Snowbound The Tragic Story Of The Donner Party

Explanation
The emigrants used dried buffalo manure to start a fire. Dried buffalo manure is a commonly used fuel source in certain regions where wood may be scarce. It is easily accessible and can be dried and used as a reliable source of heat and fire.

Explanation
The given statement is false. The Donner Party was a group of pioneers who were traveling westward in 1846 to settle in California, not to help in the Mexican war. They were seeking a better life and opportunities in the newly acquired territories. However, they faced numerous challenges and ended up getting stranded in the Sierra Nevada mountains, resulting in a tragic event known as the Donner Party tragedy.

Explanation
The correct answer is 40. The Donner Party was a group of pioneers who became stranded in the Sierra Nevada mountains during the winter of 1846-1847. They faced extreme cold, starvation, and other hardships, resulting in the deaths of 40 members of the party.

Explanation
The Donner Party did indeed take advice from a book to take a shortcut. In 1846, while traveling to California, they followed the advice of Lansford Hastings' book "The Emigrants' Guide to Oregon and California" and decided to take the Hastings Cutoff, a supposed shortcut that would save them time. However, this decision led them to encounter treacherous terrain and delays, ultimately resulting in them getting stranded in the Sierra Nevada mountains and resorting to cannibalism to survive.

Explanation
Lansford W. Hastings is the correct answer because the question asks for the author of the book that the Donners took their misleading advice from. Since Lansford W. Hastings was a prominent figure who wrote a guidebook called "The Emigrant's Guide to Oregon and California," it can be inferred that the Donners took their misleading advice from this book. The other options, John C. Calhoon, Jeffrey Toppman, and Jorge Washington, are not mentioned in relation to the Donners or their advice, making them incorrect choices.

Explanation
The party feared the Indians because they would shoot the oxen or cows with a bow and arrow for their meat while the cattle were grazing or not in their harnesses to pull the carriage.

Explanation
During their ill-fated journey, the Donner Party became stranded in the Sierra Nevada mountains during the winter of 1846-1847. With limited food supplies and harsh weather conditions, they were left with no other choice but to resort to cannibalism in order to survive. This desperate act was a last resort to sustain themselves until help arrived.

Explanation
The given statement is "The trip out west on average took about 3 months." The correct answer is False. This means that the statement is not true. The trip out west did not take about 3 months on average.