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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 weather like as the snowshoers traveled?

2. What happened to the Breen's dog, Towser?

3. Why did Virginia write such a long letter?

4. What was Nancy Graves' emotional status after the rescue?

5. How did Mary Murphy's first husband treat her?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why didn't the Donner families camp with the others?

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

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

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

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

6. What was happening to the group morale?

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

8. How did Virginia deal with the idea of cannibalism?

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

10. What was the Reed reunion like?

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

What were the troubles that the members of the wagon train faced as they crossed the Great Salt Lake Desert? How did it affect the humans, and how did it affect the animals? What did it do for group morale?

Essay Topic 3

What were some of the things the members of the Donner Party resorted to as they tried to deal with their hunger?

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