StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

How Did the Lewis & Clark Expedition Help America Expand - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
The "How Did the Lewis & Clark Expedition Help America Expand" paper argues that Lewis & Clark Expedition played a key role in shaping the subsequent history, culture, and geopolitics of the nation. The Lewis & Clark Expedition is one of the pivotal moments in the history of the United States. …
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER95.3% of users find it useful
How Did the Lewis & Clark Expedition Help America Expand
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "How Did the Lewis & Clark Expedition Help America Expand"

?How did the Lewis & Clark Expedition help America expand? The Lewis & Clark Expedition is one of the pivotal moments in the history of the United States. Two centuries ago, under the orders of the then President Thomas Jefferson, Captain Meriwether Lewis and Captain William Clark set about with a team of thirty three personnel to explore, observe and chart the vast expanses of territory to the west of the continent. Titled very aptly the Corps of Discovery, the team started their journey in Wood River, Illinois in 1804 and reached the Pacific Ocean on the other side of the continent a year later. The entire route taken by the team measured 3700 miles. It covered several states, including “Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Oregon and Washington”. ("Lewis and Clark Bicentennial," 2001) The expedition marked a key event in the course of the nation’s history. This is acknowledged during the bicentennial celebrations of the event that transpired in 2005. On the occasion of the event, a government commissioned Bicentennial Council was set up to educate the public as well as to promote research on the event. The Federal Interagency Lewis and Clark working group is another testimony to its importance. This essay will argue that Lewis & Clark Expedition played a key role in shaping the subsequent history, culture and geopolitics of the nation. In the early days of the American republic, literature pertaining to natural history was an esteemed medium of information. It combined scientific and spiritualist approaches to the study of American geography. The copious descriptions and classifications contained therein served as essential tools to “contain the immensity and incomprehensibility of American nature, a subject Americans knew little about.” (Lewis, 2004) The early accounts of the discoveries in western expanses were crucial for forging in people a sense of rootedness to their land. It encouraged early republic Americans ”to celebrate the complexity of the natural world, and by extension God, through an intimate understanding of its products. This scientific-spiritualist approach crossed boundaries of class and education, jumped denominational lines, and assuaged guilty consciences over the racial genocide that accompanied expansion across the continent.” (Lewis, 2004) Hence, it is clear that Lewis & Clark has a profound socio-cultural relevance. One of the other achievements of the expedition was its completion of an overland journey through and across river systems in Missouri. By virtue of this feat, vast unchartered tracts of the West were opened up. The pioneers extended their interest well and beyond cartography. For example, they collected samples and specimens of plants and animals – some of which they’ve never encountered before. They actively studied the culture and social structure of native Indian tribes that they happened to pass by. The comprehensiveness of the expedition is highlighted by the fact that basic civil administration tasks were also performed. These include conducting diplomatic councils, forming trading relationships with tribes and recorded weather data. It is not unfair to claim that the team led by Lewis and Clark went beyond the obligations of their contract. This is attested by the fact that the team created Camp River Dubois on the Wood River at the confluence of the two great rivers, Mississippi and Missouri, north of St. Louis. The captains then “recruited young woodsmen and enlisted soldiers who volunteered from nearby army outposts. Over the winter, they prepared the men, whom they called the Corps of Discovery, for the frontier.” (Conry, 2004) The team led by Lewis and Clark spent twenty eight months exploring, studying and recording the magnificent American landscape beyond erstwhile frontiers. It is a landmark event in American history because it captures the essence of challenges to westward expansion. For example, one area of challenge is on account of international diplomacy, where American imperialist goals would be received negatively by established European imperial powers. The expedition had implications for economic and trade relations with European powers. (Jones, 2002) For example, in Coues's 1893 edition cast Lewis and Clark, the event was seen “as part of a grand American imperial project and became part and parcel of an effort to whet the appetite of, and to prepare the American nation for, a new round of frontier conquest and empire-building, this time not in North America but overseas.” (Lewis, 2004) Beyond the imperial overtones there were more immediate and practical challenges faced by the team. For example, communicating with local tribes was quite problematic. It is to the credit of the team that they were somehow able to overcome these challenges. Perhaps, the most astonishing of the feats by the expedition is the sheer physical endurance exhibited by the team. An indefinite journey into unchartered territory is tough enough, but when that journey continued for more than two years it underscores the superhuman effort. But such a risky enterprise was worth the effort when looked retrospectively. For, without the successful completion of the Corps of Discovery, American history would have taken a different course, perhaps less illustrious than what has transpired. The Lewis & Clark Expedition is a precursor to the thriving field of historical and anthropological research. Even a whole new disciple such as American Studies was inspired by the rich findings of the expedition. The amount of primary scholarly material generated by the team of the Corps is one of its kind. One of the valuable collections is the book ‘In Their Own Words: Lewis and Clark’ by George Sullivan. This book uses “primary sources including drawings, journal entries, and maps-to explain the history of the Corps of Discovery.” (Brugar, 2004) It is on account of the significance of Lewis & Clark Expedition to American history that it is celebrated even today. In January of 2003, the celebration to commemorate the bicentennial of the Corps of Discovery's expedition was inaugurated at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello home in Charlottesville, Virginia. The festivities that followed continued for well over three years – a conscious decision to match the twenty eight month duration of the epic journey. An annual Lewis & Clark Day is also commemorated and celebrated. During this special day students across schools in the country are educated about the cultural, political and historical importance of the Corps of Discovery. In some schools, special exhibitions and simulations are organized, wherein, “Students travel about, visiting various "settlements" and stations, and performing tasks similar to those carried out by Lewis and Clark. The simulation can be adapted for use in any park or schoolyard (see closing section). Teachers of social studies, science, and math work together to prepare students for Lewis & Clark Day with lessons that are tied to the curriculum and that will have practical application. On Lewis & Clark Day, teachers and students recreate some of the excitement felt by members of the corps.” (Brugar, 2004) Finally, the findings of the Corps of Discovery have found continued relevance in Natural Sciences and Geography. The notes and letters of the team members are a practical lesson in preparing for an adventure. A modern team set on adventure might carry electronic instruments, suitable clothing, sunglasses, mosquito sprays, tapes and rulers, notebooks and drawing instruments, as well as water bottles and basic utensils. But considering the period in which the expedition took place – nearly two centuries ago – the Corps did not have the technological aid that a modern team could avail. This makes their success all the more impressive. For example, “what would they use to write with on their journey? What would a portable water vessel have been made of in 1803?” It is not an exaggeration to say that the great adventurers of the Corps were polymaths of a high order. They were all proficient in cartography, botany, meteorology, zoology and anthropology. It is for this dexterity, dynamism and their spirit of enterprise that we continue to celebrate their achievements and learn from their epic voyage. Works Cited Brugar, K. (2004). Lewis & Clark: An Interdisciplinary Expedition. Social Education, 68(1), M3+. Conry, J. (2004, February-March). Lewis & Clark: Discovering Western America. American Heritage, 55(1), 19+. Lewis, A. J. (2004). Nineteenth-Century Scientific Opinion of Lewis and Clark.Transactions of the American Philosophical Society, 94(5), 236+. Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Celebration. (2001, March). Parks & Recreation, 36(3), 22+. Jones Y. Landon. (2002). The Essential Lewis and Clark. Published by HarperCollins George Sullivan, (2000). In Their Own Words: Lewis and Clark, Published by Scholastic Incorporated. Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Lewis and Clark Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words”, n.d.)
Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/history/1493045-lewis-and-clark
(Lewis and Clark Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 Words)
https://studentshare.org/history/1493045-lewis-and-clark.
“Lewis and Clark Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 Words”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/history/1493045-lewis-and-clark.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF How Did the Lewis & Clark Expedition Help America Expand

How did the French support the Colonies during the American Revolution

Secrets piled on top of secrets to help america.... At its conclusion, the French lost valuable territories to Great Britain in the land of what is now america, cementing a dislike that would not easily be forgotten (Brinkley 97).... From letters written by Benjamin Franklin in 1775, the French already had knowledge of the widening crisis between Great Britain and america, and were certainly not keen to support Great Britain (United States Office of the Historian)....
9 Pages (2250 words) Research Paper

The Lewis And Clark Expedition

The Lewis And clark expedition University: Date Submitted: BACKGROUND In 1803, the US President Thomas Jefferson led a brilliant piece of diplomacy with the help of the senate when he purchased the territory of Louisiana from France.... At first, the Indians were frightened to see the explorers, but because of Sacagawea, the connection was made rather easily and the Indians agreed to help them.... With the help of the Indians, the explorers made their way up to the Bitterroot Mountains....
5 Pages (1250 words) Term Paper

The London Museum Gallery

The Vorticist movement is led by the painter Wyndham lewis, although significant contributions were also made by the sculptors Jacob Epstein and Henri Gaudier-Brzeska. ... he Romantic imagination, newly awakened by a love of nature, did not concentrate on the rational but rather encouraged dramatic and fantastic thoughts and actions.... While many of these ideas were intended to enthuse and convince clients about real architectural schemes, some were private fantasies, exploring how the world might have looked today had the tastes of our predecessors been different....
9 Pages (2250 words) Essay

The Lewis and Clark Expedition

“Although the expedition was not the first to cross North america it was.... Lewis and Clarke expedition, which was commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson in 1803 was one of the most crucial expeditions sent to explore the Northwestern regions of the American Continent....
4 Pages (1000 words) Essay

The Promises and Flaws of Pentecostalism

"The charismatic structure of the church also serves to expand the field of the grace that comes to us in the gospel.... Turning the same light onto the sciences, Yong suggests that the insights given by the Holy Spirit can shed light on the neurological pathways that he suggests are imprinted by God "whereby human beings encounter the divine, even as the biochemical sciences can expand our understanding of the complex genetic, physical, and environmental elements which sustain and nurture human sociality and religiosity....
19 Pages (4750 words) Essay

Lewis and Clark's Expedition

he Lewis and Clarks expedition Lewis and Clarks expedition was sanctioned by President Thomas Jefferson in 1803.... The expedition by Lewis and Clark did not just fulfill most of President Jefferson had anticipated but proved to be extremely worthwhile.... Additionally, the expedition is reputed as having shaped a crude route to the Pacific waters and hence marked the initial pathway for new nation to extend westwards from ocean to ocean (Allen 366)....
1 Pages (250 words) Essay

Lewis and Clark Expediton

According to this paper, the Lewis and clark expedition was significant in that it paved the way for Westward Expansion.... The Lewis and clark expedition provided significant scientific information for Westward Expansion.... The Lewis and clark expedition contributed significantly to the history of the United States by providing scientific and practical information which laid the groundwork for westward expansion.... utline: The Lewis and clark expedition was significant in that it paved the way for Westward Expansion....
9 Pages (2250 words) Research Paper

How Did the French Support the Colonies during the American Revolution

The author of "how did the French Support the Colonies during the American Revolution" paper argues that the French lost valuable territories to Great Britain in the land of what is now America, cementing a dislike that would not easily be forgotten.... Secrets piled on top of secrets to help america. ... The second treaty, known as the Treaty of Alliance, gave provisions of a more military nature to help america in their cause of freedom against Great Britain (United States Office of the Historian)....
14 Pages (3500 words) Research Paper
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us