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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What was the Caw tribe like?
(a) They were peaceful.
(b) They were wise and offered traveling advice.
(c) They wondered what the travelers were doing.
(d) They were hostile.

2. Who helped with the chores?
(a) Grandma
(b) Everyone over the age of five
(c) Only the women
(d) Only the men

3. How long did it take the group to prepare to travel?
(a) Several months
(b) Two years
(c) A week
(d) Two days

4. What was the hardest part of the trip?
(a) Keeping up with Hastings
(b) Ascending the Sierra Nevada
(c) Leaving home
(d) Dealing with death

5. What did the skilled explorers find about Hastings shortcut?
(a) It was fine if the travelers were experts.
(b) It was tricky in areas.
(c) Traveling it with oxen would be suicide.
(d) It was easier to travel than they had thought.

6. How fast was the Donner Party moving along the Humboldt?
(a) 2 miles a day
(b) 20 miles a day
(c) 15 miles a day
(d) 10 miles a day

7. How did the Reed women feel about the trip?
(a) They were very excited about the adventure.
(b) They thought they would regret it.
(c) They braced themselves for the harshness of it.
(d) It was going much better than they expected.

8. How did Reed react to Clyman's message?
(a) He told everyone they should move out as quickly as possible.
(b) He hugged the man for the good news.
(c) He started making weapons.
(d) He brushed off the warnings.

9. Who possessed the west?
(a) Mexico
(b) Californians
(c) England
(d) Native Americans

10. Why didn't the Donner Party see other travelers?
(a) The others were still far behind them.
(b) Everyone was avoiding them.
(c) They were on a different route.
(d) Most people head passed through a month before.

11. How with the group feeling by the time they reached the shore of the Great Salt Lake?
(a) Angry
(b) Worn-out and discouraged
(c) Euphoric
(d) Tired but happy

12. What was Reed going on to do?
(a) Negotiate with the Indians
(b) Get food for the travelers
(c) Find Hastings
(d) He was racing ahead to bring back help.

13. What wild animal almost broke into the camp?
(a) Bear
(b) Wolf
(c) Hog
(d) Buffalo

14. How many times had George Donner emigrated?
(a) 3
(b) 7
(c) Never
(d) 5

15. When did they think the summit would be snowed in?
(a) By January
(b) By the middle of November
(c) That week
(d) By the middle of December

Short Answer Questions

1. What was the Donner Party running low on?

2. How far into the established route did Hastings Cutoff appear?

3. What did Stanton recommend that the group do before crossing the Sierra Nevada Mountains?

4. What is caching, according to the emigrants?

5. What West Hastings' occupation?

(see the answer keys)

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