Personal Narrative: The Donner Party

In the spring of 1846 a group of 87 people would leave their homes and head west in the hope and promise of free land. This group of 87 individuals would later be known as the infamous “Donner Party” (McGill). The Donner Party consisted of the Donner family and the Reed family. Led by George Donner, this group of pioneers, like many other groups, were exceedingly eager to make it to California, but unlike the other groups the Donner Party planned to take a short cut. “This short cut was known as ‘Hastings Cutoff’, which was made

People were forced to leave their wagons behind and had to walk the rest of the way to receive water and to head to the land known as California. During the middle of the journey to California party leaders, husbands, and young left their families to go fight against Mexico, in the war between the United States and Mexico. Women, children, and little amounts of men tried their best to make it as far as they could without their husbands and leaders. One of the largest problems the donner party faced was snow stopped many from traveling on. There was no way of getting food because everything was covered in snow. All you could do is kill cattle, but eventually they ran out. People were dying and causing much grief for others. Making it harder for the people to travel on and get more food. It was hard to continue without any help.They fixed this problem of starving by killing more cattle and all different types of animals they could find, after some time there stock ran out as animals moved away for the winter season. People were killed as sacrifices, some murdered. Fellow friends and enemies would eat their meat, desperate for

The Donner Party was a catastrophic event that happened in the late 1840's. It was a famous misfortune that had occurred in the spring of 1846. As a matter of fact, it was led by two wealthy brothers, Jacob and George Donner. As well as, nearly 90 emigrants left Springfield, Illinois and headed west. They attempted to take a shorter route to California, but were unsuccessful and as a result, they got trapped by heavy snowfall in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

The Donners made a lot of poor decisions each one affected their outcome. For example, some of the biggest mistakes made in their journey was choosing poor guides, delaying their trip to stop and rest,and they did not pack enough supplies for their long journey. The Donner Party was a wagon party traveling westward. The Donner Party was a on a journey heading west in the spring of 1846 from Springfield, Illinois. The Party was led by Jacob and George Donner. The brothers decided to take the so called shortcut Hastings passage. The Party was forced to resort to cannibalism while they were trapped in the mountains snow all around them. They were forced to eat the dead bodies of their friends and family. The poor decisions made throughout the journey westward substantially contributed problems that occurred and what eventually led to the failure of the journey to the

The Donner Party was a group of American pioneers that set out for California, on their journey they took a "short cut" that was meant to cut time and distance. Their trip was delayed by a series of mistakes and they were forced to spend the winter trapped in the mountains. Only a portion of the group survived the harsh winter months and they did so by resorting to cannibalism. Nearly two centuries after that event, we can learn that the American dream can only be achieved through sound decision making. While the Donner party made various mistakes on the trail, their biggest mistake was trying to take a short cut through an unknown territory. Thousands of people had achieved their American dream in the Western United

In the early 1800’s, the United States had an escalating number of settlers looking to conquer and create new lives in the West. Many also joined the movement inspired by Manifest Destiny, the idea that the land between the Atlantic and Pacific was American therefore should be established by settlers. A group traveling westward as part of the movement in 1846 suffered sorrow at every turn consequently ending in the 34 casualties of 87 original settlers. This group was led by Jacob and George Donner, later the pioneers inherited the name the Donner Party. In the Spring of 1846 the settlers left Springfield, Illinois and pursued a route that was supposedly a shorter course for California. After multiple delays the Donner Party became caught in many snowstorms high in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. As a result the group reduced to cannibalism to survive the harsh winters. Despite the dangerous trek ahead, the Donner Party traveled westward in hopes of creating new lives in California, they also traveled in aspirations of finding jobs

The Donner party was like a group of people in wagons that headed west. They thought that by doing that they would get better life's. Baisicly what the meant was to start a new life. The leader of the Donner party was George Donner.

on April 16,1846 nine covered wagons left Springfield, Illinois on the journey to California.the originator of the donner party was a man named James Frasier reed,an Illinois businessman eager to build a fortune in the rich land of California.reed also hoped that his wife, Margaret,who suffered from headaches,might improve by the coastal climate.reed had read the book the emigrants guide to Oregon and California, by landsford w. Hastings found a new shortcut across the great bastin.the route enticed travelers by advertising that it would save them 350-450 miles.

The Donner Party is a big horrible disaster it all started in Illinois april 1846. The Donner party was a group of 89 immigrants, led by George and Jacob Donner.

The weather was either so hot you nor your animals could bear to go on. At times it would get so cold you couldn’t even move your toes. It would rain at times and your wagon wheels would get stuck and you wouldn’t be able to go on any longer. The dust on the trail was sometimes two or three inches deep. Ox shoes had fallen off and their hooves split.

On April 6,1846 the Donner and Reed Party embarked on their journey to the country of California for new opportunities and a better life. This was the driving force that called pioneers to make the long 1,500 mile journey across plains, mountains, and desert. However the Donners had encountered such difficulties that no man or woman should experience, and barely made it to California alive.

I took three political party quizzes in class today. The first one was absolute bollocks. It told me that I was a authoritarian, I can’t even pronounce that word! Do you know what an authoritarian is? An authoritarian is someone who favors or enforces strict obedience to authority at the expense of personal freedom. Not bloody likely. However, I was able to redeem myself with our second political party quiz. Now this quiz was...correct, and I can’t say I was surprised, I think it was more akin to shock. Yes. Shock. Now, going into this I figured I would come out as a liberal democrat I guess I just underestimated how liberal. As it turns out I am as far left as one can go on the scale, so if you see me in the future leading all the protests,

Ordeal by Hunger is a true story that shows the struggles that the Donner Party had to go through trying to reach California. They were just one of many wagon trains that were migrating to California. Some of the migrants were trying to find a better life, and get rich. Others were already rich, but wanted a nice place to stay at. Many people had heard how great California was. They migrated by wagons pulled by oxen, and traveled about 30 miles per day. This trip was long, it was suppose to take a couple of months to reach their destination of California, but along the way they met some difficulties. They tried to take a shortcut, but it resulted in a longer route. They faced hunger, thirst, and fatigue. Many didn’t make it, but those that did faced terrible experiences. The Oregon trail is a very important event in history. The Donner Party is just one story of many that migrated to California on this trail.

August 3. We met riders coming east. They warned us not to take the shortcut. But papa says he read that the trail is good four oxen are dead from drinking poisoned water. Their bellies were full like balloons. August 12. I cannot ride billy anymore. The brush is too thick now. There is no trail. We must make our own trail as we go. The men cut down trees as we go. They move huge rocks out of the way. And we go one two miles every day. Time is as slow as a wagon wheel. I count the spokes one two

The Donner-Reed Party was a bunch of brave people ready to begin a dangerous journey to freedom. For many people, freedom meant different things to many people. For some, it meant a new life or a new place. For others, it meant adventure. The Donner-Reed Party was led by George Donner, Jacob Donner, and James Reeds. These men wanted a new life and better life. The Donner and Reed families came on the journey with support, love, and an adventure. One day on the journey, one guide never arrived which made it difficult to know where to go. Since the guide didn’t show up and it caused many conflicts. For instance, two men got into a fight, and one of them killed the other and he was punished (McAndrew 36). The Donner-Reed Party was a group of emigrants traveling to California, along with the journey the Donner-Reed Party encountered many obstacles while on the Oregon Trail this led to many consequences, and they dealt with theses problems in many different ways.