William Clark William Clark was ½ of the genius team that made their way through miles of unknown land, unknown nature, unknown natives, and came home with all but one voyager, who was killed of natural causes. William Clark and Meriwether Lewis were the first Americans to try and map the Louisiana Purchase area, and not only did they map it, they discovered allies, new plants and animals, and discovered new land and water routes that could be useful for future travelers. Lewis and Clark are known for their wild adventure, but what everyone wants to know is where did the story begin? Were they a good team? “U.S. soldier and explorer William Clark was born on August 1, 1770, in Caroline County, Virginia. A younger brother to Revolutionary War …show more content…
On May 14th, 1804, the expedition set out with a total of 45 men in 3 boats. Of these, 29 were to travel all the way to the Pacific while the others were to turn back at approximately the halfway point. The first part of the journey was up the Missouri through well-traveled country. On May 25th they started to meet members of tribes who were friendly and welcoming. They all had high hopes that the journey would continue smoothly as it was, however, fate had other plans for them. As the river got rougher, the land longer, and the weather colder, they realized that they would have to stop somewhere as winter hit, or they would not survive the journey. They spent their first winter near a Mandan village, where they invited Sacagawea, a Shoshone indian, and her husband to join the expedition with them as interpreters. “The winter was spent hunting and bartering for supplies for the coming trip. In the spring, 13 of the men headed back to St Louis. The rest of the expedition set out again on April 7, 1805, this time into unknown country.”[GALE,2003] From there, the expedition just got harder. Heading up what they had decided was the main stream, they were stopped by the great falls of the Missouri (at Great Falls, Montana). They were forced to build crude wagons and haul the boats and all their supplies around the rapids, which took a total of one month to make the
Lewis and Clark were very successful people however their greatest success was only achievable with the help of Native Americans. April 1803 President Thomas Jefferson purchased uncharted territory from france. Jefferson always had liked the idea of western expansion so when he got the chance he took it. Jefferson pushed for approval to head an exploration of the Louisiana Purchase, and in 1803 it was approved. Jefferson had named Meriwether Lewis the leader and William Clark as his associate it wouldn't be until their first winter during the exploration that sacajawea would come into the picture . However Jefferson did not announce publicly that the U.S. had purchased eight hundred and sixty eight thousand square miles of land for fifteen million dollars until July .Lewis and Clark’s journey began near St.Louis, Missouri May 1804. Most days of the exploration had harsh conditions or at least one challenging obstacle to get around.For example during the exploration the hundred and forty six days spent in North Dakota, they experienced harsh temperatures below zero. This vast amount of uncharted land would become thirteen of the the states we know today. This expedition would discover a hundred and twenty two new animals, and a hundred and seventy eight plants, the expedition took eight hundred and sixty three days over a length of seven thousand six hundred and eighty nine miles, and at the cost of thirty eight thousand seven hundred and seventy two dollars and twenty five cents. Lewis and Clark’s Expedition would not have been as successful as it was without the help of George Drouillard, Sacajawea, and the Native American tribes they encountered. These Native Americans helped provide shelter, food, knowledge, and artifacts ...
Lewis and Clark Expedition, also known as the Corps of Discovery Expedition, was the first American overland exploration of the American West and Pacific Northwest, departing in May, 1804 from St. Louis on the Mississippi River, making their way westward through the continental divide to the Pacific coast and ending in September 1806. The expedition was commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson and guided byf Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. The exploration covered a total of about about 8000 miles round trip, from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean. Jefferson trusted in the existence of a Northwest Passage, a water way between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The main goal of the expedition was to locate this Northwest Passage and plan its
Manifested in the mind of the 3rd President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson came the first American expedition to head west towards the Missouri River all the way to the Pacific Ocean, in the year 1804. The Lewis and Clark Expedition formed just one year after the Louisiana Purchase, the purchase of territory from imperial France in 1803 by Thomas Jefferson. 1. The Louisiana Purchase provoked President Jefferson to look to navigate the territory that his empire now encompassed, and out of this grew the expedition led by Meriwether Lewis and Lewis Clark. 2. Lewis and Clark and their unit of volunteers from the United States Army specially selected by Thomas Jefferson that accompanied them soon became known as the Corps of Discovery, a group of men destined to “compile what amounted to the first chapters in an American encyclopedia of Native American peoples and cultures”.
Dozens of men including William Clark's slave, York, came along for the expedition. It was a long and hard journey that tested the men with strength, and behaviors. The men's strength was tested when they had to pull the boat up the Mississippi since the waves were being pushed towards them. Their behaviors were tested when the had to act friendly to the Indians even though they were told they were savages. The expedition lasted until 1806 when the explorers reached home. This expedition was crucial in the expansion of westward United States because it documented the animals that they encountered, the geography of the Westland, natural resources, and finally, it established good relations with Native American
Captain Meriwether Lewis and William Clark took the risk of life, limb, and liberty to bring back the precious and valuable information of the Pacific Northwest of the United States territory. Their accomplishments of surviving the trek and delivering the data to the U.S. government, have altered the course of history, but have some Historian’s and author’s stating, “It produced nothing useful.”, and having “added little to the stock of science and wealth. Lewis and Clark’s expedition is one of the most famous and most unknown adventures of America’s frontier.
American history is joined by a not insignificant rundown of adventurers who initially found and who investigated the gigantic landmass. The majority of the wayfarers affected the advancement of America. The Lewis and Clark campaign, otherwise called the Corps of Discovery, stands conspicuously at the top some portion of this rundown. The Lewis and Clark Expedition has had a huge political, social, and monetary impact on America. They were the first to guide out the west and set off westbound development. Without the accomplishment of the undertaking development of America would have taken five times as long, as anticipated by Thomas Jefferson.
When Meriwether Lewis and William Clark first explored Montana in the early 1800s, they were awestruck by the open plains and delighted by the wide range of animals that roamed the land. After reaching the Great Falls, which is on the Missouri River in what is now Montana (Av2 books).
by Jefferson to lead the expedition, and Lewis then selected William Clark (depicted on the right of page two) as his partner.
American history is accompanied by a long list of explorers who first discovered and explored the massive continent. All of the explorers had an impact on the development of America. The Lewis and Clark expedition, also known as the Corps of Discovery, stands prominently at the top of this list. The Lewis and Clark Expedition has had a significant political, social, and economic effect on America. They were the first to map out the west and set off westward expansion.
Elders and the sick were forced to move by gunpoint. The Indians had to grab what they needed and left their home within a matter of minutes, leaving behind their valuables and homeland which American thieves stole and took over their property. The journey of three groups of Indians began in the summer on 1838. The Indians traveled by railroad, boat, wagon, and foot through water and land routes. A group traveling over Arkansas suffered around five deaths a day from sickness and dehydration. Around 15,000 captive Indians continued to wait for their removal. Many died from overcrowding, poor sanitation, and drought. The Indians begged the push off the relocation until the fall when they would voluntarily move. This request was granted and they remained in camps until they could continue their journey. As fall approached, 12 groups each including about 1,000 Indians were now apart of the journey to the west. Fall brought heavy storms which made the journey a lot more difficult as the wagons would get stuck along the muddy trail. Food was running scarce and little to no plants or animals inhabited the route they trudged along. A survivor of the Trail of tears stated, " Long time we travel on way to new land. People feel bad when they leave Old Nation. Womens cry and make sad wails. Children cry and many men cry...but they say nothing and just put heads down and keep on go towards West. Many days pass and people die very much.". Fresh water was so scarce that Indians began drinking still water which resulted in a horrible disease. Survivors would live to tell stories of how they watched their father die from sickness, then their mother, then every single sibling in their family one by one each day until none other than they were left. The trip was particularly a rough journey for babies, children, pregnant women, and the elderly. Many of the pregnant women did
After being issued by President Thomas Jefferson to map, explore, and compile information on the land just bought through the Louisiana Purchase, Captain Meriwether Lewis and 2nd Lieutenant William Clark set off on one of the greatest expeditions of all time. This paper will explore what adversities were faced on the Corp of Discoveries. From militant Indians to diseases like dysentery, they faced it all. And as Captain Lewis documented, “We went as close to hell as you can go in this lifetime.” (11.Perry)
There were many people responsible for the westward expansion of the US. Meriwether Lewis and William Clark were one of the first Americans to precisely explore and map the western Territories. During their expeditions they were aided by a Shoshone woman named Sacagawea and her French-Canadian husband Toussaint Charbonneau, during which they served as translators. Their expedition helped path a way for thousands of settlers to move west.
Captain Meriwether Lewis and Lieutenant William Clark, also known as Lewis and Clark, they led one of the most famous expeditions in American history. Commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson, the Corps of Discovery Expedition was one of the earliest exploratory missions across America to the Pacific Coast. Though its primary purpose was to find a direct water route to the Pacific Ocean, President Jefferson also wanted the journey to focus on the economic usefulness of different regions, particularly in terms of plant and animal life. On May 14, 1804, along with 31 other men, Lewis and Clark set out to do exactly that. It was a long, treacherous trip by water and on foot across a expansive unknown wilderness. Keeping the expedition members healthy and well-fed was obviously a pressing concern. This epic mission had a wild, strange and often surprising menu. Their favorite foods were always elk, beaver tail, and buffalo, and when they were struggling up the Missouri the men ate prodigious amounts of it, up to nine pounds of meat per man per day. But dogs would do if dogs were all that they could get. Only Clark formerly declined. He couldn't bring himself to eat dog meat. They also had to cut down trees to make boats after going over miles of land while being forced to leave their original boats. What they did was burn the insides of
Lewis and Clark, and Pike did explorations to the Louisiana Purchase and to the south and west. They both were sent by the president Jefferson but the difference is that Lewis and Clark went on a secret expedition and Pike didn’t. Pike’s expedition started the same year that Lewis and Clark were coming back home and it only lasted 1 year. Lewis and clark’s expedition lasted about 3 years. in both of the expeditions, Native Americans were contacted. Pike did make a big mistake which was that he accidentally ended up in Spanish territory and they even built up a fort there. Lewis and Clark’s expedition is considered more valuable because they got to hold councils with some native american tribes, they found an easy ways to get to the Louisiana
...ark’s expedition helped chart the Louisiana Purchase and helped provide valuable information which led to the later acquisition of the Oregon Territory. In short, Lewis and Clark helped open the West.