Final answer:
The Donner Party's ordeal is intrinsically linked to westward expansion and Manifest Destiny, exemplifying the perilous aspects of the journey undertaken by many settlers in search of prosperity in the American West.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Donner Party's fate is significantly associated with the concept of westward expansion during the period of Manifest Destiny. Their journey was part of a larger movement that embodied the American dream to conquer, inhabit, and prosper in the western territories.
The drive to expand west was motivated by various factors, including the discovery of gold in California, which saw a surge of people like the forty-niners moving west, and the push for American democratic values to be spread across the continent.
The westward movement was accelerated by innovations such as the creation of the transcontinental railroad, which facilitated trade and travel. However, the Donner Party's tragic experience serves as a stark counter-narrative to the often romanticized depictions of westward migration and underscores the harsh realities and dangers the settlers faced.