# Fame.am profile — machine-readable export
# Canonical URL: https://fame.am/person/william-becknell
# Generated: 2026-08-13T13:44:49.026Z

schema: https://schema.org/Person
url: "https://fame.am/person/william-becknell"
name: "William Becknell"
slug: "william-becknell"
description: "William Becknell was an American soldier, politician, and freight operator who is credited by Americans with opening the Santa Fe Trail in 1821. He found a trail for part of the route that was wide enough for wagon trains and draft teams, making it easier for trader and emigrants along this route. The Santa Fe Trail became an early major transportation route through central North America that connected Franklin, Missouri with Santa Fe, New Mexico, serving both trading and emigrant parties. It served as a vital commercial highway from the 1820s until 1880, when the railroad was introduced to Santa Fe. Becknell made use of long-established trails made by Native Americans, and Spanish and French colonial explorers and traders for centuries before his trip."
tagline: "American politician (1790-1856)"
gender: "male"
country:
  name: "United States"
  isoCode: "US"
category:
  name: "Politicians"
  slug: "politicians"
profileType:
  name: "Politician"
  slug: "politician"
birthDate: "1790"
deathDate: "1856-04-25"
livingStatus: "DECEASED"
scores:
  popularity:           40.61
  momentum:             0
  historical:           6.544889333333334
  currentAttention:     0
  sourceConfidence:     39.99999999999999
  profileCompleteness:  55
  trendDirection:       "FALLING"
ranks:
  global:   null
  country:  null
  category: null
sources:
  - url: "https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Becknell"
    title: "William Becknell"
    type:  "WIKIPEDIA"
  - url: "https://arz.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%88%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%A7%D9%85_%D8%A8%D9%8A%D9%83%D9%86%D9%8A%D9%84"
    title: "وليام بيكنيل"
    type:  "WIKIPEDIA"
  - url: "https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Becknell"
    title: "William Becknell"
    type:  "WIKIPEDIA"
  - url: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Becknell"
    title: "William Becknell"
    type:  "WIKIPEDIA"
  - url: "https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Becknell"
    title: "William Becknell"
    type:  "WIKIPEDIA"
  - url: "https://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%88%DB%8C%D9%84%DB%8C%D8%A7%D9%85_%D8%A8%DA%A9%D9%86%D9%84"
    title: "ویلیام بکنل"
    type:  "WIKIPEDIA"
  - url: "https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%A6%E3%82%A3%E3%83%AA%E3%82%A2%E3%83%A0%E3%83%BB%E3%83%99%E3%83%83%E3%82%AF%E3%83%8D%E3%83%AB"
    title: "ウィリアム・ベックネル"
    type:  "WIKIPEDIA"
  - url: "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q563003"
    title: "Wikidata"
    type:  "WIKIDATA"

# bio (long form, separated for readability)
bio: |
  Imported from discovery source: wikidata-dump