What role did Lansford Warren Hastings play in the tragedy of the Donner Party?

Why was the Donner Party forced to stop in the Sierra Nevada Mountains?

What was the Forlorn Hope, and what became of this group?

Why was James Reed exiled from the group?

Describe some of the things the Donner Party used for food during the worst portions of their ordeal.

What happened to the Donner Party while traveling through the Great Salt Lake Desert?

How do modern descendants of the Donner Party commemorate the tragedy? How do they view their ancestors?