Ireland’s potato crop failed. the wooden- wheeled wagons used by the people heading west were called prairie the people heading west called themselves emigrants, but we call them most of the first pioneers that moved west did so because they wanted to escape an economic in the east. instead of traveling westward alone, groups joined together and traveled in trains. who founded the church of jesus christ of latter -day saints? what did others call the followers of this religion? why did this new leader decide to lead his people west?