Lewis and Clark Expedition Essay

Meriwether Lewis is the main reason that the United States’ territory extends from the Atlantic Ocean all the way to the Pacific Ocean (“Meriwether Lewis” 2). He has done many great things, but he is best known for exploring the American West (1). He was a great man full of bravery. Meriwether faced tons of dangers in his life but he overcame all of them. Lewis “helped change the face of the United States by exploring uncharted territory- the American West (“Meriwether Lewis” 2).”

In 1800 Thomas Jefferson was elected president. With the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, Jefferson had the vision of the United States growing from sea to sea. However, it was unknown what was out there. Jefferson planned an exploratory expedition and called upon Meriwether Lewis to lead it. Jefferson was very interested in what was in the west lands. Much was involved in the carrying out of this expedition; the preparations for this trip, what happened during their long journey west, and the return home. This expedition was very important in the development of the United States.

The expedition of Lewis and Clark was a landmarking event in American history, but its significance goes beyond just the land they discovered.The Lewis and Clark Expedition was put forward so the two would be able to see and map out western America in search of new trade routes and passages. Lewis and Clark would have doubtfully survived had it not been with the aid of the Indians they met on their travels. Upon their controversial meetings with several Indian groups, Lewis and Clark were not respectful to the Americans they met on their journey. The controversial messages behind the peace metals, the reference to the Indians as “children”, and the physical

In May of 1804, two men set out on an important journey that would take them across the country and discover new land, but none of it would have been possible without the aid of one woman. The Lewis and Clark Expedition was planned by Thomas Jefferson, in order to explore the unknown in the newly purchased Louisiana Territory, and also to find a water route across the continent. Along the way the group of men met a quiet native, named Sacagawea, whose impact would later have a large effect on the success of their important journey.

The expedition of Lewis and Clark began on May 21,1804. Meriwether Lewis was born on August 18, 1774 in Albemarle County, Virginia. Lewis met Clark in 1795 in the army. Lewis was asked to be Thomas Jefferson’s private secretary in 1801. Clark was born on August 1, 1770 near Caroline County, Virginia. Clark first entered the military at age 19 and served in the militia. Lewis asked Clark for help on the exploration and made him co-captain. With purchasing land from France called the Louisiana Purchase in April 1803, Jefferson wanted to find a water route that linked Columbia and the Missouri river, connected Pacific Ocean with the Missouri river system, and gave Western land access to port out of Mexico to the East. President also wanted to know what the land he recently bought was like. Lewis and Clark’s expedition immediately got easier with the help of Toussaint Charbonneau and his wife, Sacagawea on November 4, 1804. Sacagawea and her husband helped the exploration run more smoothly without the chance of misunderstanding with the Native American tribes. When Lewis and Clark returned to president Jefferson, they were treated as national heroes. They received gifts such as double pay. The men on the expedition

The question arises of why Thomas Jefferson commenced the great expedition of Lewis and Clark. “ Jefferson wanted to form an expedition that were able to gather valuable information about Western Indians while living at peace with them” (Ronda 1). This was important because the people that were going to move into the Louisiana territory had to make sure they had peace with the Native American. If people take away the Native’s food source, or destroy the materials they make a living out of, is going to cause conflict between the two. “The expedition was fashioned to explore the vast wilderness of what is now North Western United States. It was sponsored by the United States government and was led by U.S. army officers

The Lewis and Clark expedition was a truth that was to become the crowning accomplishment in the lifetime of the brilliant thinker, inventor, and founding father, Thomas Jefferson . It has become a profounding turning point throughout America’s history. Investigating the recently obtained Louisiana Territory, which nearly doubled the size of the country, arranged Jefferson the opportunity to widen the boundaries of the United States to include both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The threat of the unknown lay ahead for Lewis and Clark’s team. The explorers had no idea what they would e be confronted with on their journey, but still they advanced into the unknown area that could officially be called part of America. Thanks to the addition of Lewis, Clark, their essential guide Sacajawea, and the many men that traveled with them America was able to expose land as well as providing important information about the topography, the biological studies, the ecology, and the studies of the American Indian as they discovered the mysteries of the Louisiana Purchase. Although it was a treacherous and costly journey, the Lewis and Clark expedition was the most important exploration in American history.

Captain Meriwether Lewis and William Clark put their lives on the line only to return with information regarding the Pacific Northwest of the United States territory. Their reasons behind this journey, being to expand the United States to the West, involved the entire nation but debatably, their accomplishments and the reaction of others became a major part of today’s history.

On May 14, 1804 in the eastern city of Saint Louis, William Clark and Merry-weather Lewis set of on the westward adventure that would change America as we know it today. Their journey began on the Mississippi River, those rapids would propel Lewis and Clark into the "Corps of Discovery". Across the vast land that these men would soon travel lived the many native-american tribes. The Native people hunted freely across their western lands, lived their life as one with the ground they so carefully treaded on. Soon, the great American adventurers and the native people would meet, but one brought with them the foreshadowing of a new era. An era when American life would be greatly improved with new natural resources and plentiful free land, but only at the cost of ruining the native american people of their way of life. The Lewis and Clark Expedition expanded the knowledge and lifestyle of America but began the elimination of the original American natives way of life and culture.

Either way, Lewis was the man for the job. He had skill as a gentleman, politician and military officer as well as skill with the sciences and all the knowledge of Indians as could be found. With his friend William Clark as his equal for the journey, they spent the fall and winter in preparation. Jefferson had given Lewis a “blank check” with the understanding that he should buy what he needed and the U.S. government would pay the bill, despite the fact that only $2500 had originally been approved by congress before the formal purchase of the Louisiana Territory. (Jefferson)

Not unlike George Washington and the Founding Fathers, who were also handpicked by God, now-President Andrew Jackson selected, tailored, and targeted by Deity as the man who must save the American union to fulfill the Divine Will of a set-apart, free nation. But at first the Indian War took many twists and turns. Prior to the War of 1812 as far back as August 31st, 1803 Thomas Jefferson, now President, sent Lewis and Clark Westward to explore the land beyond the Mississippi River. In preparation, this voyage proceeded from Pittsburgh PA to Louisville KY to St. Louis, MO. At the same time, President Jefferson sent James Monroe to Paris to meet with Napoleon to purchase the French territory for 80,000 francs. This vast landscape, later known as the Louisiana Purchase, geo/politically doubled the size of the American territory. Enroute, the Indians encountered by Lewis and Clark played a mixed role, some, the Sioux and Blackfoot, were unfriendly, some, the Shoshone, were helpful. The Indian teenage wife of one of the explorers, a Shoshone squaw, played a key role in the success of this mission. She acted as a translator. On November 7th 1805, after a death-defying journey of a year and a half and over 4000 miles, the Lewis and Clark expedition reached the Pacific Ocean and opened up all kinds of economic and political possibilities for the soon-to-be manifest destiny of a bulging

The Louisiana Territory was purchased for 15 million dollars by Thomas Jefferson from France. Napoleon sold the Land because he needed to pay of the war debts. The territory had more than 800 million acres of land that were undiscovered. Thomas Jefferson was very curious to see if there was a connection to the Pacific Ocean. Thomas Jefferson asked Meriwether Lewis to explore the territory and to take notes of any plants and animals. He selected William Clark to be his co commander because enthusiast of the outdoors just likes Meriwether

A two year long U.S expedition led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark was classified as a U.S military expedition to explore the unknown territory, named the Louisiana Purchase along with the Pacific Northwest. The president at the time, Thomas Jefferson, sent out a message to congress asking for a monetary value of twenty five hundred to send men on an expedition. Lewis worked as Thomas Jefferson's personal secretary which played a big role in why he was chosen to go on the expedition. Before the two year journey was able to happen Louis had to learn a few skills that would help him as the explored. One of the skill she learned was celestial navigation, which is navigation using the placement of stars in

Lewis and Clark’s influence on western expansion In 1803 the land west of the Mississippi was a vast unknown world ripe for exploration. Western expansion was the movement of Americans from the well mapped eastern states to the unknown land west of the Mississippi river. Lewis and Clark mapped the Exploration’s path and camp sites into deep details. Lewis and Clark recorded and influenced relations with Native Americans they encountered.

Meriwether Lewis and William were two explorers in the early nineteenth century. They travelled nearly 8,000 miles, in approximately two years, and were instrumental in shaping American history.