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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What did Stanton recommend that the group do before crossing the Sierra Nevada Mountains?
(a) Pray
(b) Grab more water
(c) Eat
(d) Rest

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

3. How old was Virginia Elizabeth Backenstoe Reed when the family left Illinois?
(a) Almost 18
(b) Almost 7
(c) Almost 13
(d) Almost 25

4. How many people were in the group when it was at its full strength?
(a) 41
(b) 87
(c) 142
(d) 63

5. What was used to wash the dishes?
(a) They were wiped out with leaves.
(b) Soap and water
(c) They never washed dishes.
(d) Sand or gritty dirt

6. What happened to William Eddie's oxen?
(a) They died of starvation.
(b) They were killed by members of the wagon train.
(c) They were stolen and killed by the Paiutes.
(d) They wandered away.

7. What did the children suck on to bring forth saliva?
(a) Flattened bullets
(b) Their fingers
(c) Rock candy
(d) Stones

8. What book did Reed and Donner use for guidance?
(a) Go West, Young Man - Memoirs of Daniel Boone
(b) The Emigrants' Guide to Oregon and California
(c) California or Bust
(d) The Oregon Trail

9. How did the Murphy clan and the Reeds and Donners get along?
(a) They were constantly bickering.
(b) They were outrightly hostile to each other.
(c) They seemed wary of each other.
(d) They were like a big family.

10. What is caching, according to the emigrants?
(a) Dumping items out of the wagon
(b) Storing food they found on the trail
(c) Removing furniture and burying it to prevent theft
(d) Putting food aside in rations

11. Where was James Reed from originally?
(a) North Carolina
(b) New York
(c) Missouri
(d) Ireland

12. What was Sutter's fort like?
(a) It was too big to navigate in one day.
(b) It was very small, but had enough supplies to fulfill their needs.
(c) It was falling apart.
(d) It was like a small city.

13. How did Tamsen Donner women feel about the trip?
(a) She thought they would regret it.
(b) She thought it would be to their advantage.
(c) She thought it was going much better than expected.
(d) She braced herself for the harshness of it.

14. Where did the United States end?
(a) Missouri
(b) Texas
(c) California
(d) New Mexico

15. What was the Donner Party running low on?
(a) Ammunition
(b) Strength
(c) Water
(d) Food

Short Answer Questions

1. What did the skilled explorers find about Hastings shortcut?

2. What happened to Virginia's aunt according to her stories?

3. How many times had George Donner emigrated?

4. How long did the travelers expect to be in the Great Salt Lake Desert?

5. Who joined the Donner party as they cleared the trail through the Wasatch?

(see the answer keys)

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