Native American History: The Lewis And Clark Expedition

The Lewis and Clark Expedition, also known as the Corps of Discovery Expedition, was the crowning achievement of Thomas Jefferson’s Presidency. Without the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the United States may never have expanded west. The expedition set out from outside St. Louis in May of 1804. During that summer and into the fall, the explorers paddled upstream, northwest on the Missouri River to Fort Mandan where the Corps of Discovery set up camp, wintered, and prepared for the journey to the Pacific. This expedition was extremely important for the new nation because on their journey, the Corps of Discovery did find a water route to the Pacific Ocean. They documented and cataloged the geography, as well as new flora and fauna they encountered, resulting in an extensive journal of new scientific information. They also established diplomatic and trade relations with the Native American Tribes they encountered along the way.

The water route to the Pacific Ocean The Corps of Discovery they identified and mapped linked the Columbia and Missouri rivers. Meriwether Lewis and William Clark made over thirty maps throughout their journey. They also recorded information about

the land in their journal entries. All of this information they recorded, was some of the first information recorded about what would become the northwestern parts of the United States.
Lewis and Clark added significantly to the zoological and botanical knowledge of the United States from their extensive cataloging of their scientific discoveries. They cataloged one hundred and seventy-four new plant species and one hundred and thirty-four new animal species. Some species they cataloged were the coyote, the grizzly bear, the mountain goat, the mountain lion, and the prairie dog. They also collected many biological specimens and sent some back to Thomas Jefferson, They collected live animals, skins, bones, teeth, talons, and horns of many animals.
Lewis and Clark created diplomatic relations with Native American Tribes, which was another important objective of their expedition for future trade.

On their journey, the met with over fifty Native American tribes in the west and even developed a ritual that they used when meeting a tribe for the first time. The captains of the expedition would explain to the tribal leaders that their land belonged to the United States now, and that a man in the east, President Thomas Jefferson, was their new “great father.” They bestowed on the Natives a peace medal, with Jefferson on one side and two hands clasping on the other, as well as some form of trading goods. Thomas Jefferson wanted to establish a relationship with the natives so he could know more about them, their military, and their overall

lifestyle.
Although some people believe Thomas Jefferson’s crowning achievement wasn’t the Lewis and Clark Expedition, it was a resounding success in achieving its goals. They covered over 8,000 in about two and a half years, and only lost one person in the expedition. They expanded the scientific knowledge of their times and established an American presence in the western half of the country before Britain and other European powers could claim it. Without the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the United States may have never expanded all the way to the Pacific Ocean. This expedition carved the first route through the west paving the path for the future.