Thomas Jefferson and Westward Expansion
1803. The United States was just a young country, so young that it had not yet begun to explore the vast openness of the West, an area that provided as much adventure and potential as it did danger and terror. Thomas Jefferson was president, and he was determined to expand westward.
In a 1783 letter to Clark’s brother, Jefferson stressed the importance of claiming the new territory. “I find they have subscribed a very large sum of money in England for exploring the country from the Mississippi to California...some of us have been talking here in a feeble way of making the attempt to search that country. But I doubt whether we have enough of that kind of spirit to raise the money.” ◅ "Jefferson Suggests Transcontinental Expedition to George Rogers Clark, 1783" from Wisconsin Historical Society
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As was the problem: such an westward expedition would have a tremendous cost. For this reason, Jefferson proposed the idea to Congress in secret. In a classified letter dated January 18th, 1803, he laid out the framework for the Corps of Discovery, which would later be approved by Congress and become the famous Lewis and Clark Exploration. "Thomas Jefferson" from White House Historical Society ▻
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The Lewis and Clark Expedition
Thus, the trip was set. Lewis and Clark set off with supplies for their men: woolen overalls, blankets, knapsacks, muskets, rifles, tools, and anything they would need on their journey. Lewis, Clark and 33 other men departed from the city of St. Louis, Missouri on May 14th, 1804.
The journey led the group 1,000 miles north along the Mississippi before arriving at the Hidatsa Indian settlement in present-day North Dakota, where they met Sacagawea. They then continued west across the Rocky Mountains and finally found their way to the Pacific ocean, where they turned and headed back to the eastern United States. "Shoshone Indians Belonging to the Sheepeater Band at a Mountain Camp in Eastern Idaho, 1877" from Idaho State Historical Society ▻
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Halfway through the journey, Clark remarked noted the group's progress in a letter. “Our party has enjoyed a great share of health and are in high spirits...country and river above this is but little known our information is altogether from Indians collected at different times and entitled to some credit.” ◅ "Letter on Journey up the Missouri River, Fort Mandan, April 2, 1805" from Wisconsin Historical Society
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Upon returning, the group was praised for its successful and informative expedition, which would go down in history ever since.
2015 National History Day Project by Liam Mullen