View a FREE sample

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

Short Answer Questions

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

2. What lured emigrants to California in 1849 in 1850?

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

4. What was the weather like as the snowshoers traveled?

5. How many rescue parties left Sutters Fort?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happened to the members of the Reed family?

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

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

4. What happened to Mary Murphy?

5. What did William Eddy and William Foster find when they went to rescue their families? Who did they rescue?

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

7. Why didn't the starving people hunt for food?

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

9. How did the Donner party story affect emigrants traveling West?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How has the story of the Donner Party affected people throughout history? Why is it pertinent to today's world?

Essay Topic 2

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

Essay Topic 3

What did the travelers have to do to prepare for their journey, and how long did it take them?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 512 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample