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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Independence, Missouri known for all of these except what?

2. What disaster occurred while James Reed rode ahead?

3. How many people were in the group when it was at its full strength?

4. How many miles would the cutoff save them?

5. What did James Clyman tell the travelers?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. Why did each family have three wagons?

3. What happened to John Snyder when his oxen team's yolks got tangled?

4. How did Virginia feel about her traveling clothes?

5. How were tasks divvied up on the wagon train?

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

7. Why did some of the people in Springfield question James Reed's ideas?

8. What happened to Mr. Hardcoop?

9. What was "The Emigrants Guide to Oregon and California" like?

10. Why did Virginia's father choose to take his family to California?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How were the members of the Donner Party betrayed by people along the way? Cite at least two examples.

Essay Topic 2

How did the journey to Independence, Missouri go, and what held them up? How did they feel about reaching the city?

Essay Topic 3

Why was Virginia so concerned about Indians? Were her worries valid? What was the Donner Party's experience with Indians the first time they came across them?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 633 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample