31: The California Trail: From the Donner Party to the Gold Rush

History That Doesn't Suck

ProfGregJackson

Education, History, Society & Culture

4.5 • 5.1K Ratings

🗓️ 21 January 2019

⏱️ 57 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

“Never take no shortcuts.” This is the story of one of the larger Oregon Trail’s most important branches: the California Trail. The Mexican province of Alta California has some beautiful land, so it’s not hard to see why west-bound Americans might want to make their home there. We’ll hear about newly independent Mexico’s struggles to support Alta California; why American Commodore “Tac” Jones mistakenly seizes (then leaves) Monterey; and of course, how the California Trail gets blazed by brave explorers and settlers. But then, it’s time for tragedy. Have you heard of the Donner Party? If not, I have two words for you: Winter. Cannibalism. On a lighter note, “there’s gold in them thar hills.” We’ll end with the discovery of gold. So grab your pickaxe (or earbuds). We’re heading to the not-yet-but-soon-to-be Golden State. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	History that doesn't suck is a bi-weekly podcast delivering a legit, seriously researched
0:04.4	hard-hitting survey of American history through entertaining stories.
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0:16.3	consider giving at patreon.com-forward-history-that-doesn't-suck.
0:22.1	I'd also like to remind you about our new podcast, Office Hours with Greg.
0:26.4	If you'd like to go behind the scenes on the stories in History that doesn't suck, or
0:29.7	listen to me discuss History with other historians, government officials, and other fascinating
0:33.9	people with unique insights, give it a go.
0:36.4	Hope you enjoy it.
0:39.4	Welcome to History that doesn't suck.
0:50.8	I'm your professor, Greg Jackson, and I'd like to tell you a story.
0:57.1	This steep hill is the last thing our California bound wagon party needs.
1:03.2	They've just spent two months wrestling their way across a not-so-tried and true shortcut,
1:09.1	from future Wyoming's Fort Bridger through the Wasatch Mountains and over the Great Salt
1:13.8	Lake Desert.
1:16.0	This short cut is known as Hastings Cut-Off, but the only thing it's managed to cut is
1:20.4	the wagon party's nerves as their wagons got destroyed, animals died, and schedule got
1:25.7	delayed by a month.
1:28.0	Now ill-equipped, hungry, fatigued, and worried about making it to California before the arrival
1:33.0	of a deadly winter, you can see how everyone in this wagon party's on edge, right?
	...

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