would often times he separated from the group •settlers were unable to purchase or trade for goods along the way •groups faced the possibility of ambush by hostile natives

While many believed that Native Americans were truly their greatest threat, in reality, it was the simple and mundane things like disease and accidents that did the most damage to the travelers. The fact that they traveled so closely together (and without the help of proper modern medicine) it was easier to get sick and without the ability to heal, eventually die from simple diseases such as the common cold. Other ways pioneers could be injured is by buggy turnovers on the steeper areas of hills and mountains which had more of a rocky flooring.