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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. What was the Reed wagon later called?

2. How fast was the Donner Party moving along the Humboldt?

3. How old was Virginia Elizabeth Backenstoe Reed when the family left Illinois?

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

5. How long did it take the group to prepare to travel?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happened to Mr. Hardcoop?

2. What was crossing the desert like?

3. How did the women feel about the decision, and how was their opinion factored in?

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

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

6. How many miles a day did the Donner Party plan to go, and what with their actual pace?

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

8. What was the Forty Mile Desert like?

9. What did the families do in the evenings?

10. What did James Reed say that persuaded the man to take Hastings' Cutoff?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How did the group feel about the Native Americans? How did Luis and Salvador help the team? What happened to them? How did the team members react? How did the Miwok Indians help them?

Essay Topic 2

How did the descendants of the Donner Party feel about their relatives? What reputations did they have to live down?

Essay Topic 3

Describe what Christmas was like when the Donner Party members were trapped. Describe Christmas for those at the lake as well as the Forlorn Hope members.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 540 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample