Of the 87 members of the Donner Party, only 46 survived after being trapped for five months in the Sierra Nevada during a brutal winter.
Synopsis
Of the 87 members of the Donner Party, only 46 survived after being trapped for five months in the Sierra Nevada during a brutal winter.
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Synopsis
In July 1846, the Donner Party departed from Springfield, Illinois, aiming for Sutter's Fort in California. Following the advice of Lansford Hastings, they took an untested shortcut across the Great Basin. By the time they reached the Sierra Nevada, they were weeks behind schedule and low on supplies. Trapped by an early blizzard, the group endured five months of starvation and hardship. Of the 87 members, only 46 survived to reach California. The documentary features narration by David McCullough and includes letters and diaries from the party.
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Why Watch
- See David McCullough narrate a gripping historical tale.
- Find out about the disastrous shortcut taken by the Donner Party.
- Meet experts like Harold Schindler discussing the event.
Did You Know
- The Donner Party traveled 2500 miles from Illinois to California.
- Only 46 out of 87 members of the Donner Party survived.
- The group was trapped in the Sierra Nevada for five months.
- The film was produced with funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What year did the Donner Party documentary premiere?
The Donner Party documentary premiered in May 1992.
How many members of the Donner Party survived the journey?
Of the 87 men, women, and children in the Donner Party, only 46 survived to reach California.
Who narrated the Donner Party documentary?
David McCullough narrated the Donner Party documentary.
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