View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Who joined the Donner party as they cleared the trail through the Wasatch?
(a) Hastings
(b) Charles Stanton
(c) Franklin Graves and his extended family
(d) Luis and Salvador

2. Why did Reed kill Snyder?
(a) Snyder attacked his wife.
(b) He hated the man.
(c) It was an act of self-defense.
(d) Snyder was stealing from his family.

3. What reputation did the 40 mile desert have?
(a) It was more beautiful than other deserts.
(b) It was a graveyard for abandoned wagons.
(c) It was forgiving for a desert.
(d) It was a death trap.

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

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

Short Answer Questions

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

2. Where did the United States end?

3. What West Hastings' occupation?

4. How fast was the Donner Party moving as they blazed through the Wasatch?

5. What disaster occurred while James Reed rode ahead?

Short Essay Questions

1. What was crossing the desert like?

2. What happened to the group as they reached near the summit of Sierra Nevada?

3. Even though Hastings didn't meet them at the Fort, why did they continue to go on to take the Cutoff?

4. What happened to James Reed after he killed Snyder?

5. How did the Reed wagons do on the journey?

6. How did Virginia feel about her traveling clothes?

7. What happened to the oxen during the six days it took to get through the desert?

8. What did the Donner party find when they emerged from the Cutoff?

9. What happened to Mr. Hardcoop?

10. Describe what would eventually become known as the Pioneer Palace Car.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 615 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample