Lewis and Clark

The Louisiana Purchase Which president made the Louisiana Purchase? Thomas Jefferson What country did he purchase the territory from? France How much did he pay for the land? $15 million

The Explorers William Clark Meriwether Lewis

Jefferson and Lewis Upon planning expansion westward, Jefferson named the rugged, intellectually gifted Lewis as its commander. Jefferson gave him a crash course in the natural sciences and sent him to Philadelphia to study medicine, botany and celestial navigation. Lewis chose William Clark to be second in command – had served in the military together

Corps of Discovery Ordered to collect scientific information about unknown plants and animals en route to the Pacific and learn as much as possible about the Native American tribes along the way Focus on the economic usefulness of different regions, especially in terms of plant and animal life Mountains of salt, a race of Welsh-speaking Indians and even herds of wooly mammoths and giant ground sloths

The Gang’s All Here Physically fit, experienced outdoorsmen People from many different racial, ethnic, cultural and social backgrounds Botany, weather forecasting, zoology, navigation by the moon, Native American sign language, carpentry, gun repair, piloting boats

“What an immensity of meat; it requires 4 deer, or an elk and a deer, or one buffalo to supply us plentifully for 24 hours.” – William Clark When wild game was plentiful, the men ate around 9 pounds of meat a day

Only One Fatality August 20, 1804 – Sergeant Floyd dies of a ruptured appendix Good start to the trip! On the way back, someone shot Lewis in the buttocks, mistook him for an elk

Sacagawea In North Dakota, Lewis and Clark met a French trader and wife was Sacagawea Member of the Shoshone tribe, 16 and 6 months pregnant at the start of the expedition Identified plants and edible roots, helped part to understand the ways of native peoples they met, interpreter, guide Carried young baby with her, let native American tribes know that it was a peaceful expedition

https://youtu.be/PnT0k9wdDZo

Keeping Up Relations Why was finding/trading food so important? Tradable goods brought along to use as gifts in exchange for help from Native Americans Tomahawks and knives as well as several rifles and muskets, 200 pounds of gunpowder and over 400 pounds of lead for bullets Relationships with Native Americans were mainly peaceful

The Struggle Is Real Physical and mental strain Food shortages – at squirrel and dog meat Separation from families and friends Extreme weather conditions

After the Journey Along with his salary and 1,600 acres of land, Lewis was named governor of the Louisiana Territory Had always battled with depression and “dark moods”, mood swings, he began to have a drinking problem and neglected his duties as governor, money troubles Lewis died on October 12, 1809, at an inn near Nashville, Tennessee