Lewis and Clark Expedition

Quick Facts: Who was Lewis and Clark Expedition?

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Lewis and Clark Expedition

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U.S. expedition (1804–1806) crossing the continent after the Louisiana Purchase.

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Origins & Early Life

The Lewis and Clark Expedition, also known as the Corps of Discovery Expedition, was the United States expedition to cross the newly acquired western portion of the country after the Louisiana Purchase. The Corps of Discovery was a select group of U.S. Army and civilian volunteers under the command of Captain Meriwether Lewis and his close friend Second Lieutenant William Clark. Clark, along with 30 others, set out from Camp Dubois (Camp Wood), Illinois, on May 14, 1804, met Lewis and ten other members of the group in St. Charles, Missouri, then went up the Missouri River. The expedition crossed the Continental Divide of the Americas near the Lemhi Pass, eventually coming to the Columbia River, and the Pacific Ocean in 1805. The return voyage began on March 23, 1806, at Fort Clatsop, Oregon, ending six months later on September 23.

Career & Major Achievements

President Thomas Jefferson commissioned the expedition, shortly after the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, to explore and detail as much of the new territory as possible. Furthermore, he wished to find a practical travel route across the western half of the continent—directly avoiding the hot and desolate desert southwest—and to establish an American presence in the new lands before European powers attempted to establish claims of their own. The campaign's secondary objectives were scientific, economical and humanitarian, i.e., to document the West's biodiversity, topography and geography and to establish positive trade relations with (potentially unknown) Native American tribes. The expedition returned to St. Louis to report their findings to President Jefferson via maps, sketches, and various journals. One of Thomas Jefferson's goals was to find "the most direct and practicable water communication across this continent, for the purposes of commerce".

Enduring Legacy & Impact

He also attached special importance to declaring US sovereignty over the land inhabited by the many different Native American tribes along the Missouri River, and to securing an accurate sense of the resources in the recently completed Louisiana Purchase. The expedition made notable contributions to science, but scientific research was not the main goal of the mission. For years, Thomas Jefferson read accounts about the adventures of various explorers on the western frontier, and, consequently, maintained a long-held interest in further exploring this mostly-unknown region of the continent. In the 1780s, while Minister to France, Jefferson met John Ledyard in Paris, where they discussed a possible trip to the Pacific Northwest. Jefferson had also read Captain James Cook's A Voyage to the Pacific Ocean (London, 1784), an account of Cook's third voyage, and Le Page du Pratz's The History of Louisiana (London, 1763), all of which greatly influenced his decision to send an expedition.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1784: 1784 Milestone — Jefferson had also read Captain James Cook's A Voyage to the Pacific Ocean (London, 1784), an account of Cook's third voyage, and Le Page du Pratz's The History of Louisiana (London, 1763), all of which greatly influenced his decision to send an expedition.
2. 1803: 1803 Milestone — President Thomas Jefferson commissioned the expedition, shortly after the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, to explore and detail as much of the new territory as possible.
3. 1804: 1804 Milestone — Clark, along with 30 others, set out from Camp Dubois (Camp Wood), Illinois, on May 14, 1804, met Lewis and ten other members of the group in St.
4. 1805: 1805 Milestone — The expedition crossed the Continental Divide of the Americas near the Lemhi Pass, eventually coming to the Columbia River, and the Pacific Ocean in 1805.
5. 1806: 1806 Milestone — The return voyage began on March 23, 1806, at Fort Clatsop, Oregon, ending six months later on September 23.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Lewis and Clark Expedition

True or False: “The primary goal of the Lewis and Clark Expedition was solely to establish American trade routes for furs.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While commerce was a key motivation, the expedition also aimed to document biodiversity, topography, geography, and secure US sovereignty over the newly acquired lands.

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