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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. How did people learn about the story of the Donner Party?

2. What did Aunt Betsy cook in the morning?

3. Who did Mrs. Murphy say they ought to eat?

4. What happened when Margaret tried to cross the mountain?

5. How did the native Americans help the snow shoers?

Short Essay Questions

1. What did the group do when they realize that they couldn't reach a summit?

2. How many people were stuck camping near the lake, and how many people went off to find help nine days before Christmas?

3. How did the members of the Donner Party interact when they reached California?

4. Why didn't Tamsen Donner allow herself to be rescued for a second time?

5. What did they decide to do for food in order to survive?

6. What happened to Louis Keseberg?

7. What complications did the group which later became known as Forlorn Hope face?

8. How did William Eddy react to the plan that Williams Foster had- to kill the Indians?

9. How many rescue teams were there, and what did they find?

10. What did the Miwok Indians do to help them?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Address the issue of cannibalism. What was it and who resorted to it. How did they feel about it, and what rules did they have concerning it?

Essay Topic 2

What disrupted James Reed's attempt to put together rescue teams? How did he manage to eventually get help?

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)

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