Transcript Lewis and Clark: The Great Expedition

Lewis and Clark: The Corps of
Discovery
Pacific Northwest History
April 11, 2011
Mr. Rice
Circa 1803
• The United States at this time has a
population of 5,308,483 people.
• The nation is only 18 years old.
• Boundaries went from the Atlantic Ocean,
then west to the Mississippi and from the
Great Lakes in the north down to the Gulf of
Mexico.
• 2/3 of the population lived within 50 miles of
the Atlantic coast.
Circa 1803 continued…
• At the time of the Lewis and Clark expedition,
there were two very distinct levels of culture,
especially in Virginia and the southern
plantations.
– Gentlemen were expected to be proper and
friendly and were very much focused on
philosophy, science and human rights.
– Despite this, the south, and the nation for that
matter, was born upon the backs of slaves and
lower class workers.
Navigating Towards Commerce
• In 1803, only four roads crossed the
Appalachian Mountains.
• To become a seriously powerful nation, the
United States needed to add the area of the
Mississippi region, especially New Orleans.
• The 1 Million people west of the Appalachians
felt they were their own country and could
build a strong commerce with the use of the
Mississippi and Ohio river systems.
Navigating Towards Commerce
• Jefferson was keenly aware of the possibility
of secession from this group of people.
• Jefferson was very interested in acquiring
lands to the west and a large portion of his
books at his Monticello home were based on
the ideas of the west.
Myths of the West
• Mammoths roamed the west…along with 7
foot tall beavers and slim-waist, friendly
buffalo.
• People believed the area to be hospitable and
the Rocky Mountains were believed to be
small and easy to traverse.
• Maps often referred to California as an island
off in the distance.
Thomas Jefferson
• Third President of the United
States.
• Brought about the largest
expansion of territory in
United States History.
• Believed strongly in the
natural rights of man to be
free and to have certain
rights.
• Author of the Declaration of
Independence.
• Father of the University of
Virginia.
Jefferson’s Philosophy
• Jefferson believed that development of the
west was crucial to the commercial and social
growth of the young United States.
• Not only would this push other countries off
of the U.S. borders, but the region was wide
open for development.
• This in turn had the possibility of developing
strong trade routes down the Mississippi and
strengthen the economy of the young country.
Origins of the Corps
• In January of 1803, Jefferson was planning a
secret mission through French, Spanish and
English western territories.
• Jefferson wanted to know the flora, fauna,
rivers, mountains and people west of the
Mandan settlement in South Dakota.
• More importantly, observations of the
commercial and agricultural possibilities of the
region were equally crucial.
The Louisiana Purchase
This was a very
large piece of
land, 820,000square miles to
be exact, and it
was sold to the
United States by
France for the
measly price of
$15 million.
The Louisiana Purchase
• This territory was sold by
French leader Napoleon
Bonaparte.
• It was an effort by NB to
fund another war with the
English.
• It was beneficial to the
United States because they
were already trying to
purchase French owned
New Orleans.
• 820,000 square miles = 15
million dollars.
The Louisiana Purchase cont.
• Bonaparte believed that
eventually the Americans
would over run the
territory anyway.
• Also, NB knew he would
empower the young
nation and strengthen the
alliance between France
and the U.S. and thus
encouraging animosity
towards a common
British enemy.
After all the wheeling and dealing was
done…
• Soon after the purchase of Louisiana, the
group of Meriwether Lewis, William Clark and
31 other men would begin their trek from St
Louis, Missouri Territory all the way to the
Pacific Coast.
• They received a letter from Jefferson, which
gave them full faith and credit of the United
States to purchase whatever they needed.
Captain Meriwether Lewis
• Grew up on a 1,000-acre
plantation about 10 miles
away from Jefferson.
• 1801, he is appointed personal
secretary to the President.
• Superb condition, over six feet
tall, and a lean frame.
• He was fiercely loyal,
disciplined, yet relatively
flexible in nature.
• A strong outdoorsman.
• In 1809, it is believed that he
shot himself once in the
forehead and another time in
the chest. We will see what
you think next week…
Captain William Clark
• All his older brothers served in
the Revolutionary War.
• He was a very good outdoorsman
and could easily survive on the
land.
• Began his military life at the age
of 19.
• Was a good fort builder, an okay
map maker and a superb fighter.
• He would eventually become the
Superintendent of Indian Affairs
in the Upper Louisiana Territory
in 1807.
• He would die of natural causes on
September 1, 1838.
The Corps of Discovery
• In addition to Lewis and
Clark, the expedition had
31 men who were superb
outdoorsmen and all had
specific skills that would
help them complete this
adventure.
• 29 of the men would last
the entirety of the trip,
while 2 would be sent
home for insubordination.
Other Notable people
• Sacagawea
– Native woman who helped with interpreting
native languages along the route.
• Toussaint Charbonneau
– French-Canadian trapper who helped the Corps
make it over the Rocky Mountains and decipher
the land in the west.
• York
– Clark’s black manservant. He had relatively equal
rights among the men and was allowed to vote
and participate in the majority of activities with
the crew.
Lewis’ Preparation
• He is trained in many different skills in the
early part of 1803 that will help him do all that
is asked of him throughout the long journey.
• He is taught by the master cartographers,
botanists and scientists of the time to give him
the much needed knowledge to survive and
complete his task.
Where did the Corps trek? (1 of 3)
• May 14, 1804
The Corps of Discovery
leaves Camp Wood and
begins their journey up
the Missouri River
"under a gentle breeze.“
• October 24 -December
24, 1804 - The men
finish building Fort
Mandan, their winter
quarters in present-day
North Dakota.
• Early September 1804
The Corps enters the
Great Plains and sees
animals unknown in the
eastern United States.
• May 31, 1805
The Corps reaches the
White Cliffs region of
the Missouri River.
Where did the Corps trek? (2 of 3)
• June 13, 1805
Lewis reaches the Great Falls
of the Missouri—five massive
cascades around which the
men must carry all of their
gear, including the canoes.
• September 11, 1805
The Corps begins the steep
ascent into the Bitterroot
Range of the Rocky
Mountains; the crossing will
cover more than 160 miles
(260 kilometers).
• August 12, 1805
Jefferson receives the
shipment from Fort Mandan;
Lewis finds the headwaters
of the Missouri River, then
crosses the Continental
Divide and Lemhi Pass to
discover that there is no
Northwest Passage.
• September 23, 1805
Starving, the men emerge
from the mountains near
present-day Weippe, Idaho,
at the villages of the Nez
Perce Indians.
Where did the Corps trek? (3 of 3)
• November 24, 1805
Having reached the
Pacific, the entire
expedition—including
Sacagawea and Clark's
slave, York—take a vote
on where to build their
winter quarters. They
chose the Clatsop Indian
side of the Columbia, and
the encampment came to
be called Fort Clatsop.
• March 23, 1806
After a winter of only 12 days
without rain, the men
present their fort to the
Clatsop Indians and set out
for home.
• September 23, 1806
Having found an easier route
across the country, the men
reach St. Louis nearly two
and a half years after their
journey began and are
acclaimed as national heroes.
A map of their Route
And then there was…………..
Nothing more to
teach you right
now about Lewis
and Clark!!!