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

Multiple Choice Questions

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

2. What disaster occurred while James Reed rode ahead?
(a) His wife was dead.
(b) Their wagon train had been attacked, and the food was stolen.
(c) 16 of his oxen stampeded into the desert.
(d) His daughter was stung by a scorpian.

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

4. Why did the travelers want to get to their destination by winter?
(a) The deep snows close the mountain passes.
(b) They wanted to celebrate Christmas in a new place.
(c) The mother was going to have a baby then.
(d) They were looking forward to warm weather in winter and no more snow.

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

6. What did the men do to the wagon wheels after crossing the Platte?
(a) They added metal to them.
(b) They completely dried them out.
(c) They sanded them down.
(d) They re-greased and re-set them.

7. What did the note from Hastings on the stick say?
(a) He told them to turn around and go back.
(b) The trail ahead was very bad, and they should wait for Hastings.
(c) He said he would be with them shortly.
(d) His party had gotten ill so they were delayed.

8. What was George Donner's occupation?
(a) He ran mills and made furniture.
(b) Lawyer
(c) Farmer
(d) He ran a grocery store.

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

10. What did the travelers eat for lunch?
(a) Bread and beef jerkey
(b) Venison
(c) Grits
(d) Fish

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

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

13. How did the Native Americans describe the Sierra Nevada?
(a) The protective wall
(b) Rock upon rock
(c) Entry to a new world
(d) Beauty and tragedy

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

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

Short Answer Questions

1. Where was the family going to move to?

2. What reputation did the 40 mile desert have?

3. Why did Sarah Keyes join the wagon train?

4. What did the surface of the desert consist of?

5. What was in the middle of the desert?

(see the answer keys)

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