Why did Lewis and Clark go on an expedition in the first place?

Why did Lewis and Clark go on an expedition in the first place?

The Lewis and Clark Expedition began in 1804, when President Thomas Jefferson tasked Meriwether Lewis with exploring lands west of the Mississippi River that comprised the Louisiana Purchase. Lewis chose William Clark as his co-leader for the mission.

Why did Lewis and Clark want to go to the Pacific Ocean?

Captains Meriwether Lewis (1774-1809) and William Clark (1770-1838) hoped to find a short, easy portage that would connect the Missouri River, which drains the eastern half of the continent, with the Columbia, flowing west to the Pacific.

What did Lewis and Clark accomplish on their expedition?

The expedition lasted from May 1804 until September 1806. They failed to find a waterway from the Mississippi to the Pacific, but succeeded in documenting more than 100 new animals and 178 plants, as well as providing 140 maps of the region.

Why did Lewis and Clark go so far north?

The Official Reason: Commerce and Trade And it was also not setting out to claim territory. Trapping animals for their furs was a lucrative business at the time, and Americans such as John Jacob Astor were building great fortunes based on the fur trade.

Why was the Lewis and Clark Expedition so important?

The Importance Of The Expedition The accomplishments of the Lewis and Clark Expedition were extensive. It altered the imperial struggle for the control of North America, particularity in the Pacific Northwest. It strengthened the U.S. claim to the areas now known as the states of Oregon and Washington.

What happened after Lewis and Clark finished their expedition?

After the expedition ended, Clark traveled in 1807 to St. Louis to take up duties as chief Indian agent for the Territory of Upper Louisiana, bringing York with him. A rift developed between the two men: York had wanted to remain in Kentucky, near his wife, whom he hadn’t seen in almost five years.

What was the name of the Lewis and Clark Expedition?

The Lewis and Clark Expedition from May 1804 to September 1806, also known as the Corps of Discovery Expedition, was the first American expedition to cross the western portion of the United States.

Where did Lewis and Clark set up camp?

On a gloomy December afternoon in 1803, a boat crept along the banks of the Mississippi River and landed at the mouth of the Wood River in what is now the state of Illinois. A group of men climbed out and began to set up camp under a dark canopy of oak trees.

What did Lewis and Clark use to orient themselves?

Lewis and Clark used William Robert Broughton’s 1792 notes and maps to orient themselves once they reached the lower Columbia River. The sighting of Mount Hood and other stratovolcanos confirmed that the expedition had almost reached the Pacific Ocean.

Where did Lewis and Clark launch their pirogues?

Great Plains Region. On May 14, 1804, Meriwether Lewis, William Clark and their group of 40 men, collectively known as the Corps of Discovery, launched their pirogues and keelboat onto the Missouri River at its mouth, some 18 miles from the young town of St. Louis.