Jonah Patel
In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson commissioned the Corps of Discovery, a military expedition to explore the Louisiana Purchase and the Pacific Northwest. Jefferson selected his personal secretary, Meriwether Lewis, to lead the expedition and Lewis chose William Clark, his former military superior, as his co-commander. The Lewis and Clark expedition lasted from 1804 to 1806 and covered more than 8,000 miles, during which they encountered harsh weather, treacherous terrain, and both friendly and hostile Native Americans. The expedition resulted in the discovery of new geographic, ecological, and cultural information about previously uncharted areas of North America, and the production of invaluable maps and knowledge about the region's natural resources and inhabitants.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year expedition began | 1804 |
| Who commissioned the expedition | President Thomas Jefferson |
| Who led the expedition | Meriwether Lewis and William Clark |
| Purpose of the expedition | To explore the Louisiana Purchase and the Pacific Northwest |
| Number of people in the expedition | 32 or 45 |
| Distance covered | 8,000 miles |
| Number of plant and animal species identified | 200 |
| Number of Native American tribes contacted | 70+ |
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What You'll Learn
Lewis and Clark's expedition was exploratory
The Lewis and Clark expedition was an exploratory mission that began in 1804. It was a U.S. military expedition, led by Captain Meriwether Lewis and Lieutenant William Clark, to explore the Louisiana Purchase and the Pacific Northwest. The expedition was a major chapter in the history of American exploration.
President Thomas Jefferson tasked Lewis and Clark with exploring the lands west of the Mississippi River that comprised the Louisiana Purchase. They were also charged with charting an all-water route from the Atlantic to the Pacific, documenting the natural resources of the Pacific Northwest and the recently acquired territory of the Louisiana Purchase, and becoming knowledgeable about the people living on the land.
The expedition lasted over two years and covered more than 8,000 miles. Along the way, Lewis and Clark confronted harsh weather, unforgiving terrain, treacherous waters, injuries, starvation, disease, and both friendly and hostile Native Americans. They made contact with over 70 Native American tribes and described more than 200 new plant and animal species. They also produced invaluable maps and geographical information, which allowed for the further discovery and settlement of this vast territory in the years that followed.
The expedition has become an American legend, and Lewis and Clark were celebrated as heroes upon their return to St. Louis in September 1806. They were also rewarded with double pay and 1,600 acres of land each for their efforts. Lewis was made Governor of the Louisiana Territory, and Clark was appointed Brigadier General of Militia for Louisiana Territory and a federal Indian Agent.
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They were tasked with mapping uncharted land, rivers, and mountains
The Lewis and Clark Expedition, which lasted from 1804 to 1806, was a U.S. military expedition led by Captain Meriwether Lewis and Lieutenant William Clark. They were tasked with exploring the Louisiana Purchase and the Pacific Northwest, which had recently been acquired by the United States. This expedition was a major chapter in the history of American exploration and expansion.
The expedition was sponsored by the American Philosophical Society (APS), and Lewis and Clark received instruction in various scientific fields, including astronomy, botany, climatology, ethnology, geography, meteorology, mineralogy, ornithology, and zoology. They were also accompanied by a French-Canadian fur trader, Toussaint Charbonneau, and his Shoshone wife, Sacagawea, who served as translators and guides.
During their epic 8,000-mile journey, Lewis and Clark were tasked with mapping uncharted land, rivers, and mountains. They travelled west from North Dakota, covering 15 to 20 miles a day on foot and by boat, towards the mountains. They endured bitter cold, exhausting heat, blisters, hunger, and rough rivers and perilous peaks. They followed the Missouri River to its headwaters and crossed the Continental Divide at Lemhi Pass, then continued north to Traveler's Rest and crossed the Bitterroots at Lolo Pass.
The maps produced by Lewis and Clark allowed for further discovery and settlement of the vast territory in the years that followed. They made contact with over 70 Native American tribes, including the Lakota, Mandan, Hidatsa, Nez Perce, Blackfeet, Yankton Sioux, and Teton Sioux. They also described more than 200 new plant and animal species, including 178 plants and 122 animals.
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They documented natural resources
In 1803, US President Thomas Jefferson commissioned the Corps of Discovery, a group of 32 people, including co-captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, and tasked them with exploring the lands west of the Mississippi River that comprised the Louisiana Purchase. Jefferson had three main objectives for the expedition: to chart an all-water route from the Atlantic to the Pacific, to document the natural resources of the Pacific Northwest and the Louisiana Purchase, and to establish diplomatic relations with the Native American tribes living on the land.
Lewis and Clark were chosen for the expedition because of their knowledge of botany, natural history, mineralogy, and astronomy, as well as their familiarity with Native American customs. They received further instruction in these fields before embarking on their journey.
During their expedition, Lewis and Clark documented the natural resources and plants that were previously unknown to European Americans but familiar to the indigenous peoples. Lewis identified 178 plants new to science, including bitterroot, prairie sagebrush, Douglas fir, and ponderosa pine, as well as 122 animals, such as grizzly bears, prairie dogs, and pronghorn antelope. They also drew about 140 maps, providing the first accurate depictions of the region.
The expedition's findings were presented to President Jefferson through maps, sketches, and journals. The documentation of natural resources and the establishment of diplomatic relations with Native American tribes allowed for further exploration, commerce, and settlement in the years that followed.
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They established peaceful relations with Native Americans
The Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804–1806) was a U.S. military expedition, led by Captain Meriwether Lewis and Lieutenant William Clark, to explore the Louisiana Purchase and the Pacific Northwest. They made contact with over 70 Native American tribes and established peaceful relations with most of them.
Lewis and Clark understood from the start how crucial Native Americans were to their success. They met in council with Mandan chiefs and established peace by sharing a Mandan ceremonial pipe. They also met a French-Canadian fur trapper named Toussaint Charbonneau, and his young Shoshone wife, Sacagawea, who served as the expedition's translator.
Lewis spent nearly one-quarter of the expedition’s entire congressional appropriation on presents for the Indians, including brass kettles, tobacco, brooches, pocket mirrors, sewing needles, beads, silk ribbons, cloth, and tomahawks. Clark frequently met with Indian chiefs and interpreters to ask about the tributaries of the Missouri and Columbia, and incorporated this information into the new map of the West he was compiling for President Jefferson.
The Lakota tribe, however, already had British commercial ties and did not view American competition favourably. Their attempt to prevent the expedition from continuing upstream nearly turned violent, but Chief Black Buffalo’s diplomacy defused the situation.
Overall, the expedition's relations with Native Americans had its share of suspicions, disagreements, tensions, and misunderstandings on both sides. However, the peaceful relations that were established with most tribes were instrumental to the expedition's success.
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They demonstrated military strength to assert sovereignty
The Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804-1806) was a military expedition led by Captain Meriwether Lewis and Lieutenant William Clark to explore the Louisiana Purchase and the Pacific Northwest. One of the primary objectives of the expedition was to assert US sovereignty over the Native Americans along the Missouri River.
Jefferson wanted to establish a US claim of "discovery" to the Pacific Northwest and Oregon Territory by documenting an American presence there before European nations could claim the land. He also wanted to expand the American fur trade and establish diplomatic relations between the United States and the Indian nations of the West.
To assert sovereignty, Lewis and Clark demonstrated their military strength to the Native American tribes they encountered. They held military parades, fired their weapons, and demonstrated innovative weaponry, including an Austrian-made .46 caliber Girandoni air rifle, a repeating rifle with a 20-round tubular magazine powerful enough to kill a deer. They also distributed peace medals, flags, and gifts as symbols of diplomacy and to designate the "ranks" of chiefs.
The expedition made it clear to the Native American tribes that their lands now belonged to the United States and that they were now the "'children'" of a new "great father" in Washington. This was often done through ancient diplomatic protocols that included formal language, gifts, and displays of military power.
The maps produced by the expedition allowed for the further discovery and settlement of the vast territory in the years that followed.
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Frequently asked questions
The Lewis and Clark Expedition was led by Captain Meriwether Lewis and Lieutenant William Clark.
The expedition was tasked with exploring the lands west of the Mississippi River that comprised the Louisiana Purchase. They were also asked to chart an all-water route from the Atlantic to the Pacific, document the natural resources of the Pacific Northwest, and study the people living on the land.
The expedition covered over 8,000 miles and produced invaluable maps and geographical information. They identified at least 120 animal specimens and 200 botanical samples and established peaceful relations with dozens of Native American tribes.
