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CASE #GTJTJU · 2 entities · 1 connections
The Donner Party
A group of American pioneers took a supposed shortcut to California that a guidebook author had never actually traveled himself — the detour cost them so much time they got trapped by winter snow in the mountains, and some survivors resorted to eating the dead to survive.
The Donner Party was a group of American pioneers who became trapped by heavy snowfall in the Sierra Nevada mountains during the winter of 1846-1847 after taking an unproven shortcut that significantly delayed their journey to California. Of the 87 members of the party, only 48 survived, with well-documented evidence confirming that some survivors resorted to cannibalizing the bodies of those who had already died in order to survive.
✓documented
Quick facts
- →The Donner Party, led by George Donner and James Reed, departed for California in 1846, opting to follow the Hastings Cutoff, an unproven alternate route promoted by a guidebook author who had never actually traveled the route himself with a wagon train.
- →The shortcut proved significantly more difficult and time-consuming than promised, delaying the party by several critical weeks and depleting their supplies before they reached the Sierra Nevada mountains.
- →The delayed party became trapped by early, heavy snowfall in the mountains during the winter of 1846-1847, unable to continue or retreat, leading to severe starvation over the following months.
- →Of the 87 members of the party, only 48 survived, and well-documented physical and testimonial evidence, including from surviving party members themselves, confirmed that some survivors resorted to cannibalizing the bodies of those who had already died from starvation and exposure.
Entities on file
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Donner Party (event)
American pioneer group trapped by winter snow in the Sierra Nevada in 1846-47 after following an unproven shortcut; documented evidence confirms some survivors resorted to cannibalism.
No outgoing connections on file.
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George Donner (person)
Leader of the Donner Party pioneer group during their fatal 1846-47 journey to California.
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