Final answer:
While the reference material doesn't provide specific details on how the issue of Conestoga wagons harming draft animals on downhills was solved, it implies that design features like curved floors and possibly the use of brake systems helped protect these animals.
Step-by-step explanation:
The problem of wagons unintentionally harming horses or oxen while going downhill was effectively solved by innovations in Conestoga wagons designs, although the specific details of how this issue was directly addressed in Conestoga wagons are not provided in the reference material provided.
Nonetheless, one can infer some of the broader historical context in which solutions to such issues might have been sought. Conestoga wagons were designed with a curved floor to prevent cargo from shifting. In addition, the usage of brake systems was known during the period, and such systems may have been used to control the descent of wagons on slopes, thereby protecting the draft animals from being overrun by the vehicle. Transport infrastructure was generally less developed, so wagons like the Conestoga that were used for cross-country travel needed to be robust and carefully designed to protect both the cargo and the animals.
During the expansion into the west, the Oregon Trail was a key route, used by many settlers traveling in wagon trains. The journey could take five to six months, was perilous with various dangers such as disease and accidents, and required careful planning and cooperation among the wagons in a group. Similarly, within cities, transport innovations continued with the adoption of rail and the eventual electrification of streetcars, reducing reliance on animals for power and improving city cleanliness. Innovations in agriculture, such as the heavy plow and the horse collar, also contributed to the changes in the way horses were used compared to oxen, suggesting broader trends in the refinement of tools and transport methods that could have indirectly impacted how wagon-related issues were addressed.