Final answer:
The height of migration on the Oregon Trail was between 1845 to 1870, with over 400,000 travelers, but the exact peak year is not specified in the information provided.
Step-by-step explanation:
The peak year for people traveling on the Oregon Trail has not been clearly defined in the provided information. However, the period between 1845 and 1870 is considered the height of migration along the Oregon Trail, during which over 400,000 settlers embarked on the journey west from Missouri.
The Oregon Trail, spanning approximately 2,000 miles from Independence, Missouri, to the Willamette Valley in Oregon, served as a critical route for settlers seeking new lives in the West.
The trail was fraught with dangers, such as disease and accidents, and the journey often required great cooperation and coordination among traveling groups. Despite popular misconceptions, conflicts with Native Americans along the trail were rare. The grueling trek could take around five to six months to complete, with many travelers walking beside their heavily laden wagons to lighten the burden on their oxen.