Essay The Lewis and Clark Expedition - 905 Words

After being issued by President Thomas Jefferson to map, explore, and compile information on the land just bought through the Louisiana Purchase, Captain Meriwether Lewis and 2nd Lieutenant William Clark set off on one of the greatest expeditions of all time. This paper will explore what adversities were faced on the Corp of Discoveries. From militant Indians to diseases like dysentery, they faced it all. And as Captain Lewis documented, â€Å"We went as close to hell as you can go in this lifetime.† (11.Perry) On April 30, 1803, the United States bought 828,000 square miles of uncharted land from France. This is known as the Louisiana Purchase. A little over a year later, Jefferson’s famous â€Å"Corps of Discovery† set off from Camp†¦show more content†¦Lewis and Clark combined prehistoric gathering of edible plants with the more modern style of hunting. This created a wide variety in their diet. Their main source of food was from shooting wild buffal o. Sacagawea also aided them in finding food. Since she was a native of the land, she knew the vegetation better than anybody. But even with this many resources there were times when their food supply was low or even deteriorated to the point that several members often suffered with malnutrition. As bad as this seems, this is just the beginning of their problems. (2. Delms) (3.Hardships – mccarthy) Our next hardship is illnesses. This was a monumental challenge during that day. Their medical knowledge was very little. Lewis and Clark did carry medicine with them, but most of it did no good. These diseases included boils, dysentery, frost bite, appendicitis, tooth aches, mouth sores, cholera, and many more. The only person to die on the expedition was Sergeant Charles Floyd, and he passed away with appendicitis. Also petty things like no toothbrushes or unsterile water cause many of the diseases. (2. Delms) (12. Scott) Weather also gave the crew trouble. Since they did not hav e the technology we do today, they had no way of knowing if bad weather was on its way. This served as one of the greatest hardships. They encountered temperatures ranging from ninety-five degrees to negative forty degrees (in Fahrenheit).Show MoreRelatedThe Lewis And Clark Expedition1333 Words   |  6 PagesMeriwether Lewis. Lewis turned for assistance and invited the U.S soldier and experienced outdoorsman, William Clark, to share command of this legendary expedition. The explorers marched to the unexpected challenges and experiences that laid within the unfamiliar land. Their contributions to the extraordinary expedition provided valuable information regarding the topography and ecology the Louisiana territory had to offer. Appointed for the Position The Lewis and Clark Expedition coveredRead MoreLewis and Clark Expedition1018 Words   |  4 PagesJames Jang William and Meriwether, better known as Lewis and Clark, were hired by the U.S. president Thomas Jefferson to explore the newly bought Louisiana Purchase. The Louisiana Purchase was bought from France in 1803. Lewis and Clark started their expedition in 1804 near St. Louis. The group of explorers called themselves the corps of discovery. In the first winter they were helped by a Shoshone Indian named Sacagawea. Their journey was full of trouble and challenges but in the end led to a greatRead MoreThe Lewis And Clark Expedition1415 Words   |  6 PagesCaptain Meriwether Lewis and William Clark put their lives on the line only to return with information regarding the Pacific Northwest of the United States territory. Their reasons behind this journey, being to expand the United States to the West, involved the entire nation but debatably, their accomplishments and the reaction of others became a major part of today’s history. The foremost reason behind the Lewis and Clark expedition was all based on Thomas Jefferson’s, president at the time, interestRead MoreThe Expedition Of Lewis And Clark1270 Words   |  6 PagesWithout the expedition of Lewis and Clark, the American history that people know would be completely different changing the accomplishments in history. The background and experience Lewis and Clark already developed prior to the expedition would be very beneficial and help make the journey easier. The development of the mission played a key part in the expedition itself because if the development did not play out exactly how Jefferson planned, then the expedition may not have been as successful.Read MoreThe Lewis And Clark Expedition1405 Words   |  6 Pages Sacajawea is a renowned Native American woman who played a significant role in the Lewis and Clark Expedition. As stated by Brown, â€Å"She turned to dreaming of the future, of what it might hold for Pomp (her son), as she had dreamed of what might lie ahead for her when she had learned she was to be going on the expedition. But it was no dream that she had become a part of history† (110). Although most of her history is unclear, one thing is definite - without the help of Sacajawea, the United StatesRead MoreThe Lewis And Clark Expedition1433 Words   |  6 PagesThe Lewis and Clark expedition was a truth that was to become the crowning accomplishment in the lifetime of the brilliant thinker, inventor, and founding father, Thomas Jefferson . It has become a profounding turning point throughout America’s history. Investigating the recently obtained Louisiana Territory, which nearly doubled the size of the country, arranged Jefferson the opportunity to widen the boundaries of the United States to include both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The threat of theRead MoreThe Lewis And Clark Expedition1424 Words   |  6 Pages On May 14, 1804 in the eastern city of Saint Louis, William Clark a nd Merry-weather Lewis set of on the westward adventure that would change America as we know it today. Their journey began on the Mississippi River, those rapids would propel Lewis and Clark into the Corps of Discovery. Across the vast land that these men would soon travel lived the many native-american tribes. The Native people hunted freely across their western lands, lived their life as one with the ground they so carefullyRead MoreThe Expedition of Lewis and Clark581 Words   |  2 PagesThis report is on Lewis and Clarks adventure through the United States. On May 14,1803 William Clark and nearly four dozen other men met up with Meriwether Lewis on May 20. The Lewis and Clark Expeditio,n The Corps of Discovery began making its way up the †¢. \\?\ \? Missouri on a †¢ss-toot-long ship and two smaller boats. As they traveled,Clark spent most of his time on the ship journaling the course and making maps. Lewis wa s often on the shore, studying the rock formations, soil,animalsRead MoreThe Expedition Of Lewis And Clark1522 Words   |  7 PagesMany people in America know of the historical expedition of Lewis and Clark, but only a few know of the expedition to California led by Jedediah Smith. This expedition took place after Thomas Jefferson signed the papers to acquire a huge region in the west through the Louisiana Purchase. After this expansion many people were eager to explore the west and among those was Jedediah Smith. From his childhood, Smith dreamed one day of exploring the unknown west part of the United States. He once saidRead MoreLewis And Clark Expedition : The Great Expedition2140 Words   |  9 Pages Lewis and Clark Expedition The Lewis and Clark expedition was amongst one of the first major American expeditions. This expedition helped the United States advance in science, land as well as gaining many valuable resources. The Lewis and Clark expedition is also an amazing American story. Lewis and Clark went through extraordinary situations to expedite Americas growth and science. They accomplished this expedition with strenuous encounters with the Native