The Donner Party

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The Donner Party Forty-six survivors out of an original 87, reached California starving, tired, and traumatized for life from the experience they had just been through. A year of suffering was spent on a time that was thought to have been only a few months of easy traveling on a shortcut routed by a man named Lance Hatings. The journey began on May 12th from Springfield Illinois. A train of nine wagons, filled with members of the Donner and Reed families, set out in hopes of reaching California for free land and a new life. The families had heard of a route that would get them to this great new country taking 350-400 miles off their planned trip. It seemed to be a good idea to follow the lead of Hastings if his promise of a shorter, easier trip was true. The first portion of the trip went smoothly as planned and they reached Fort Laromy on June 27. There, a man by the name of James Climan thought that the shortcut Hastings had come up with was unpractical. He thought the old way was safer. But Reed the leader of the group didn't take the advice. George Donner was elected leader of the party, even though Reed was the obvious best person for the job. The short cut was supposed to have taken 350-400 miles off the original route. In fact it was 125 miles longer. On August 6, there was a note left from Hastings saying the party shouldn't continue. The group didn't listen to the warning though. They kept going and soon were traveling on...

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