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

Lewis and Clark expediation - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
The expedition, which was also aimed at discovering natural resources and a transcontinental path saw a team of more than forty men…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER97.6% of users find it useful
Lewis and Clark expediation
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Lewis and Clark expediation"

Lewis and Clark Expedition Institution:Lewis and Clark ExpeditionThe Lewis and Clark Expedition was commissioned by the then President Jefferson with a view to survey the territories found at the northwest. The expedition, which was also aimed at discovering natural resources and a transcontinental path saw a team of more than forty men transverse the regions from the Missouri River through the Rocky Mountains before reaching the Pacific Ocean through the Columbia River. The discovery team then moved back to St.

Louis, having acquired immense knowledge on Native Americans and the geography of their land. Throughout the expedition, Native Americans’ land was viewed as a mere continuation of American territory, with the Americans seeking to enlarge their territory by acquiring the Native Americans’ land. However, the Native Americans were primarily not objective towards the expedition seeing it as a way of enhancing trade relations with America, thereby increasing their access to commodities. Most Native groups cooperated with the discovery team by serving as the latter’s interpreters and guides, for instance, the Lewis and Clark led expedition include the Mandans, who grew corn on their land and resided in earth lodges.

This group of natives agreed to trade with America and assisted the discovery team in finding food, accommodation and provided protection to the team. In addition, other groups of cooperative natives were the Sioux, the Hidatsa, the Chinook, Shoshone and the Arikara. All these groups had a positive impact on the success of the expedition and assisted the discovery team in creating rapport with other groups (DeVoto, 1953, 29). One of the most notable Native American who assisted the expedition team was Sacajawea, wife to one of the hired Natives.

Sacajawea played a key role in maintaining amiable relations between the team and other Native groups. However, there were some Native American groups that were not quite cooperative and who sought to have the discovery team expelled from their land through all necessary means, including warfare (Neuberger, 1962, 15). For instance, the Piegan Blackfoot warriors, whom the expedition team encountered at the Marias River. The expedition team was forced to retreat from the Piegan’s land for fear of attack when the Native group attempted to forcefully acquire the team’s weapons.

The Lewis and Clark expedition had a major effect on the U.S policy towards Native Americans. U.S considered Native Americans in two conflicting ways that are Native Americans were either United States’ enemies during war, or they were U.S partners in peace. The U.S policy was to bring enlightenment into Native American communities. The U.S considered Native Americans as equals to Americans, both in body and mind. However, their surroundings needed a complete transformation. According to President Jefferson, Native Americans’ style of life is what differentiated them from Americans hence by improving their living, and agricultural practices, Native Americans would move from being salvages to become civilized.

Native Americans were, generally, acceptable to this policy, seeking to become part of the larger American community. They, therefore, adopted the proposed changes into their livelihood, adopting aspects of European culture into their lives. They switched from a nomadic lifestyle and settled in villages and towns. According tp Jefferson, bringing civilization to Native Americans transformed them to complete Americans. However, this move was predominantly adopted by groups that had previously cooperated with the team of expeditors.

Hostile Natives maintained their traditional lifestyles, dismissing civilization as a form of imperialism (Thwaites, 2001, 32). References DeVoto, B. 1953. The Journals of Lewis and Clark. NY: Houghton Mifflin Company. p. 29 Neuberger, R. L. 1962. The Lewis and Clark Expedition. US: Landmark Books, 15. Thwaites, R. G. 2001. Original journals of the Lewis & Clark Expedition. Digital Scanning Inc, 5 (1-2).

Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Lewis and Clark expediation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words”, n.d.)
Lewis and Clark expediation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words. Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/history/1587509-lewis-and-clark-expediation
(Lewis and Clark Expediation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 Words)
Lewis and Clark Expediation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 Words. https://studentshare.org/history/1587509-lewis-and-clark-expediation.
“Lewis and Clark Expediation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 Words”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/history/1587509-lewis-and-clark-expediation.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Lewis and Clark expediation

How Did the Lewis & Clark Expedition Help America Expand

("lewis and clark Bicentennial," 2001) The expedition marked a key event in the course of the nation's history.... The Federal Interagency lewis and clark working group is another testimony to its importance.... It is not unfair to claim that the team led by lewis and clark went beyond the obligations of their contract.... ?? (Conry, 2004) The team led by lewis and clark spent twenty eight months exploring, studying and recording the magnificent American landscape beyond erstwhile frontiers....
5 Pages (1250 words) Essay

Lewis and Clark from the Native Americans perspective

lewis and clark from Native Americans Perspective Name Institutional Affiliation Date lewis and clark from Native Americans Perspective The Lewis & Clark's expedition was commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson in March 1801 in an attempt to explore the then newly acquired Louisiana territory from the French.... According to lewis and clark, in their expedition, they found close to fifty Indigenous Tribes (Native Americans) who were hostile and armed....
3 Pages (750 words) Research Paper

Lewis and Clark among the Indians by James P Ronda

The expedition by lewis and clark between 1804-1806 was the first United States overland mission to the Pacific coast and back, headed by Captain Meriwether Lewis and Second Lieutenant William Clark.... The journey of lewis and clark and their entourage, bearing the massive inventory of the expedition could not have completed the mission without co-operation and support of the natives.... he expedition of lewis and clark was a command exploration ordered by the then United States President, Thomas Jefferson....
5 Pages (1250 words) Essay

The Lewis and Clark Expedition

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.... Led by Captain Meriwether lewis and Lieutenant William Clark, the historic expedition was given the name Corps Of Discovery.... Whatever the intentions may have been, the initial French expedition of 1788 was not a success as it was halted due to bad weather conditions (Lewis & clark Expedition 2007)....
4 Pages (1000 words) Essay

Lewis and Clark

Clark's article “Watkuese and lewis and clark”.... hellip; In this article, Clark traces an old Indian story through several sources to help prove its apparent validity and emphasize the importance of individual thinking, as well as the input of the female, in the major events that have shaped this country, such as the expedition undertaken by lewis and clark.... lewis and clark It is a story that is not often told but that should never be forgotten....
2 Pages (500 words) Essay

Pacific Norh West History

The Pacific Northwest is restricted to the coastal region form the Kodiak Island in Alaska south to northwest California, and the USA only made its claim after the region had been explored by the lewis and clark expedition, which was the third recorded transcontinental crossing… Before the lewis and clark expedition a Canadian expedition had been led by Sir Alexander Mackenzie who in 1789 had crossed North America and was the first European to reach the Western Arctic....
4 Pages (1000 words) Essay

Lewis and Clark's Expedition

The expedition by lewis and clark did not just fulfill most of President Jefferson had anticipated but proved to be extremely worthwhile.... The Journals of lewis and clark.... Coming right after making of the Louisiana Purchase Treaty, one would say that it was only prudent that a feasibility study to explore the newly purchased land and the larger territory beyond the West's "great rock mountains". The lewis and Clarks Expedition lewis and Clarks expedition was sanctioned by President Thomas Jefferson in 1803....
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.... hellip; The lewis and clark expedition provided significant scientific information for Westward Expansion.... Consequently, Westward Expansion itself would not have taken the same 'turn' had lewis and clark not provided the groundwork for the push West that would follow.... 'What if' questions are always exercising in historical vanity perhaps, but in this case, considering the importance of Westward Expansion in the development of the geography and ethos of the United States, it is not hyperbole to claim that history would have taken a very different turn had lewis and clark not set out to explore the West....
9 Pages (2250 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