Final answer:
The Lewis and Clark Expedition made contact with numerous Native American tribes, but exact numbers aren't specified in the records. They aimed to establish peaceful relations, gather scientific knowledge, and assert U.S. sovereignty from 1804 to 1806.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Lewis and Clark Expedition, led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark from 1804 to 1806, was a landmark journey across the newly acquired western territory of the United States. The corps' interactions with the Native American tribes were a significant aspect of their mission. As they traveled, they encountered numerous native cultural groups and aimed to establish peaceful relationships with them, although some encounters, such as with the Blackfeet, turned hostile. The number of different native cultural groups contacted is not specified in the historical accounts, but the importance of these interactions was recognized in fostering relations and expanding geographical knowledge.
Along their journey, Lewis and Clark and their corps made significant contributions including the documentation of flora and fauna, mapping of uncharted territory, asserting U.S. claims to the land, and attempting to overawe Native tribes with demonstrations of technology such as the air rifle, and establishing U.S. sovereignty through distributing medals and gifts. However, they often encountered difficulties such as fierce storms, swarms of insects, and the complex political environments of the various indigenous groups they met, whose sovereignty and diversity were largely unrecognized by the federal government.