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What was Thomas Jefferson role in the Lewis and Clark expedition?
While president, Jefferson successfully acquired the Louisiana Territory from France in 1803 and sent the Lewis and Clark Expedition (1803–1806) on a mapping and scientific exploration up the Missouri River to the Pacific.
What did Thomas Jefferson say was the purpose of the expedition?
On January 18, 1803, President Jefferson sent a confidential letter to Congress asking for $2,500 to fund an expedition to the Pacific Ocean. He hoped to establish trade with the Native American people of the West and find a water route to the Pacific.
What was Jefferson’s number one goal in the Lewis and Clark expedition?
The Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804–1806) was a federally funded venture to explore the North American West. The expedition’s principal objective was to survey the Missouri and Columbia rivers, locating routes that would connect the continental interior to the Pacific Ocean.
Did Lewis and Clark achieve Jefferson’s goals?
Although the Corps of Discovery failed to find an all-water route to the Pacific Ocean (for none existed), it nevertheless accomplished many of the goals Jefferson had set.
Who was on the Lewis and Clark Expedition with Jefferson?
Jefferson is inaugurated as president for a second term. Lewis and Clark send the keelboat down the Missouri River with a shipment for President Jefferson. The “permanent party” of the Expedition (consisting of Lewis, Clark, 27 soldiers, York, Charbonneau, Sacagawea, and her infant son) departs Fort Mandan.
Why is Lewis and Clark important to American history?
Despite Lewis’ tragic end, his expedition with Clark remains one of America’s most famous. The duo and their men – with the aid of Sacagawea and other Native Americans – helped strengthen America’s claim to the West and inspired countless other explorers and western pioneers.
What happened on the Missouri River on Lewis and Clark?
May 25: The expedition passes the small village of La Charrette on the Missouri River. Charles Floyd writes in his journal that this is “the last settlement of whites on this river”. June 1: The expedition reaches the Osage River. June 12: Lewis and Clark meet three trappers in two pirogues.
What happened to Lewis and Clark after they set off?
After the Lewis and Clark expedition set off in May, the Spanish sent four armed expeditions of 52 soldiers, mercenaries, and Indians on August 1, 1904 from Santa Fe, New Mexico northward under Pedro Vial and José Jarvet to intercept Lewis and Clark and imprison the entire expedition.