Final answer:
The Corps of Discovery was a group led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark on an expedition to explore and map the territory acquired in the Louisiana Purchase. They aimed to discover trade routes and commercial possibilities in the western lands, providing valuable information about the geography and indigenous cultures along the way.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Corps of Discovery refers to the group led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark on an expedition to explore and map the newly acquired territory of the Louisiana Purchase. The expedition, which took place from 1804 to 1806, aimed to discover potential trade routes and commercial possibilities in the western lands. Although they did not find an all-water route to the Pacific Ocean, the Corps of Discovery provided valuable information about the geography, indigenous cultures, and flora and fauna of the areas they explored.