The Donner Party - Extra Credit Assignment

Background: Three years before the Gold Rush, 87 pioneers took a shortcut westward to California, only to get caught in the snows of the Sierra Nevada. The emigrants' fateful journey culminated in death and cannibalism.

Watch the Movie Here!  

Answer the questions based on the movie.  Your answers should be at least ONE (1) paragraph in length for you to receive credit.

WARNING:  If you are squeamish, and easily "grossed out," it is strongly advised that you DO NOT watch this movie!

Here are the questions...

1. What reasons led James Reed and George Donner to take Hastings’ Cutoff? Why was their decision unwise?

2. What other factors contributed to the failure of their venture?

3. Was Lansford Hastings to blame for what happened to the Donner Party? How?

4. What traits did members of the Donner and Reed families possess? Support your answer with examples from the film.

5. How did people in the 1840s view the American West? How did the story of the Donner Party help to strike down the myth of frontier idealism?