Douglas Deeds, a fifteen-year-old orphan, keeps a journal of his travels by wagon train as a member of the ill-fated Donner Party, which became stranded in the Sierra Nevada mountains in the winter of 1846-47.

An introduction to what life was like on the Oregon Trail, describing the wagons, daily routines, food, clothing, Native Americans encountered on the way, and dangers.

A light-hearted look at some of the difficulties faced by the pioneers who traveled by wagon train across the United States to settle in the West.

"In the winter of 1846-47, a group of eighty-seven pioneers heading from the Midwest to California found themselves snowbound in the Sierra Nevada mountain range with no way forward and no food or supplies. While forty-eight of the group members survived, the others perished due to extreme weather, starvation, and illness. To survive, the remaining people resorted to extreme measures . . . including cannibalism. Learn about the many miscalculations,...

How long was the Oregon Trail? What was the "Brown Gold Rush"? Learn surprising true facts about the Oregon Trail that will shock and amaze you! Features maps, a timeline, photos. Ages 8-12.

The Donner Party expedition is one of the most notorious stories in all of American history. It's also a fascinating snapshot of the westward expansion of the United States, and the families and individuals who sacrificed so much to build new lives in a largely unknown landscape. From the preparation for the journey to each disastrous leg of the trip, this book shows the specific bad decisions that led to the party's predicament in the Sierra Nevada...

Describes the history of American westward expansion, including the exploration of the frontier to the Pacific Ocean, the establishment of the Lone Star State and the Mormon kingdom of Deseret, Manifest Destiny, the California gold rush, the population of the plains, and the legacy of the American frontier.