After United States purchased Louisiana from France in 1803, most of the land west of the Mississippi River was completely strange to the Americans. The Americas needed more land to settle in and for this reason, it was importance to explore it before they could settle in. It is for this reason that President Thomas Jefferson decided to commission an expedition under the command of Captain Meriwether Lewis and Lewis’s close friend as Second Lieutenant William Clark. Jefferson’s main objective in this expedition was to explore and create a map of the newly acquired territory thus finding a route across the western half of the continent. This was to help him establish an American presence in the west before Spain, British and other European …show more content…
Diplomacy
When Jefferson sent Lewis, he told him that they should tell the natives to make friends with the American because they were going to pass to the Pacific Ocean, “it will now be proper you should inform those through whose country you will pass . . . that henceforth we become their fathers and friends”. This is a clear indicator that the Americans perceived the Indians to be a hostile community. Previously, when the Euro-Americans met with the Indians, they used to use ancient diplomatic protocols such as ceremonial gifts, displays of military powers and formal languages. However, due to the difference in understanding by the two, it used to result in conflict. Therefore, when Clark and Lewis understood the concept and symbols from the Indians, it was easy for them to agree on thus diplomacy was established. William Clark recorded a speech in which the chiefs called them father while they called the Indians children. This was a great result of diplomacy since to the Indians it expressed kinship.
Geography
As stated in the beginning, Lewis was to draw some maps that would help them to be able to know the face of the country as Jefferson puts it. During their journey, Lewis and Gallatin collected the latest maps and made several sketches. They also used the help of the native people in order to record their astronomical and geographic observations. To most
In 1803, Thomas Jefferson enlisted in the help of his secretary, Meriwether Lewis to explore the newly purchased Louisiana. Jefferson wanted to find out if there were any possible water routes to the Pacific, as well as beyond the Rocky Mountains in the west.
This was the time of “manifest destiny,” the idea that our country’s destiny was to expand west and occupy the whole width of the continent to the Pacific Ocean. The Louisiana Purchase made that a lot more possible. Main reasoning for more expansion was to gain farmland, developing more wealth and taxes, and a stronger nation. Jefferson also wanted to find routes to the Pacific Ocean for trade. Lewis and Clark’s expedition – after the purchase of the Louisiana Territory ̶ was meant for them to follow the Missouri River as far west as it went to see if they could find a water route leading to the Pacific. This way, boats could carry goods to the west coast and from there to Japan, China, etc. The Louisiana Purchase too would put an end to French claims to the western part of the continent. Without the French in our way, we would only have the Indians to deal with, who were much less of a threat. Jefferson also anticipated that the new land might become a refuge for free blacks and diminish racial tensions along the Atlantic
The Lewis and Clark expedition, or Corps of Discovery, began with the Louisiana Purchase. After the Louisiana Territory was in the possession of the United States, President Thomas Jefferson sent Lewis and Clark on a trip west to learn more about the new area. The goals of the expedition were to study the Native Americans living in the area as well as the plants, animals, and land of the region. Most importantly, Jefferson wanted the expedition to find out if there was a river that connected the Pacific Ocean to the eastern states. The Corps of Discovery set out on their mission in May 1804 and traveled up the Missouri River.
First, on our journey we began near St. Louis to make our way west and pass through the continental divide to reach the Pacific Coast. President Thomas Jefferson commissioned us on the expedition shortly after the Louisiana Purchase. We were to explore and to map the newly acquired territory worth 15,000,000. We had to find a practical route across the western half of the continent, and establish an American presence in this territory before Britain and other European powers tried to claim it. The campaign's secondary objectives were scientific and economic: to study the area's plants, animal life, and geography, and to establish trade with local Native American tribes which we succeeded in .
Jefferson recommended James Monroe to join Livingston in Pairs as minister, to negotiate and find a way to Purchase the Territory of Louisiana. Later, Jefferson asked the congress to fund for the expedition that would cross the Louisiana territory, regardless of who controlled it, and proceed on the Pacific (Monticello). Which would become known as the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Monroe owned a land in Kentucky and had a spoken openly for the rights of western territories, and so Jefferson wanted Monroe to accept the posting, saying that Monroe had “the unlimited confidence of the administration & of the Western people” (Monticello). Where he also added, that it all depended on him for the sake of the future destinies of the republic. Then after, Jefferson sends a letter to the governor of Kentucky, to inform him about the arrangements that were made with Monroe to secure the rights and interests in the Mississippi, and the country Eastward of that. It was also said in the letter, that Monroe goal was to obtain the land east of the Mississippi. It had all the instructions, even drawn up, where it was allocated up to 10 million just for the purchase of New Orleans and all or part if the Floridas. If the such bid failed, Monroe had to find a way to try to purchase just New Orleans, or for the very least, have access to the
Jefferson also made lewis another offer to lead an expedition into the land West of the mississippi. Already eager to know more about these lands, Jefferson’s interest in the area increase of the Louisiana Territory from France in 1803. Jefferson asked lewis to gather information about the plants, animals, and people of the region. Lewis jumped at the chance and selected old friend William Clark to join him as mander of the
The Louisiana Purchase affected the boundaries of the U.S. because when Jefferson bought the land, the boundaries were not clear. Spain claimed the border was about one hundred miles west of the Mississippi River, while Jefferson was under the impression that it was around eight hundred miles further west, which was defined by the crest of the Rocky Mountains. This lead to four different government-funded expeditions. The first was in 1804 when Lewis and Clark led an expedition westward to determine the upper reaches of the Missouri River. Throughout the expedition Lewis and Clark were instructed to study the Indian culture, such as plants and animals. They were able to explore the Indian culture when they stayed their first winter in huts beside the Mandan Indians. Without the help from the Indians they would not have survived the winter. They also had to draw out the geography of the West. After the treacherous journey, they reached the Pacific Ocean on November 7, 1805. They made their journey back to St. Louis and arrived back in September 1806. The other three expeditions that took place between 1804 and 1806 were to determine the southwestern border. The first group went down the Red River to the Ouachita River, ending in current-day Arkansas. The second group went west into eastern Texas along the Red River and the third group ended up going too far into the Spaniard’s
In addition to the spread westward, massive amounts of land were gained with the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. The Louisiana Purchase conquered possession on territory west of the Mississippi River that stretched from the Gulf of Mexico to Canada (Roark, 249). President Jefferson came to the reasoning of the US needed to further explore the newly inherited parts of the land added. Acquisition of the Louisiana Territory virtually doubled the territorial extent of the United States, giving the new nation what then seemed to be almost limitless room for expansion. It also made possible the nation’s later expansion to the Pacific Ocean (Loos). Meriwether Lewis and William Clark went on an expedition to later on explore the trans – Mississippi West.
America doubled in size in 1803 when President Thomas Jefferson bought the Louisiana Territory from France for 15 million dollars. Jefferson wanted to discover this land and hoped to find a water route that would link the pacific ocean with the mississippi river. Jefferson decided to enlist the help of his personal secretary and soldier, Meriwether Lewis. Lewis knew he couldn’t go on this journey alone and he knew just the man to join him on the journey. William Clark was a draftsman who possessed knowledge of the outdoors. Among Lewis and Clark, young american soldiers and french canadian river men were hand picked to tag along with them on their journey. York, Clark’s personal slave and companion since childhood, tagged along. Another person
In this voyage of discovery from Louisiana territory to the Pacific Ocean, United States Army Captain Meriwether Lewis was named the leader by Thomas Jefferson, and Lewis named William Clark as the second leader in command. As a result, the Lewis and Clark Expedition provided many useful information about the life of Indian tribes, plant, and animals in the continent. Thanks to the president Thomas Jefferson, the expedition helped establish the U.S. presence in the newly acquired territory and let United States have more opportunities to do further exploration, trade and scientific discoveries in the future. Just like Thomas Jefferson said: “We shall delineate with correctness the great arteries of this great country: those who come after us will fill up the canvas we
They had to compromise with the Indians while they were trading. If Lewis and Clark were not willing to compromise they would have gotten in a lot of fights with the Indians. Like Lewis and Clark I have to compromise. In school I have to compromise with my fellow classmates in group projects. If we don't compromise and get a argument and we’ll get a bad grade on the project.
In 1801, Thomas Jefferson was elected our third president. Thomas was president of thirteen of the original states. In May of 1805 Thomas sent Louis and Clark on their famous expedition we know of today as the Corps of Discovery. Louis, Clark and his crew journeyed for 2 years. They came back September 23, 1806. Before Thomas made a big change in the 19th century the Mississippi river separated the eastern territory from the northern territory which was owned by the French. In the Next few paragraphs it’s going to explain three reasons why the Louisiana purchase was one of the greatest turning points in the 19th century, those reasons are it doubled the size of our nation, gave the U.S. more room to industrialize, and made exploring the unknown
The Louisiana Purchase affected the boundaries of the U.S. because when Jefferson bought the land, the boundaries were not clear. Spain claimed the border was about one hundred miles west of the Mississippi River, while Jefferson was under the impression that it was around eight hundred miles further west, which was defined by the crest of the Rocky Mountains. This lead to four different government-funded expeditions. The first was in 1804 when Lewis and Clark led an expedition westward to determine the upper reaches of the Missouri River. Throughout the expedition Lewis and Clark were instructed to study the Indian culture, such as plants and animals. They were able to explore the Indian culture when they stayed their first winter in huts beside the Mandan Indians. Without the help from the Indians they would not have survived the winter. They also had to draw out the geography of the West. After the treacherous journey, they reached the Pacific Ocean on November 7, 1805. They made their journey back to St. Louis and arrived back in September 1806. The other three expeditions that took place between 1804 and 1806 were to determine the southwestern border. The first group went down the Red River to the Ouachita River, ending in current-day Arkansas. The second group went west into eastern Texas along the Red River and the third group ended up going too far into the Spaniard’s Territory, which caused them to get arrested and then released soon after.
But he would need an exploration of the west. So Jefferson hired a acquaintance of his secretary a U.S army member Meriwether Lewis to do this; who later hired William Clark to be a co captain of the trip. After the trip they gathered maps of the land, climate observations, food vegetation in the area, and Indians and other people.After learning of the Louisiana Purchase it was Pike’s dream too set off on such an adventure. Pike covered 5,000 miles in 9 months gathering information on Spanish territories and army locations, British activity going against the John Jay treaty, and finally Indian treaties like the Friendship
Long before he became the third president of the United States, Thomas Jefferson had dreamed of sending explorers across North America. When Jefferson took office in 1801, most of the United States population lived within 50 miles of the Atlantic Ocean. Knowledge of the western part of the continent was limited to what had been learned from French traders and fur trappers and Spanish and British explorers. On January 18, 1803, President Jefferson sent a confidential letter to Congress asking for $2,500 to fund an expedition to the Pacific Ocean. He hoped to establish trade with the Native American people of the West and find a water route to the Pacific. Jefferson also was fascinated by the prospect of what could be learned about the geography of the West, the lives and languages of the Native Americans, the plants and animals, the soil, the rocks, the weather, and how they differed from those in the East. President Jefferson 's choice to lead an expedition was Meriwether Lewis, his former secretary and a fellow native of Albemarle County, Virginia. Having reached the rank of captain in the U.S. Army, Lewis possessed military discipline and experience that would prove invaluable. While in the Army, Lewis had served in a rifle company commanded by William Clark. It was Clark whom Lewis chose to assist him in leading this U.S. Army expedition, commonly known today as the "Corps of Discovery." On February 28, 1803, Congress appropriated funds for the Expedition, and Jefferson