The Donner party expedition

What was a day like in the Donner party?

First it would be the woman's job to prepare breakfast usually Cornmeal mush or hominy grits, Salt Pork or Bacon. It was usually the woman's job to cook the Bread over the coals of the fire. After that it was the younger girls job to take all the utensils and plates from their cloth bag, then scrub everything with sand after the meal. In the woman and girls free time they would knit, quilt, read, exchanged recipes, and chattered (talked). The primary job for the men and boys were to Hunt for animals or food, Protect the others, and search for supplies.

What happened after the main leader of the Donner party was thrown out of the expedition?

The old leader of the Donner party also known as Mr. Reeds was thrown out of the expedition because he killed a man for trying to cross in front of him. Once he was thrown out his daughter brought back some of his materials and gave it to him including his rifle, some bullets, buffalo hide to chew on, clothes, and Etc. After he was sent out he finally found California and sent out supplies and more people to guide the Donner party. After the supplies were sent it only lasted a week and people were being selfish because how scarce food was.

Where did the Donner party end and begin?

The Donner party was a group of Pioneers that wanted to travel to California before winter. The Donner party first started in Springfield, Illinois, 1846, with lots of meadows, lots of animals, and lots of people. The Donner party ended in Bear Valley, California, 1847, with a lot of snow and ice, scarce animals, and scare amount of people.

How does this historical event continue to impact our lives today? What lessons did we learn from this event?

It continues to impact our lives because there are still some places that still have Cannibalism and some places even have people who use wagons instead of cars (Amish as an example). The lesson that we learned from the Donner Party is that you never give up even if something goes out of your comfort zone and never be selfish if you are in need of something(In the Donner party Food was something they wanted). But if you get what you wanted always think of others too not just yourself.

Calabro, Marian. The Perilous Journey of the Donner Party. New York: Clarion, 1999. Print.

Philbrick, W. R. The Journal of Douglas Allen Deeds: The Donner Party Expedition, 1846. Scholastic, 2001. Print.

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