WagonA wagon (or waggon) is a heavy four-wheeled vehicle pulled by draft animals or on occasion by humans, used for transporting goods, commodities, agricultural materials, supplies and sometimes people. Wagons are immediately distinguished from carts (which have two wheels) and from lighter four-wheeled vehicles primarily for carrying people, such as carriages. Wagons are often pulled by animals like horses, mules, and oxen, either a single animal, a pair, or larger teams.
International Brotherhood of TeamstersNorth American trade unionThe International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) is a labor union in the United States and Canada. Formed in 1903 by the merger of the Team Drivers International Union and the Teamsters National Union, the union now represents a diverse membership of blue- and white-collar workers in both the public and private sectors, totalling about 1.25 million members in 2025.
CartA cart is a two-wheeled vehicle designed for transport. It can be pulled by humans or draught animals such as horses, donkeys, mules and oxen, or smaller animals such as goats and large dogs. Carting is the transport of goods by horse-drawn cart, particularly the haulage of heavy loads such as coal. A carter is a person whose occupation is driving or managing a horse-drawn cart for heavy haulage, often walking beside the horses.
HorseThe horse (Equus ferus caballus) is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extantsubspecies of Equus ferus. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature, Eohippus, into the large single-toed animal of today, originally in North America.
Mexican–American WarThe Mexican–American War, also known in the United States as the Mexican War and in Mexico as the United States intervention in Mexico, (April 25, 1846 – February 2, 1848) was an invasion of Mexico by the United States.
American frontierHistorical region of Western United States, c. 1607–1912
Pack animalA pack animal, also known as a sumpter animal or beast of burden, is a working animal used to transport goods or materials by carrying them, usually on its back. Domestic animals of many species are used in this way, among them alpacas, Bactrian camels, donkeys, dromedaries, gaur, goats, horses, llamas, mules, reindeer, water buffaloes and yaks.
Truck driverA truck driver (commonly referred to as a trucker, teamster or driver in the United States and Canada; a truckie in Australia and New Zealand; an HGV driver in the United Kingdom, Ireland and the European Union, a lorry driver, or driver in the United Kingdom, Ireland, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Malaysia and Singapore) is a person who earns a living as the driver of a truck, which is commonly defined as a large goods vehicle (LGV) or heavy goods vehicle (HGV) (usually a semi truck, box truck, or dump truck).
OxAn ox (pl.: oxen), also known as a steer or bullock (in British, Australian, and Indian English), is a large bovine, trained and used as a draft animal. Oxen are commonly castrated adult male cattle, because castration inhibits testosterone and aggression, which makes the males docile and safer to work with. Cows (intact females) or bulls (intact males) may also be used in some areas.
Labor unions in the United StatesLabor unions in the United StatesHotel union workers strike with the slogan "One job should be enough"National organization(s)AFL-CIO, SOC, IWWRegulatory authorityUnited States Department of Labor National Labor Relations BoardPrimary legislationNational Labor Relations Act Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 Taft–Hartley ActTotal union membership14.7 million (2025)Percentage of workforce unionized10.0% (2025) Public: 32.9% Private: 5.9% International Labour OrganizationUnited States is a member of the ILOConvention ratificationFreedom of AssociationNot ratifiedRight to OrganiseNot ratified This article is part of a series on theEconomy ofthe United States History Agricultural Banking Dollar Lumber Petroleum Tariff Technological and industrial Sectors Primary sector Agriculture Energy Petroleum Electricity Mining Fishing Forestry Water and sanitation Secondary sector Automotive Iron and steel Pulp and paper Tertiary sector Social programs Transportation Tourism Education Gambling Healthcare Insurance Financial services Central bank Banking Largest banks Largest companies Economy by state California Texas New York Florida more...
MuleThe mule is a domestic equine hybrid between a donkey and a horse. It is the offspring of a male donkey (a jack) and a female horse (a mare). The horse and the donkey are different species, with different numbers of chromosomes; of the two possible first-generation hybrids between them, the mule is easier to obtain and more common than the hinny, which is the offspring of a male horse (a stallion) and a female donkey (a jenny).
OutfitterAn outfitter is a shop or person that sells specialized clothes (an outfit is a set of clothing). More specifically, it is a company or individual who provides or deals in equipment and supplies for the pursuit of certain activities. In North America, the term is most closely associated with outdoor activities such as hunting, fishing, canoeing, hiking, rafting and trail riding using pack stations.
ArrieroAn arriero, muleteer, or more informally a muleskinner (Spanish: arriero; Portuguese: tropeiro;) is a person who transports goods using pack animals, especially mules.
teamsterRelated word or term.wagonerRelated word or term.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.