Assignment Three, Lewis and Clark

Essential Questions

1. Why did Jefferson send Meriwether Lewis to explore the headwaters of the Missouri River?

2. In what ways did the knowledge gained on their journey shape America?

3. How did the journey affect the Native people with whom they came in contact?

4. How did the return of Lewis and Clark affect American interest in the West? 

Description 

The expedition of the Corps of Discovery by Lewis and Clark captivated America, and built enormous interest in the lands included in the Louisiana Purchase.

Thomas Jefferson was overjoyed by their return, and the men in the expedition received abundant rewards and cash from the United States government. York and Sacagawea received nothing.

Still, interest in the West exploded and the explorations continued. Military officials had also sent Zebulon Pike to explore the Southwest. Though his expedition was not as well organized, or successful, as that of Lewis and Clark, he still provided important information for Americans as they moved west.

Interest in the fur trade was also growing, and many trappers and traders soon followed the route explored by Lewis and Clark - at least to the upper Missouri. Relations with the Blackfeet were bad and traveling in northern and western of present-day Montana was dangerous - particularly for Americans.

As a result of the danger of traveling among the Blackfeet and the horrific crossing of the Rockies described and mapped by Lewis and Clark, interest in a more southerly route to the Pacific Ocean started to grow.

This led the wealthy eastern businessman, Jon Jacob Astor, to organize the first overland trade exploration to the Pacific Ocen. Unlike Lewis and Clark, the Astorians did not intend to follow the Missouri to its western extent. They looked for an overland route south of what Lewis and Clark had found.

The Astorians were the first white explorers to find a wide basin at the southern end of the Wind River Mountains. This was where the Rockies could be crossed with a great deal more ease than the near deadly route Lewis and Clark had followed through what is now north-central Idaho. The discovery by the Astorians became the fabled South Pass. And it was the route through which the vast majority of westward travelers would move west.

Objectives

Students will identify and explain the impacts of the Lewis and Clark expedition and the increased interest in the West that followed prior to the War of 1812. 

Instructions

1. See the instructions on the printed assignment.

2. Use the textbook Chapter 15, pages 25 to the end Chapter 16, pages 19 to 25 as you answer the following questions with a clear response of a few sentences. 

Online Files for this Assignment

This assignment will make use of the Lewis and Clark documentary from PBS. This film is not available online.

Click here for the biography of Sacagawea.

Click here to open the modern map of the western United States.

Here is an excellent directory of historic sites related to Lewis and Clark. I highly recommend you start here for the second map question.

If you want to review the instructions for the map questions, click here.

Basic Map

Lewis and Clark Video

Click here to open a timeline of Jefferson's Presidency.

A printed copy of the assignment