Donner Pass Research Paper

The Donner Pass was one of the most dangerous traveling routes to California during the westward expansion. The Donner party was a group 90 pioneers who found a new way through the mountains and their many experiences shaped the travels of future pioneers traveling to California. Many people know that the Donner Party was forced to resort to cannibalism, but they don't know the challenges faced beforehand, on their way to California. In the spring of 1846 about 90 pioneers left Springfield, Illinois (“Donner Party”). They were called the Donner Party because the pioneers were led by the wealthy brothers Jacob and George Donner (“Donner Party”). Their goal was to find a shorter, faster route to California (“Donner Party”). They found …show more content…
This was a hard time for the Donner party because they had nothing to eat except for the bones and hides of animals, which were cooked to a liquid substance (Andrews). One member of the Donner party refused to eat the “fake food” (Andrews). He killed two men, but before he could resort to cannibalism, another man of the Donner Party shot him (Andrews). He claimed it was for the good of the many families, but he was banished from the camp grounds (Andrews). A group of fifteen adults left to get help for the rest of the Donner Party (Andrews). After being gone for several days, the small group had run out of food and begun to starve (Andrews). They decided that the only way to survive was to eat each other (Andrews). They made plans to fight each other to the death, but some were too weak and eventually died of starvation (Andrews). The dead were eaten, which gave strength to the others (Andrews). Only seven of the original fifteen made it all the way to find help (Andrews). The Donner Party was stuck in the mountains for five months before they were finally rescued (“Donner Party”). The news of Donner Party’s mistakes on the journey west spread fast among the future

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