What Is The Relationship Between Lewis And Clark
The Expedition of Lewis and Clark
Anthony Price
1/13/14
NIC History 111
Long before Thomas Jefferson was the President of the United States he had aspirations to know what was beyond the Mississippi River. The purchase of the Louisiana Territory from the French in 1803 opened the door to President Jefferson’s opportunity to send explorers across the continent. At that time, nearly the whole population of the United States lived within 50 miles of the Atlantic Ocean. Because of this, all of the knowledge of the west had come from French fur trappers and other explorers from other countries. Jefferson sent Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to lead a team of explorers to the Pacific Ocean with the goals of mapping and learning about the area, creating relations with the Indians of those parts, and finding an all-water route to the Pacific Ocean. The expedition of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark was a journey full of bumps and struggles, but it would eventually lead to great opportunities and discoveries for the United States of America. Thomas Jefferson specifically chose Meriwether Lewis to head this journey through the Louisiana Territory. Lewis had …show more content…
been a captain in the U.S. Army and Jefferson’s former secretary. When Lewis was in the military he served in a company commanded by William Clark.1 Lewis decided that he wanted Clark to assist him in the journey to the West. Both of them had certain skills obtained in the Army that would greatly benefit them while exploring. In February of 1803 Congress had granted Jefferson and his “Corps of Discovery” money for the expedition, Allowing Jefferson the opportunity to make his dream a reality. Although Lewis and Clark were very well prepared to survive the journey, they also needed to be equipped with the proper knowledge to make the voyage a scientific success. To do so, Lewis traveled to Philadelphia to learn about many different objectives which he would be asked to accomplish during his trip. He was tutored in map making and surveying from Andrew Ellicott, botany from Benjamin Smith Barton, mathematics from Robert Patterson, anatomy and fossils from Caspar Wistar, and medicine from Benjamin Rush.2 He had gained as much knowledge and as many skills as possible for the journey, and was almost completely ready to leave. All he needed were supplies. While in Philadelphia, Lewis also gathered many supplies, including scientific tools, guns and ammunition, medicines, and journal keeping supplies. On the list he had a chronometer, a sextant, ink, journals, portable soups, a corn mill, mosquito netting, blankets, oiled linen, candles, tools, and reference books.3 Although he had many supplies it still might not be enough to make it all the way to the Pacific Ocean and back. Along with the supplies he needed to survive and to obtain information, it was also necessary to have supplies to trade and gift to the Indians they were bound to encounter. It is a part of Indian tradition and culture to exchange gifts; it is a symbol of friendship and allegiance. On his shopping list he included glass beads, mirrors, scissors, thimbles, needles, tobacco, knives, and peace medals.4 With these peace offerings, the Corps of Discovery hoped to follow Jefferson’s instructions to treat the Indians in a kind manner and increase trade and knowledge of the tribes. The official announcement of the Louisiana Purchase was not made public until July of 1803. This made the Lewis and Clark expedition much more important, as the land to be explored was completely American territory. Once Lewis had obtained Jefferson’s exact instructions, he set off for Pittsburgh and set out on the Ohio River. He met up with William Clark in Clarksville where they packed up their boats and headed downriver. Accompanying them were a few recruited soldiers, Clark’s African-American slave York, and Lewis’s dog Seaman. During the Winter of 1803-1804, Lewis and Clark spent their days in Camp Dubois on the East Bank of the Mississippi River, just upstream from St. Louis, Missouri. There they recruited more men, increasing the size of the Corps of Discovery to more than 40.5 As spring approached, the men were finishing the final preparations, packing all of their countless supplies onto their boats. On May 14, 1804, The Lewis and Clark Expedition began, with the Corps of Discovery heading up the Missouri River.6 One of the main duties for the journeymen were to keep everything logged in journals; writing nearly every day about every occurrence that had happened from Indian encounters to new plants that had been found. Another important instruction from Thomas Jefferson was to create maps, especially in areas that had not been previously explored. When they encountered areas that were uninhabited by people, they were in charge of naming newly discovered bodies of water and organisms. Many were named after famous figures of the time such as Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and James Madison. Other names for them would be based upon friends and members of the Corps of Discovery. Many of the names that they used are still used today. In late July the explorers camped north of the mouth of the Platte River, at a site called Council Bluff. This was the spot where Lewis and Clark could have their first meeting with the Native Americans. They met with a small group of Oto and Missouri Indians.7 Another important event that happened at Council was the death of Sergeant Charles Floyd, a soldier and member of the Corps of Discovery. He became ill and died of a ruptured appendix, the only member to die along the journey. As summer came to a close and fall was rapidly approaching, the landscape surrounding the Mississippi River changed drastically. There were much fewer trees and more grass, taller plain grass then eventually the shorter grass of the high plains. This is where they started to spot buffalo by the thousands, and they saw prairie dogs for the first time. The temperature began to drop, with frost sometimes visible in the mornings. Lewis and Clark planned on wintering near long-established villages inhabited by large numbers of Mandan and Hidatsa Indians, north of present day Bismarck, North Dakota. On October 26, 1804, the expedition arrived at the Indian villages, making it nearly 1,600 miles from Camp Dubois.8 A proper site for a camp was found and the explorers created Fort Mandan across the river from the Indians. While they were stuck at Fort Mandan during the winter, Lewis and Clark worked on building relations with the Indians residing across the river. One of the traders that Lewis and Clark met was named Charbonneau. He was persuaded to come along with the Corps of Discovery as an interpreter when they left in the spring. Alongside Charbonneau was his wife Sacagawea who had been stolen from her original tribe, the Shoshone. Sacagawea was pregnant and had a baby named Jean-Baptiste, nicknamed Pomp by William Clark, on February 11, 1805.9 Lewis and Clark quickly realized Sacagawea’s potential of being a guide and symbol of peace with her child. Another way that the Corps of Discovery spent their long winter in Fort Mandan was preparing a shipment to Thomas Jefferson. This delivery included maps, reports, items created by Native Americans, skins and skeletons of previously unknown animals, soil samples, minerals, seeds, and cages containing live prairie dogs, grouse, and magpies. The shipment arrived in Washington D.C. four months after it was sent on April 7th, 1804. Many of the supplies were put on display in Jefferson’s “Indian Hall”, the entrance to his home near Charlottesville, Virginia.10 On the same day that the shipment was sent down the Missouri River, the Corps members left Fort Mandan in their canoes and headed to the West, into uncharted territory. Once in present-day Montana, the explorers were surprised at the massive herds of buffalo, many numbering more than 10,000. They were also amazed at some other animals, such as the grizzly bear with its ferocity and viciousness. Nearly two months after leaving Fort Mandan, the Corps would reach one of the biggest natural obstacles that they were bound to reach. They ran into Great Falls, a 10 mile stretch of the Missouri River that dropped over 400 feet between 5 cascades.11 The group was forced to beach their boats, and had to gruelingly port every supply that they had around the falls. In the middle of the summer the voyagers ended up at the Three Forks of the Missouri River. Seemingly their best option, the adventurers took the shallow, rapid Jefferson River. Eventually they ran into Beaverhead Rock north of present day Dillon, Montana.12 Sacagawea instantly recognized the landmark, as it was very close to the home of her people, the Shoshone. Lewis and Clark were desperate to find the Shoshone in order to trade for horses, so Lewis decided to scout ahead. When he ascended the final ridge to the Continental Divide, he was very surprised and disappointed to see that there actually was no all-water route to the Pacific Ocean. He expected to see massive plains with a large river flowing through to the Pacific Ocean, but when he reached the peak, he unexpectedly found out that there were just more and more mountain ranges. Eventually the Corps of Discovery encountered Sacagawea’s native tribe, the Shoshone. Lewis arrived first with his scouting party, looking to negotiate for horses in order to cross the daunting mountains. Once Clark and the rest of the group arrived, Sacagawea was able to translate for them to help with the discussions. Luckily, the Shoshone chief happened to be Sacagawea’s brother, Cameahwait. They were both ecstatic to be reunited again, and Cameahwait provided plenty of horses, another guide named Old Toby that had experience traveling through the mountains, and much information regarding what they could encounter on the rest of their journey.13 The explorers set up camp near the Indian village, and rightfully named it Camp Fortunate. The cold and miserable winter days were fast approaching and snow was starting to cover the peaks, but this didn’t stop Lewis and Clark from continuing on their Journey in the Bitterroots, a range of the Rocky Mountains. They were informed by Cameahwait of a trail that was frequently used by the Nez Perce. This trail could supposedly help lead them to the Pacific Ocean, but after wasting days searching for it, they decided to give up and attempt to make it without the path.14 The mountains became very dangerous, with very treacherous paths and temperatures dropping below freezing. Many of the men were fatigued and hungry from the long journey to the mountains, but it was not over yet. Eventually the group did make it out of the dreadful Bitterroots, but food was still very scarce so Lewis and Clark traded with the Nez Perce tribe for food such as fish and other game. In the fall, the Corps put in some freshly created canoes into the Clearwater River and set out to make it to the Pacific Ocean. For the first time since they set out from St. Louis, they caught a break and were able to paddle downstream for a change. The party rowed from the Clearwater River to the Snake River and eventually to the Columbia River. The group knew that the Columbia would take them to the Pacific Ocean. By the end of October Lewis and Clark finally spotted Mt. Hood, and at last in the month of November the Pacific Ocean was sighted. They Corps of Discovery had traveled an estimated 4,162 miles from the Mouth of the Missouri River.15 Once the group reached the West Coast in November, they immediately began preparations for the winter ahead. They started building Fort Clatsop, named after the local Indians. The adventurers spent the cold, miserable winter days updating their journals, trading with the Indians, and preparing for the extremely long journey home. On March 23, 1806, Lewis and Clark presented Fort Clatsop to the Clatsop Indian Chief Coboway, and started on their voyage home.16 They quickly reached the Nez Perce camp, but were forced to wait with them until the snow had melted and it was safe to pass back through the Bitterroots. The group split up after making it through the mountains and regrouping at Traveler’s Rest. Lewis took his group to the North while Clark took his men down the Yellowstone River. On their way, Lewis’s party had encountered and fought with some Blackfeet Indians that attempted to steal horses and guns from them. The skirmish ended up with two dead Indians and luckily no dead voyagers. Eventually at the point where the Yellowstone flows into the Missouri River, the groups were reunited at last. On the way back, they were fortunately canoeing downstream. They were able to cover a substantial number of miles per day, much more than going the other way. When the explorers reached the Mandan villages in August, they parted with Charbonneau, Sacagawea, and the infant Jean-Baptiste. The Corps of Discovery officially ended their journey on September 23, 1806 when they returned to St. Louis, Missouri. It took them approximately 2 years, 4 months, and 9 days to travel to the Pacific Ocean and all the way back.17 Thomas Jefferson had only approximated the group to be gone for about a year, causing him to deeply worry about their wellbeing. It was very amazing that the entire group except one made it the whole journey without any major setbacks. Thomas Jefferson had such extensive instructions that Lewis and Clark were bound to not be able to achieve every single goal, but overall the expedition was extremely successful.
The findings of the Corps of Discovery were very extensive and led to many opportunities for the young and developing country of America. Although one of the major goals of finding an all-water route to the Pacific was not fulfilled, but they were able to create maps and fill up many books worth of information that they obtained on the voyage. Another success was the relations that they had gained with the Native Americans from all of the trade and congregations with them. Overall the Lewis and Clark expedition was extremely beneficial and one of Thomas Jefferson’s most enduring
legacies.
Bibliography
Ambrose, Stephen E. Lewis & Clark: Voyage of Discovery. Willard, OH: R. R. Donnelley & Sons, 2002.
Ambrose, Stephen E. Undaunted Courage. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 1996.
Duncan, Dayton. Lewis & Clark: The Journey of a Corps of Discovery. Willard, OH: R. R. Donnelley & Sons, 1997.
Gilbert, Don. The Trailblazers. New York, NY: Time-Life Books, 1973.
Fazio, James R. Across the Snowy Ranges: The Lewis and Clark Expedition in Idaho and Western Montana. Moscow, ID: Woodland Press, 2001.
Schmidt, Thomas and Jeremy. The saga of Lewis & Clark into the Uncharted West. New York, NY: DK Publishing, Inc., 2003.
Anthony Price
1/13/14
NIC History 111
Long before Thomas Jefferson was the President of the United States he had aspirations to know what was beyond the Mississippi River. The purchase of the Louisiana Territory from the French in 1803 opened the door to President Jefferson’s opportunity to send explorers across the continent. At that time, nearly the whole population of the United States lived within 50 miles of the Atlantic Ocean. Because of this, all of the knowledge of the west had come from French fur trappers and other explorers from other countries. Jefferson sent Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to lead a team of explorers to the Pacific Ocean with the goals of mapping and learning about the area, creating relations with the Indians of those parts, and finding an all-water route to the Pacific Ocean. The expedition of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark was a journey full of bumps and struggles, but it would eventually lead to great opportunities and discoveries for the United States of America. Thomas Jefferson specifically chose Meriwether Lewis to head this journey through the Louisiana Territory. Lewis had …show more content…
been a captain in the U.S. Army and Jefferson’s former secretary. When Lewis was in the military he served in a company commanded by William Clark.1 Lewis decided that he wanted Clark to assist him in the journey to the West. Both of them had certain skills obtained in the Army that would greatly benefit them while exploring. In February of 1803 Congress had granted Jefferson and his “Corps of Discovery” money for the expedition, Allowing Jefferson the opportunity to make his dream a reality. Although Lewis and Clark were very well prepared to survive the journey, they also needed to be equipped with the proper knowledge to make the voyage a scientific success. To do so, Lewis traveled to Philadelphia to learn about many different objectives which he would be asked to accomplish during his trip. He was tutored in map making and surveying from Andrew Ellicott, botany from Benjamin Smith Barton, mathematics from Robert Patterson, anatomy and fossils from Caspar Wistar, and medicine from Benjamin Rush.2 He had gained as much knowledge and as many skills as possible for the journey, and was almost completely ready to leave. All he needed were supplies. While in Philadelphia, Lewis also gathered many supplies, including scientific tools, guns and ammunition, medicines, and journal keeping supplies. On the list he had a chronometer, a sextant, ink, journals, portable soups, a corn mill, mosquito netting, blankets, oiled linen, candles, tools, and reference books.3 Although he had many supplies it still might not be enough to make it all the way to the Pacific Ocean and back. Along with the supplies he needed to survive and to obtain information, it was also necessary to have supplies to trade and gift to the Indians they were bound to encounter. It is a part of Indian tradition and culture to exchange gifts; it is a symbol of friendship and allegiance. On his shopping list he included glass beads, mirrors, scissors, thimbles, needles, tobacco, knives, and peace medals.4 With these peace offerings, the Corps of Discovery hoped to follow Jefferson’s instructions to treat the Indians in a kind manner and increase trade and knowledge of the tribes. The official announcement of the Louisiana Purchase was not made public until July of 1803. This made the Lewis and Clark expedition much more important, as the land to be explored was completely American territory. Once Lewis had obtained Jefferson’s exact instructions, he set off for Pittsburgh and set out on the Ohio River. He met up with William Clark in Clarksville where they packed up their boats and headed downriver. Accompanying them were a few recruited soldiers, Clark’s African-American slave York, and Lewis’s dog Seaman. During the Winter of 1803-1804, Lewis and Clark spent their days in Camp Dubois on the East Bank of the Mississippi River, just upstream from St. Louis, Missouri. There they recruited more men, increasing the size of the Corps of Discovery to more than 40.5 As spring approached, the men were finishing the final preparations, packing all of their countless supplies onto their boats. On May 14, 1804, The Lewis and Clark Expedition began, with the Corps of Discovery heading up the Missouri River.6 One of the main duties for the journeymen were to keep everything logged in journals; writing nearly every day about every occurrence that had happened from Indian encounters to new plants that had been found. Another important instruction from Thomas Jefferson was to create maps, especially in areas that had not been previously explored. When they encountered areas that were uninhabited by people, they were in charge of naming newly discovered bodies of water and organisms. Many were named after famous figures of the time such as Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and James Madison. Other names for them would be based upon friends and members of the Corps of Discovery. Many of the names that they used are still used today. In late July the explorers camped north of the mouth of the Platte River, at a site called Council Bluff. This was the spot where Lewis and Clark could have their first meeting with the Native Americans. They met with a small group of Oto and Missouri Indians.7 Another important event that happened at Council was the death of Sergeant Charles Floyd, a soldier and member of the Corps of Discovery. He became ill and died of a ruptured appendix, the only member to die along the journey. As summer came to a close and fall was rapidly approaching, the landscape surrounding the Mississippi River changed drastically. There were much fewer trees and more grass, taller plain grass then eventually the shorter grass of the high plains. This is where they started to spot buffalo by the thousands, and they saw prairie dogs for the first time. The temperature began to drop, with frost sometimes visible in the mornings. Lewis and Clark planned on wintering near long-established villages inhabited by large numbers of Mandan and Hidatsa Indians, north of present day Bismarck, North Dakota. On October 26, 1804, the expedition arrived at the Indian villages, making it nearly 1,600 miles from Camp Dubois.8 A proper site for a camp was found and the explorers created Fort Mandan across the river from the Indians. While they were stuck at Fort Mandan during the winter, Lewis and Clark worked on building relations with the Indians residing across the river. One of the traders that Lewis and Clark met was named Charbonneau. He was persuaded to come along with the Corps of Discovery as an interpreter when they left in the spring. Alongside Charbonneau was his wife Sacagawea who had been stolen from her original tribe, the Shoshone. Sacagawea was pregnant and had a baby named Jean-Baptiste, nicknamed Pomp by William Clark, on February 11, 1805.9 Lewis and Clark quickly realized Sacagawea’s potential of being a guide and symbol of peace with her child. Another way that the Corps of Discovery spent their long winter in Fort Mandan was preparing a shipment to Thomas Jefferson. This delivery included maps, reports, items created by Native Americans, skins and skeletons of previously unknown animals, soil samples, minerals, seeds, and cages containing live prairie dogs, grouse, and magpies. The shipment arrived in Washington D.C. four months after it was sent on April 7th, 1804. Many of the supplies were put on display in Jefferson’s “Indian Hall”, the entrance to his home near Charlottesville, Virginia.10 On the same day that the shipment was sent down the Missouri River, the Corps members left Fort Mandan in their canoes and headed to the West, into uncharted territory. Once in present-day Montana, the explorers were surprised at the massive herds of buffalo, many numbering more than 10,000. They were also amazed at some other animals, such as the grizzly bear with its ferocity and viciousness. Nearly two months after leaving Fort Mandan, the Corps would reach one of the biggest natural obstacles that they were bound to reach. They ran into Great Falls, a 10 mile stretch of the Missouri River that dropped over 400 feet between 5 cascades.11 The group was forced to beach their boats, and had to gruelingly port every supply that they had around the falls. In the middle of the summer the voyagers ended up at the Three Forks of the Missouri River. Seemingly their best option, the adventurers took the shallow, rapid Jefferson River. Eventually they ran into Beaverhead Rock north of present day Dillon, Montana.12 Sacagawea instantly recognized the landmark, as it was very close to the home of her people, the Shoshone. Lewis and Clark were desperate to find the Shoshone in order to trade for horses, so Lewis decided to scout ahead. When he ascended the final ridge to the Continental Divide, he was very surprised and disappointed to see that there actually was no all-water route to the Pacific Ocean. He expected to see massive plains with a large river flowing through to the Pacific Ocean, but when he reached the peak, he unexpectedly found out that there were just more and more mountain ranges. Eventually the Corps of Discovery encountered Sacagawea’s native tribe, the Shoshone. Lewis arrived first with his scouting party, looking to negotiate for horses in order to cross the daunting mountains. Once Clark and the rest of the group arrived, Sacagawea was able to translate for them to help with the discussions. Luckily, the Shoshone chief happened to be Sacagawea’s brother, Cameahwait. They were both ecstatic to be reunited again, and Cameahwait provided plenty of horses, another guide named Old Toby that had experience traveling through the mountains, and much information regarding what they could encounter on the rest of their journey.13 The explorers set up camp near the Indian village, and rightfully named it Camp Fortunate. The cold and miserable winter days were fast approaching and snow was starting to cover the peaks, but this didn’t stop Lewis and Clark from continuing on their Journey in the Bitterroots, a range of the Rocky Mountains. They were informed by Cameahwait of a trail that was frequently used by the Nez Perce. This trail could supposedly help lead them to the Pacific Ocean, but after wasting days searching for it, they decided to give up and attempt to make it without the path.14 The mountains became very dangerous, with very treacherous paths and temperatures dropping below freezing. Many of the men were fatigued and hungry from the long journey to the mountains, but it was not over yet. Eventually the group did make it out of the dreadful Bitterroots, but food was still very scarce so Lewis and Clark traded with the Nez Perce tribe for food such as fish and other game. In the fall, the Corps put in some freshly created canoes into the Clearwater River and set out to make it to the Pacific Ocean. For the first time since they set out from St. Louis, they caught a break and were able to paddle downstream for a change. The party rowed from the Clearwater River to the Snake River and eventually to the Columbia River. The group knew that the Columbia would take them to the Pacific Ocean. By the end of October Lewis and Clark finally spotted Mt. Hood, and at last in the month of November the Pacific Ocean was sighted. They Corps of Discovery had traveled an estimated 4,162 miles from the Mouth of the Missouri River.15 Once the group reached the West Coast in November, they immediately began preparations for the winter ahead. They started building Fort Clatsop, named after the local Indians. The adventurers spent the cold, miserable winter days updating their journals, trading with the Indians, and preparing for the extremely long journey home. On March 23, 1806, Lewis and Clark presented Fort Clatsop to the Clatsop Indian Chief Coboway, and started on their voyage home.16 They quickly reached the Nez Perce camp, but were forced to wait with them until the snow had melted and it was safe to pass back through the Bitterroots. The group split up after making it through the mountains and regrouping at Traveler’s Rest. Lewis took his group to the North while Clark took his men down the Yellowstone River. On their way, Lewis’s party had encountered and fought with some Blackfeet Indians that attempted to steal horses and guns from them. The skirmish ended up with two dead Indians and luckily no dead voyagers. Eventually at the point where the Yellowstone flows into the Missouri River, the groups were reunited at last. On the way back, they were fortunately canoeing downstream. They were able to cover a substantial number of miles per day, much more than going the other way. When the explorers reached the Mandan villages in August, they parted with Charbonneau, Sacagawea, and the infant Jean-Baptiste. The Corps of Discovery officially ended their journey on September 23, 1806 when they returned to St. Louis, Missouri. It took them approximately 2 years, 4 months, and 9 days to travel to the Pacific Ocean and all the way back.17 Thomas Jefferson had only approximated the group to be gone for about a year, causing him to deeply worry about their wellbeing. It was very amazing that the entire group except one made it the whole journey without any major setbacks. Thomas Jefferson had such extensive instructions that Lewis and Clark were bound to not be able to achieve every single goal, but overall the expedition was extremely successful.
The findings of the Corps of Discovery were very extensive and led to many opportunities for the young and developing country of America. Although one of the major goals of finding an all-water route to the Pacific was not fulfilled, but they were able to create maps and fill up many books worth of information that they obtained on the voyage. Another success was the relations that they had gained with the Native Americans from all of the trade and congregations with them. Overall the Lewis and Clark expedition was extremely beneficial and one of Thomas Jefferson’s most enduring
legacies.
Bibliography
Ambrose, Stephen E. Lewis & Clark: Voyage of Discovery. Willard, OH: R. R. Donnelley & Sons, 2002.
Ambrose, Stephen E. Undaunted Courage. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 1996.
Duncan, Dayton. Lewis & Clark: The Journey of a Corps of Discovery. Willard, OH: R. R. Donnelley & Sons, 1997.
Gilbert, Don. The Trailblazers. New York, NY: Time-Life Books, 1973.
Fazio, James R. Across the Snowy Ranges: The Lewis and Clark Expedition in Idaho and Western Montana. Moscow, ID: Woodland Press, 2001.
Schmidt, Thomas and Jeremy. The saga of Lewis & Clark into the Uncharted West. New York, NY: DK Publishing, Inc., 2003.