The Lewis and Clark Expedition

Who were Lewis and Clark? Meriwether Lewis and William Clark were former soldiers and lifelong explorers, who had become respected colleagues over the years throughout both their military and political careers. Lewis, as a trusted aide to the President, was appointed the leader of the Corps of Discovery, an official expedition into the American interior (most often referred to today as the “Lewis and Clark Expedition”). Lewis suggested that Clark help him lead the expedition, and the two men are said to have exercised equal authority for the entire journey. Who ordered the expedition, and why? The third American President, Thomas Jefferson, commissioned the expedition for the purposes of surveying the newly-acquired land of the Louisiana Purchase (look for a post on this topic coming soon!). The United States government wanted accurate maps of the territory, reports on the terrain and native inhabitants, and assessments of any previously undiscovered plants and animals. Another goal was to establish American sovereignty over any indigenous nations and to prevent any European claims to the land. It was also hoped that a trade route to Asia from the Pacific would be discovered, although this failed to come to fruition. Had the Western tribes never encountered foreigners before? Most of the Native Americans that Lewis and Clark ran across had already been contacted years ago by French, Spanish, or other foreign explorers, and many were even engaged in trade. However, they had had little or no contact with authorities from any government, and there was much to be discovered about them. Some of the indigenous groups that Lewis and Clark discovered were friendly, while others were more hostile, but they managed to avoid having any serious clashes. All in all, the Corps of Discovery made some sort of contact with over seventy native tribes. The expedition had the goal of setting up diplomatic relations with the natives whenever possible, and they handed out flags and Indian Peace Medals in order to establish sovereignty and open up trade negotiations. What were the Indian Peace Medals? Indian Peace Medals were tokens of friendship that were originally introduced by European colonial leaders, to be given to the Native American tribes in order to open a peaceful dialogue. Once the United States government came into existence, it continued this practice as an effective way of gaining indigenous cooperation. The Indian Peace Medals took the form of silver medallions, usually featuring a portrait of the sitting President. Thomas Jefferson was the first to use the U.S. Mint to create these medallions in large quantities, specifically so that Lewis and Clark and their Corps of Discovery could make use of them when encountering new tribes. Who else was on the Lewis and Clark expedition? There were about thirty-one other men on the journey, many of them with limited experience in exploration. Along the way, they met a French-Canadian fur trapper named Toussaint Charbonneau and hired him as an interpreter. His teenage wife, a Shoshone woman called Sacagawea, would become the most famous person to accompany Lewis and Clark. Who was Sacagawea? Sacagawea, also referred to as Sakakawea and Sacajawea (there is some dispute over her true name), is a legendary but mysterious figure in the American consciousness. It is commonly believed that she served the expedition as a guide, although her main role was actually as an interpreter and go-between. She and her newborn son, Jean Baptiste Charbonneau, were also symbols of comfort and peace to the indigenous tribes that met up with the Lewis and Clark expedition, furthering the explorers’ goals of diplomacy. Sacagawea was adopted as a hero by the feminist cause in later decades, and her memory has been honored with many coins, stamps, plaques, and statues, even though it is not known exactly what she looked like. What path did the explorers follow? The Lewis and Clark expedition followed the Missouri River westward, across what is now the continental United States. They crossed the entire Midwest, traversed the Rocky Mountains, and made it all the way to the Pacific Coast, off of what would later become the state of Oregon. Upon returning, their geological surveys and maps formed the basis of all future expansion into the area. The journey took them a total of two years and four months. What were the results of the Lewis and Clark expedition? The Corps of Discovery was able to meet most of the goals that it had set out to accomplish. Lewis and Clark did not discover a trade route to Asia, but they found the boundary of the Pacific Ocean, charted thousands of miles of territory, and established relations with native tribes, as well as reinforcing an official American claim on the land in opposition to European interests. The expedition was also of great significance to the realm of science, as Lewis and Clark discovered over two hundred previously undocumented plants and animals. Interestingly, the importance of their voyage was only marginally recognized until the late 19^th century, despite is massive impact in shaping American knowledge of the continent.