Question

The Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the United States. President Thomas Jefferson sent the Lewis and Clark Expedition into Louisiana to explore what it contained. While looking at a map showing the route of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, write a summary describing how these explorers arrived at the coastline of the Pacific Ocean.

Write this description as a narrative, mentioning the physical features that they came across during their explorations."

Answer 1

The Lewis and Clark Expedition, initiated by President Jefferson after the Louisiana Purchase, was a groundbreaking journey from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean that mapped the geography, documented flora and fauna, and assessed the potential for commerce in the American West.

Step-by-step explanation:

Following the Louisiana Purchase, President Thomas Jefferson commissioned the Lewis and Clark Expedition to explore the newly acquired territory and to seek out a passage to the Pacific Ocean. The journey commenced in May 1804 as Meriwether Lewis and William Clark embarked on an arduous path from St. Louis, navigating up the Missouri River. They faced numerous physical challenges, including vast prairies, formidable mountain ranges like the Rockies, and the treacherous rapids of the Columbia River. Along the way, they documented an array of geographic features, plant life, animal species, and established key relationships with Indigenous peoples. Their expedition, which reached the Pacific Northwest in November 1805, provided valuable information on the topography, ecology, and potential for commercial exploitation of the West, thereby enhancing American claims to the territory and setting the stage for future settlement and economic opportunities. The maps and journals from their journey significantly increased the geographical knowledge of the North American continent among the United States citizenry and government.