Term Paper on "Lewis and Clark Expedition the Reasons"

Term Paper 3 pages (1355 words) Sources: 1+

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Lewis and Clark Expedition

The reasons that the Lewis and Clark expedition were very important in history include the reasons why Jefferson arranged the journey, the expectations of the expedition, the members of the Corps of Discovery, and the overall achievements made by the expedition.

Why Jefferson wanted the West

It was a really long distance to travel

States allowed access to Louisiana

Louisiana obtained through Louisiana purchase

New Orleans had access to world through port

Land important status symbol

Jefferson and Washington both Virginia land owners

Vision of coast to coast land united

Preparing for the Expedition

Earlier explorer had made the journey

B. Congress made decision

Expedition would have twelve men

Would have budget of $2,500

Group would need wide knowledge

Botany

Geology

Wildlife

Mapping terrain

Establishment of group

A. Dubbed "The Corp of Discovery"

B. Jefferson elected Captain Meriwether Lewis

C. Clark elected partner William Clark

D. Clark brought Black slave York

E. Joined later by Native American woman Sacagawea

F. Only member to die on trip was Sergeant Charles Floyd

IV. The Journey<br />

A. Began May 14 from Camp Dubois

B. Followed Missouri River

C. Camped at Fort Mandan for first winter

D. Traveled west, crossed Rocky Mountains

E. Reached West coast in December 1805

F. Spent second winter at Fort Clatsop

G. Back home September 1806

V. Achievements

A. Knowledge of West

1. Rivers

2. Mountains

3. Terrain

B. New Species

1, Plants

2. Animals

C. Paved way for American expansion

1. Fur trade

2. Naive American contact

3. claims on Western territories

D. Would guide Pioneers on part of Oregon Trail

E. Social Achievement through voting

1. Black slave

2. Native American woman

VI. Conclusion.

The Lewis and Clark Expedition

The Lewis and Clark expedition in the early 1800s has become more than a historical event; it is a symbol of the expansion of America. This expedition was sent by the President to learn everything about the land and the things and people that could be found there after America had gained a large amount of land to the West. Lewis and Clark were not the first explorers to cross North America by land, in fact it had been done about a decade before by another explorer, but this expedition was monumental in many ways. The reasons that the Lewis and Clark expedition were very important in history include the reasons why Jefferson arranged the journey, the expectations of the expedition, the members of the Corps of Discovery, and the overall achievements made by the expedition.

President Thomas Jefferson had a very important plan in mind for the western states that he sent Lewis and Clark to explore. Today, it is easy to travel from one side of the country to another by use of cars, trains, or airplanes, but in the early 1800s horseback was the fastest means of travel available. Jefferson actually had some expectations that the states obtained beyond the Appalachian mountains would become their own nation. The reason these states were important to America, even if they were not going to remain a part of the same country, is because they would provide access to New Orleans in Louisiana, where there would be access to a port that would access the rest of the world. Jefferson had just obtained Louisiana in the Louisiana Purchase. Also, Jefferson, like George Washington, was a land owner from Virginia, and having a lot of land was held in very high importance to them. He owned many thousands of acres of land, and he felt it was important to continue expanding land wise. Jefferson also wanted the land to the West because he could envision an empire that reached from one side of the continent to another, which was held together by similar political ideology. For all of these reasons, Jefferson sent out the Lewis and Clark expedition to discover everything about the West, taking a journey that at that time seemed like a very long distance. (Ambrose)

The Lewis and Clark expedition lasted for two years, from 1804 to 1806, and… READ MORE

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