The Donner Party by Penelope Johnson https://padlet.com/pjohnson2026/x41qrqlgn29f79v7 Social Studies Westward Expansion presentation en-us 2022-02-17 12:41:27 UTC 2022-02-18 18:10:36 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet.net/icons/png/1f37d.png Springfield, IL, USA pjohnson2026 https://padlet.com/pjohnson2026/x41qrqlgn29f79v7/wish/2055248095 Brothers George and Jacob Donner leave Springfield with their families and local business man James Reed on April 14, 1846]]> 2022-02-18 13:39:32 UTC https://padlet.com/pjohnson2026/x41qrqlgn29f79v7/wish/2055248095 Hastings Cutoff, Grantsville, UT, USA pjohnson2026 https://padlet.com/pjohnson2026/x41qrqlgn29f79v7/wish/2055254579 After traveling west with a larger wagon train, the Donner Party decided to take a "shortcut" recommended by the unreliable author, Lansford Hastings, called Hastings Cut Off. About 80 people and 20 wagons went this way, south of Utah's Great Salt Lake, with the rest of the train traveling on the well-known Oregon Trail. They entered the Cut Off on July 31, 1846.]]> 2022-02-18 13:43:27 UTC https://padlet.com/pjohnson2026/x41qrqlgn29f79v7/wish/2055254579 Great Salt Lake Desert, Utah, USA pjohnson2026 https://padlet.com/pjohnson2026/x41qrqlgn29f79v7/wish/2055267270 They gathered as much water and grass as possible and set off onto the Great Salt Lake desert on August 30.]]> 2022-02-18 13:50:49 UTC https://padlet.com/pjohnson2026/x41qrqlgn29f79v7/wish/2055267270 Humboldt River, Nevada, USA pjohnson2026 https://padlet.com/pjohnson2026/x41qrqlgn29f79v7/wish/2055270530 The Party didn't reach the Humboldt River until late September, while the original train had already reached California. There was now little time to pass through the Sierra Nevada before winter weather struck.]]> 2022-02-18 13:52:35 UTC https://padlet.com/pjohnson2026/x41qrqlgn29f79v7/wish/2055270530 Donner Pass, California, USA pjohnson2026 https://padlet.com/pjohnson2026/x41qrqlgn29f79v7/wish/2055275095 On October 31st, the Donner Party reached what is now know as Donner Pass in the Sierra Nevada, and found their path blocked by heavy snow. ]]> 2022-02-18 13:55:17 UTC https://padlet.com/pjohnson2026/x41qrqlgn29f79v7/wish/2055275095 Fort Sutter, L Street, Sacramento, CA, USA pjohnson2026 https://padlet.com/pjohnson2026/x41qrqlgn29f79v7/wish/2055287267 A relief party was organized and left Fort Sutter, Sacramento on January 31, 1847. Six Men reached the Donner Party's camp on February 18th.]]> 2022-02-18 14:02:41 UTC https://padlet.com/pjohnson2026/x41qrqlgn29f79v7/wish/2055287267 Primary Source - Diary of Patrick Breen pjohnson2026 https://padlet.com/pjohnson2026/x41qrqlgn29f79v7/wish/2055288974 Patrick Breen, a member of the Donner Party, wrote in his diary, 

“... snow about 5 ½ feet or 6 deep difficult to get wood no gong from the house completely housed up looks as likely for snow as when it commenced, our cattle all killed but three or four them, the horses & Stantons mules gone & cattle suppose lost in the Snow no hopes of finding them alive” On December 1, 1846, 

And later, 

“... The Donnos told the California folks that they commence to eat the dead people 4 days ago, if they did not succeed that day or the next in finding their cattle then under ten or twelve feet of snow…” On February 26, 1847.]]> 2022-02-18 14:03:41 UTC https://padlet.com/pjohnson2026/x41qrqlgn29f79v7/wish/2055288974 Key terms and dates pjohnson2026 https://padlet.com/pjohnson2026/x41qrqlgn29f79v7/wish/2055609692 - George and Jacob Donner, James Reed: Leaders of the Donner Party. On October 5, 1846, James reed was involved in an altercation with another man which ended in him fatally stabbing the man, leading to him being banished from the party.

- Westward Expansion: This term refers to the migration of American people towards California, primarily for the lands rich resources and fertile farmlands

- Sierra Nevada: Where Donner Pass is located, the party had attempted to cross but was stopped due to heavy snow

- July 20, 1846: The fateful day on which the first mistake was made, splitting off from the larger wagon train to continue on Hasting's Cut Off

- Donner Pass: Aforementioned place in the Sierra Nevada where George Donner lost almost half of his 80 person party


]]> 2022-02-18 17:00:24 UTC https://padlet.com/pjohnson2026/x41qrqlgn29f79v7/wish/2055609692 Donner Lake, Truckee, CA, USA pjohnson2026 https://padlet.com/pjohnson2026/x41qrqlgn29f79v7/wish/2055639861 The party became trapped near what is now called Donner Lake. Food and supplies depleted rapidly and many oxen ran away.
This camp s where cannibalism likely occured.]]> 2022-02-18 17:18:45 UTC https://padlet.com/pjohnson2026/x41qrqlgn29f79v7/wish/2055639861 Summary pjohnson2026 https://padlet.com/pjohnson2026/x41qrqlgn29f79v7/wish/2055704829 The Donners left Springfield and began to travel west with a larger wagon train, they decided later to take a shortcut, Hasting's Cutoff, instead of traveling on the better known, and safer, Oregon Trail. Lansford Hastings recommended this "shortcut", but what the party didn't know was that he was unreliable and the path had never actually been travelled.  In reality, they Were months behind the original wagon train.

The 80ish members of the party became trapped near Donner Lake when heavy snowfall made it impossible to pass through the Sierra Nevada. A relief party was sent from Sacramento but the conditions were becoming increasingly desolate. Many researchers believe that they resorted to eating their dogs, oxen, and possibly other members of the party.]]> 2022-02-18 18:00:41 UTC https://padlet.com/pjohnson2026/x41qrqlgn29f79v7/wish/2055704829 Works Cited pjohnson2026 https://padlet.com/pjohnson2026/x41qrqlgn29f79v7/wish/2055715315 All That's Interesting. “The True Story of the Donner Party, History's Most Infamous Act of Mass Cannibalism.” All That's Interesting, All That's Interesting, 20 Sept. 2021, https://allthatsinteresting.com/donner-party. 
“The Diary of Patrick Breen.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/donner-diary-patrick-breen/. 
“Donner Party.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/topic/Donner-party. 
“Donner Pass.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/place/Donner-Pass. 
“Reasons for Westward Expansion.” History, 31 Jan. 2019, https://www.historyonthenet.com/reasons-for-westward-expansion. 
“What the Donner Party Consumed in Their Last Days.” NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group, 10 Oct. 2011, https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna44848382. 
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