c) Cholera

Cholera was a significant health risk for westward-bound pioneers, representing the dangers and hardships of the journey. This bacterial disease, spread mainly through contaminated water sources, caused severe diarrhea and dehydration. Outbreaks of cholera were common along the trails, often in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions. The disease claimed thousands of lives, becoming a grim reality of the westward migration. The struggle against cholera and other diseases underscored the harshness of pioneer life and the resilience required to settle and thrive in the American West.