The Donner Party was a group of pioneers (not the Mormon ones) who attempted to cross the freezing plains to reach California in 1846-7. They had a lot of women and children and even hired helpers. But because they were misled by a greedy store keeper who wanted to sell them more supplies, they started on a supposed shortcut and were snowed in for months.
The group was so desperate for food that they ate the oxhide in their bows. And their makeshift roofs. And each other.
Apparently they even tried to practice cannibalism in true democratic style when somebody suggested a vote to pick their human sacrifices.
Ultimately, they were rescued. But only 48 of the 87 people made it into California.
For our 328 assignment, we had to run probit and logit models to calculate the characteristics that contributed to higher survival rates.
Younger and older people were vulnerable. Being a hired help is not bad. Being male is advantageous. Being in a family is even more so. So if you're a married male adult, you've hit the survival jackpot.
And if you're a single female, you're shafted. Or just eaten.
I think I just found another incentive to get married.
p.s. It's nearly 2 a.m. and I'm still sitting in the TA office working. School sleepover party? It's starting to look that way.
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