The Oregon Trail
You have died of dysentery
The 1971 educational game that taught American children about westward expansion while killing their virtual families with disease.
Overview
The Oregon Trail is possibly the most played educational game in American history. Originally written in 1971 for a teletype machine, it was continuously updated and re-released, becoming standard software in American schools through the Apple II era and beyond.
The game simulated the 19th-century journey from Missouri to Oregon, teaching history through resource management and survival decisions. Its frank depiction of death from disease, starvation, and accidents made it memorable - “You have died of dysentery” became a cultural touchstone.
Fast Facts
- Original version: 1971 (Don Rawitsch, Bill Heinemann, Paul Dillenberger)
- Publisher: MECC (Minnesota Educational Computing Consortium)
- Famous version: Apple II (1985)
- Genre: Educational simulation
- Setting: 1848 Oregon Trail
- Legacy: Countless versions and parodies
Gameplay
Players led a wagon party westward:
- Buy supplies - Food, ammunition, spare parts, oxen
- Hunt for food - Action sequences shooting animals
- Ford rivers - Risk drowning or pay for ferries
- Manage health - Disease was constant threat
- Make pace decisions - Speed vs. exhaustion
- Random events - Theft, weather, illness
Educational Content
The game taught:
- 19th-century American history
- Geography of the American West
- Resource management
- Decision-making consequences
- Pioneer life hardships
Cultural Impact
Oregon Trail became embedded in American culture:
- “Died of dysentery” meme
- Shared school computer lab memories
- Multiple remakes and parodies
- Referenced in countless media
- Nostalgia-driven revivals
Versions
The game was continuously updated:
- 1971 - Original teletype version
- 1974 - Mainframe version
- 1985 - Apple II version (most famous)
- 1992 - CD-ROM multimedia version
- 2000s-present - Handheld and mobile versions
Legacy
Oregon Trail proved that educational games could be genuinely engaging. Its influence extends to modern educational game design and the “edutainment” genre.