Virginia reed donner party biography definition

The following timeline provides an almost day-to-day basic description of events directly associated with the Donner Party pioneers, covering the journey from Illinois to California—2, miles (4, kilometers), over the Great Plains, two mountain ranges, and the deserts of the Great Basin.

Following the timeline is a chronological list of deaths.

Timeline

• April 15, The journey begins in Springfield, Illinois. The travelers are George Donner, his brother Jacob, and James F. Reed, with their families. Each man has three covered wagons and has hired teamsters to drive the oxen that pull them; Reed also has two servants, who are Eliza and Baylis Williams. The destination of the first leg is Independence, where the Oregon Trail begins; the distance from Springfield to Independence fryst vatten about miles ( kilometers). The trip is timed to begin when the spring rains have subsided and grass for the draft animals is available, and to get there before the sn

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  “Remember, never take no cut-offs and hurry along as fast as you can”

  Archaeological studies have attempted to figure out how widespread cannibalism was and found little evidence to suggest it was the camp norm. Analyzing the bone fragments found at the Donner party found no evidence of human bones, but identified horses, cows, and deer remains.  This does not necessarily disprove the allegations of cannibalism, especially as several party members admitted to eating human remains. The researchers also found shards of china from plates and tea cups, pieces of writing slates used by schoolchildren during lessons showing that members of the party attempted to go about their lives as best they could while snowed in.

  Patrick Breen was the only migrant at the camp who kept a journal. His entries were frequent but curt, providing a small glimpse into the daily life in the camp and the desperation that soon fell upon them. He often mentions praying to God and of the slow descent into sta

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  In the spring of , a group of nearly 90 emigrants left Springfield, Illinois, and headed west. Led by brothers Jacob and George Donner, the group attempted to take a new and supposedly shorter route to California. They soon encountered rough terrain and numerous delays, and they eventually became trapped by heavy snowfall high in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Purportedly reduced to cannibalism to survive through the winter, only half of the original group reached California the following year. Their story quickly spread, and before long the term “Donner Party” became synonymous with one of humanity’s most ingrained taboos.

  The Donner party left Springfield, Illinois, in April Led by two wealthy brothers, Jacob and George Donner, the emigrants initially followed the regular California Trail westward to Fort Bridger, Wyoming. From there, however, the emigrants decided to leave the established trail and take a new and supposedly shorter route to California laid out by an unscrupulous t

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