The Donner Party: Cannibalism
Most of us have all heard of the Donner Party. They were the group of traveling families, trying to reach the new land. Along the way, they were said to have partaken in cannibalism to survive harsh winters. Recent studies are trying to prove if in fact all of the survivors had joined in the cannibalism. If in fact they were all cannibals or not, only time and more extensive research can tell.
In April of 1846, the Donner Party set off from Springfield, Illinois in search of a new life and land in California. The travelers consisted of George Donner's family and himself, and also the seven teamster drivers he hired. Also on the trip was Jacob Donner and his family and James Frazier Reed, and his family, and their two hired servants that …show more content…
An article was published on April 10th, 1847, in the California Star by T.J. Schoonover entitled, The Life and Days of General John A. Stutter. In this article he mentions the supposed cannibalism of the Donner …show more content…
They did it for the sake of their health.
In more recent studies today involving the Donner Party, they are trying to prove that at the smaller camp of the two, that there was no cannibalism there. The emigrants did in fact settle into two camps during the harsh winters of 1846 and 1847. Earlier studies can almost confirm that cannibalism at the "principal encampment", on the eastern shore of the lake, which today, is called Donner Lake. These newer findings do not prove that the eating of human flesh was ever done where George and Jacob Donner and their families took refuge on Alder Creek.
An educated team of archaeologists working up in northern California, near Truckee, have discovered a one hundred and fifty-eight year old cooking hearth. This recent discovery could tell us what really happened at the camps. DNA analysis can help from bone fragments found in this cooking hearth, could be used to find out what the Donner's had eaten. Kelly Dixon and Don Hardesty began excavating the area in which the hearth was found. They used small trowels, soft brushes, and the occasional dental tools. They also used fine screens to sift through the dirt, making sure they missed
In April of 1846, the Donner Party set off from Springfield, Illinois in search of a new life and land in California. The travelers consisted of George Donner's family and himself, and also the seven teamster drivers he hired. Also on the trip was Jacob Donner and his family and James Frazier Reed, and his family, and their two hired servants that …show more content…
An article was published on April 10th, 1847, in the California Star by T.J. Schoonover entitled, The Life and Days of General John A. Stutter. In this article he mentions the supposed cannibalism of the Donner …show more content…
They did it for the sake of their health.
In more recent studies today involving the Donner Party, they are trying to prove that at the smaller camp of the two, that there was no cannibalism there. The emigrants did in fact settle into two camps during the harsh winters of 1846 and 1847. Earlier studies can almost confirm that cannibalism at the "principal encampment", on the eastern shore of the lake, which today, is called Donner Lake. These newer findings do not prove that the eating of human flesh was ever done where George and Jacob Donner and their families took refuge on Alder Creek.
An educated team of archaeologists working up in northern California, near Truckee, have discovered a one hundred and fifty-eight year old cooking hearth. This recent discovery could tell us what really happened at the camps. DNA analysis can help from bone fragments found in this cooking hearth, could be used to find out what the Donner's had eaten. Kelly Dixon and Don Hardesty began excavating the area in which the hearth was found. They used small trowels, soft brushes, and the occasional dental tools. They also used fine screens to sift through the dirt, making sure they missed