Introduction to Lewis and Clark

By Nicholette Johnson

In 1803, little was known about the land west of the Mississippi River. President Jefferson proposed an expedition to explore these mysterious lands. Foreign powers were competing for lands and Jefferson felt it was urgent to explore the land and try to prevent the English from claiming new territories on this continent.

Who was Thomas Jefferson?

• The principal author of the Declaration of Independence (1776)

• He was the third president of the United States. (1801-1809)

• He had a vision for the U.S. to expand from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.

Jefferson doubled the size of the United States with the Louisiana

Purchase for only 3 cents an acre.

President Jefferson’s Questions:

• Could the nation expand its land all the way to the Pacific Ocean?

• Could the nation extend the external commerce of the United States? Trapping and trading of furs was important for the nation’s economy. Asia and Europe wanted these pelts. The only way to the orient was to travel all the way around Cape Horn of South America.

• Was there a short cut across America? Could merchants send their cargoes to and from the Pacific by river on one continuous waterway?

• Jefferson referred to his expedition as a “literary pursuit.” He meant scientific quest for knowledge.

• Congress mocked his idea and viewed the West as a worthless wasteland.

• He only asked for $2,500 to finance his “Voyage of Discovery”

Jefferson’s letter to Congress.

• In addition to political and commercial aims, President Jefferson expected the explorers to contribute new information about the Native peoples of the continent.

Who would lead this “Voyage of Discovery?”

Lewis and Clark’s Journey

“The Object of your Mission is…”

President Jefferson wrote: “To Meriwether Lewis, esquire, captain of the first regiment of infantry of the United States of America” – Thomas Jefferson

Watch the introduction Go to Journey: Explore the Map and look at the letter from President Jefferson. To see the letter go to #4 and see the Gallery. Once in the Gallery, go to set 6 and the letter will be one of the artifacts that you can select. Also, don’t forget to click on modern map and 1803 map.

Assign different parts of the journey as Online Homework Exploration.

http://www.lewisandclarkexhibit.org/cd_index_flash.html?