The Donner Party The long journey they went through. It started out in 1846 from Independence of Missouri. About 2,700 people went out on the trial and 1,500 for the Mexican American.

The Journey It Was about 2,000 miles long to California. By using Oxen and Horses, it will take probably about 15 miles a days, and it might take 5 month throughout the trail as it was calculated.

The Emigrants starting out They set off from Spring Field, Illinois and travel in a large group of emigrants to California.

The Route they took The Oregon emigrants went on the Snake River to the Columbia River.  The California emigrants would cross either Mary's or Ogden's River (Humboldt), and goes through the Sierra of Nevada Mountains.  Some California emigrants would "cut-off" so it would save them mile on the route.

Their Camp Map This is map camps at Alder Creek and Donner Lake. This map of their site was Drawn by William Graves for C.F. McGlashan in 1879. It was winter when it come to the Sierra Nevada that year. By the time the party reached Donner Lake there was snow on the ground. The Donner families was trap at Alder Creek, six miles from the lake, and the wagon axle needed to be fix.

The Donner Family Camp Out of all the party, they are in bad shape.  They stop at Alder Creek because their wagon broke down, and it was eight miles from the cabins at the Lake.  There was a storm and they built "brush sheds" covered by their wagon canvas.  

The Snowshoe party This is the route of the Snow shoe party.

The Session It took them a year and the session had change. It was winter and cold and freezing. If was very cold to keep yourself warm, especially at night.

The Difficulties It was normal at the first start. When it was winter, there wasn’t any oxen left, and the snow was to high to go through. It was freezing with no food, and theirs only choice, it is eat the dead one or die as the dead one.

Being a Member Being a member of the Donner Party will give you poor health. There will be nothing but to get yourself to California. It’s a long trail, and when there’s no food, what would you do? It made them tired, frustrated, hungry and disillusioned. Everyone turn from good to bad.

Their Decision They have a choice to choose they way they want to enter. They also can eat what they want and do what they want.

The Comparison of the Trail The first trail is the Batleson Party which is heading to Pilot Peak, then come alone the Oregon Trail that’s headed tour Oregon, and the Walker’s Party going to the Sierra, and the Stevens-Murphy headed tour California, and last of all, the hasting’s Cutoff. Some take the hasting cutoff, but it doesn’t save them time. Those who went on a 36-mile road through the Wasatch Mountains, lost some of their oxen and cattle while crossing the desolate. Those was completed with little water, and it was 80-mile-wide Great Salt Lake Desert. Several wagons and many possessions had to be abandoned.

What went wrong? They were attack by Indian and many oxen was poison. Not enough oxen and food. They were also going slow on time, and winter came early.

The Reed James Reed was the leader or the Donner Party, and he arrived in California ahead of the Party, and try to made two rescue attempts. The Reeds were one of only two families to survive without loss.

The Breens The Breen family crossed the plains.  Patrick Breen's Diary made an honest being in life, and it is the writing of that winter.  When it was published in the newspaper, the author wasn’t named.  All of the Breen family survived the winter like the Reed family

William Eddy William Eddy was 28 year of age and survived the Snowshoe Party, and returned leading the Third Relief.  He was marry in 1848 and divorced in 1854 after having two children.  He got marry again in 1856 and his wife died in 1859.  

The Event Going through the trail is like a battle for them. They get sick and hungry as it goes on. They run out of food and their cattle’s dieing. There were no food and they ate the dead.

The Rescuer When some man found them, a woman ask them a question. They didn’t have enough food for everybody. They took as much people as they can, so some of the party have to stay behind.

Those who Survive Forty-nine people survived. Those who survive the Donner Party settle through California. Some of the survivors just live their live there in California like a normal family, and some became famous, and some had an experience of it. John Jameseon was known as the descendant of Elitha Donner.

The Finish Line It took them a long time and finally made it to California. This is how it start and how it end. Link to http://jcaweb.tripod.com/Projects/Donner/links.htm to see the website that all the information of this slide show come from.