Lewis and Clark Expediton - Research Paper Example

The Lewis and Clark Expedition contributed significantly to the history of the United States by providing scientific and practical information which laid the groundwork for westward expansion.  Outline: The Lewis and Clark expedition was significant in that it paved the way for Westward Expansion. It proved practical information such as maps and scientific data on many Indian Nations. Overall, the historical importance of the Expedition can not be questioned. The Lewis and Clark expedition provided significant scientific and practical information for Westward Expansion. Indeed, without this information it is likely that the history of the United States may have taken a radically different turn. The expedition was certainly important. Firstly, and perhaps most importantly, with the purchase of Louisiana from France the United States needed to know exactly what it was actually buying. Without an accurate map, or appraisal of the geography, people, flora and fauna, the purchase was essentially worth little. 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. Secondly, the expedition became a symbol representing the spirit of fledgling nationalism that was beginning to flow through the country’s veins. There were considerable pressures for expansion too. Finally, without the expedition, it is unlikely that the future of the United States would have followed quite the same path. ‘What if’ questions are always exercises 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. Thomas Jefferson believed in Westward Expansion. Growing up in the Blue Ridge Mountains, what was effectively the ‘frontier’ at the time, surrounded by men who were either financiers of explorers or explorers themselves, it is little wonder that the man himself had thoughts of seeing the nation push out to the West (Monticello Research Report). Jefferson would maintain this course both during and after the Revolution. Indeed Jefferson saw the entire American Continent as potentially new ground for a post-revolutionary United States. “The Confederacy”, claimed Jefferson, “must be viewed as the nest from which all America, North and South is to be peopled” (Montecello Research Report). However, the critical problem with this was that at the turn of the century Jefferson, nor anyone else, had much of an idea about the overall size or geography of the American Continent (Koelsch 2008, 260). For example, it was common thought that there must exist a short land or water route connecting the Atlantic and Pacific; finding such a route would of course have heralded in an era of prosperity for the country (National Archives). It was equally important that the New World beat the Old in the discovery stakes. France, Spain and England itself, all had stakes in exploring and developing the resources of the new continent. Jefferson was acutely aware of this, having noted years earlier in a private letter to the Revolutionary War hero George Clark, that England certainly ‘had thoughts’ about colonizing the West – a thought that was abhorrent to Jefferson, as it would effectively box in the new nation, rather than allow it to expand (Wisconsin Historical Society). Indeed, Jefferson asked Clark if he would lead an expedition to beat the English to the punch. Clark refused, but he did recommend his brother William Clark who would see the journey through some years later. Nonetheless, Jefferson saw western expansion not as a petty indulgence but as a question of necessity, and it is in this context that the formation of the Corps of Discovery must be realized. However, the fabled easy route between Columbia and California never eventuated, yet in the context of the time this actually mattered very little. Obsessive care was taken during the expedition to ensure that it would be possible to follow the footsteps westward irrespective of the difficulty in terrain. So, while the Rocky crossing took eleven days rather than the easy ones that some thought likely, the tens of thousands of colonists, adventurers, miners and traders that followed in the decades to come would find the going easier. Jefferson was also interested in investigating the scientific aspect of the West. Fore example, in a secret letter to Congress, written in 1803 asking for financial backing for the expedition, he shows concern for the “Indian tribes residing within the limits of the United States” and the “diminution of the territory they occupy”, even if Jefferson considered much of this reduction to be somewhat their own fault (Nation Archives). Such concern may have simply been tied to maintaining a sense of peace in the West, or perhaps he hoped that a greater understanding with the Indian Nations would, in time, create better opportunities for expansion. However, cynicism aside, this was a time when European culture – of which the United States was still ostensibly a part – ranked scientific achievement or the acquisition of knowledge higher than we perhaps do at present. Perhaps Jefferson, a true advocate of science, simply wanted to catalogue the unknown. There is certainly evidence of this as Jefferson himself notes in his instructions to Merryweather Lewis. He (Lewis) should, asks Jefferson, make, “(d)escriptions of animals, vegetables, minerals, or other curious things, notes as to the Indians, information of the country between the Mississippi and waters of the South sea &c. &c. will strike your mind as worthy being communicated.” (Monticello Research Report) Moreover, the British Cabinet Minister Edward Thornton in a letter to Lord Hawksbury, written in March 1803, noted that Jefferson may very well have been “distinguishing his Presidency by a discovery”, namely discoveries in science (Missouri Historical Society). Yet Jefferson quite clearly also states that the object of the mission was: … to explore the Missouri River, and such principal stream of it, as, by its course and communication with the waters of the Pacific Ocean, whether the Columbia, Oragan [sic], Colorado, or any other river, may offer the most direct and practicable water-communication across the continent, for the purposes of commerce. (National Archives) Naturally, both attaining national security, advancing trading opportunities and developing scientific or technical discovery are not all mutually exclusive. It is quite likely that Jefferson intended that the Expedition would achieve both in equal measure – which indeed did happen (Koelsch 2008, 275). Yet in terms of the Revolution and the Early Republic it was the former that was vastly more important. The United States had been lucky, indeed in the great events of history the sale of Louisiana surely ranks as one of the most fortuitous events ever recorded, yet owning is not controlling. So, while science, or perhaps more accurately, the cultural developments that accompanied the science were important, for example, concepts of ‘manifest destiny’ were linked to the uniqueness of the Continent, it was the exploring and mapping of a route West that was far more significant. Stephen Ambrose calls himself a “professional hero worshipper” yet it is not unusual that he should include Lewis and Clark as part of that worship. And there was certainly an element of that at the time of the expedition (Ambrose 1996, 3). Newspapers regularly carried accounts of the trip recounting, often in Lewis’s own words, the adventure, risk and importance of the new exploration. Yet the expedition was important well above any level of adventurism or spirit it generated back in the East. There were genuine, important, even vital discoveries made that allowed the United States to eventually dominate the North American Continent. Of immediate significance was that after the publication of the new maps it was now possible to plan expansion into the West (National Archive). Rather than the haphazard approach seen beforehand real inroads could now be made. As previously mentioned, while advancement is science, in this case geography, was an important aspect to the expedition, the most significant purpose was to explore the new land for future colonization by American settlers, and exploitation by the State and business interests. The immediate benefits of such are self-apparent. Wealth, power and security commonly motivate both individuals and nations alike. However, there are other important aspects to the expedition as well. Before the expedition the haphazard nature of European settlement and colonization into the West from the East had led to conflict with the native Indian Nations (Gilman 2006, 148). Conflict rose to such a point that a major war broke out in the 1790’s for control of the Northwest. As previously stated, Jefferson had hoped that the Corps of Exploration would lead to a greater understanding between the peoples of the United States and the Indian Nations. Whether this ‘understanding’ was in Jefferson’s mind to lead to greater exploitation, with a lessening of bloodshed, is an important question, yet one not significant in terms of the thesis here. What is significant is that while Lewis and Clark’s reports and journal entries did lead to an apparent greater understanding between the two peoples the expedition itself led to a greater impetus for colonial expansion – which was always going to place considerable pressure upon the Indian (Cavendish 2003, 53) . Expansion was also significant in the context of the Republic itself. The United States was not as unified in purpose as the name might suggest. States had different ambitions wants and desires while the very nature of Republicanism attracted people naturally predisposed to disliking pretty much all forms of Government. Indeed, expansion itself occuring whether Federal and State governments wanted it to or not. Settlers, unhappy with any form of government and annoyed at the control land speculators had over the regional areas, pushed Westward irrespective of governmental control or direction. Geographical cataloguing in this case could be seen in this light as Jefferson trying to prepare the ground for future Federal control – for without accurate maps there can be no effective administration, especially in a hostile environment (Koelsch 2008, 275). Indeed, the Articles of Confederation themselves encouraged such expansion. Sale of Northwest land to speculators was an important part of Federal revenue at the turn of the century. Better mapping, and the subsequent increased security, could only increase Federal control in rural areas. This was also an important consideration where the concerns of the United States clashed with the trading and military interest of the French, British and to a lesser extent, the Spanish. The Northwest was, and would remain, a hotly contested region. As such, finding the fabled ‘Northwest Passage’ was important for any nation with interests in North America. Indeed, securing the Northern border would lead to later tensions with the British, and even war in 1812. Attributing that war with the Lewis and Clark Expedition directly could be tenuous, yet without the discoveries made on the journey the limitations created by geography of the Northwest would not have been recognized. There were also political concerns driving the push westward. While the Federalists and Jeffersonians may have held differing visions about how the new nation should take shape both sides agreed that the West was a vital part of any possible future. Jefferson in particular argued that unless people could expand freely to the West the new nation would be at risk of turning into a new Europe; complete with overcrowded cities, filth and disenfranchisement (Koelsch 2008, 275). Slavery too must be allowed to expand, argued Jefferson, lest the number of slaves in the South increase to dangerous levels. Both Federalists and Republicans vied and encouraged westward expansion, so both, in their own way, benefited from the discoveries made in 1803-6. Whatever the case, while there were certainly internal and external forces driving the push West in the context of the Early Republic the Expedition appears to have been not just important but vital. The historical significance of the Expedition is without question. Lewis and Clark opened the way to the West and laid the foundations for the nation that the United States would become. However, as with any historical inquiry the real question is not what the significance of something is, but whether that ‘something’ was so unique that it could not have ever been repeated. While Lewis and Clark were undoubtedly important trailblazers, in every respect, they were just one of many that helped expansion into the West. Other explorers would follow, and one could argue that as discovery is one thing exploitation is another – without the railway or the discovery of gold, for example, it is possible the West would not have seen such rapid expansion. Given the context of the time it is quite possible that others would have made similar discoveries on or about the same time too. Indeed, it is unlikely that given both the internal and external pressures driving expansion to the West it would have been extremely unlikely that there would have never been a federally funded journey of exploration. There would always have been a form of Westward expansion. However, what makes this expedition unique is its success. Had Lewis and Clark failed it is entirely possible that, given the internal and external context, another expedition may not have been undertaken before either the British or French. Such an event would have had a considerable impact on the history of the United States. The Expedition certainly had considerable significance for the future of the United States. The fledgling nation had up until that time appeared weak and ineffective. The Revolution aside, political and regional division appeared to stunt, if not tear apart, the new Republic before it had even begun to stabilize and grow. Indeed, it appeared just a matter of time before the whole thing fell apart riven by factionalism and dissent. The Lewis and Clark Expedition, to a certain extent, gave these new Americans their confidence back. Each tale of adventure offered some hope that the nation could indeed achieve great things if minds were set to doing so. More importantly, however, the expedition managed to achieve so much for so many for so little. While hardly the fire that would stoke Westward Expansion the Lewis and Clark expedition can certainly be called the spark that set ablaze the century. Bibliography Primary: http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/lewis-clark/ http://www.americanjourneys.org/lewisclark.asp Lewis, Meriwether, and Clark, William, and Biddle, Nicholas, and Allen, Paul, and Clark, William, and Harrison, Samuel, and Lewis, Samuel,  History of the expedition under the command of Captains Lewis and Clark, to the sources of the Missouri, thence across the Rocky Mountains and down the River Columbia to the Pacific Ocean. [electronic resource] : Performed during the years 1804-5-6. By order of the government of the United States. / Prepared for the press by Paul Allen, Esquire. ; In two volumes. Vol. I[-II]  Published by Bradford and Inskeep; and Abm. H. Inskeep, NewYork [sic]. J. Maxwell, printer., Philadelphia: :  1814   http://www.lewisandclarkexhibit.org/4_0_0/4_1_0_supportingdocs/4_1_8_2/read_L2_british_group.pdf http://www.nwcouncil.org/history/LewisAndClark.asp Secondary: Ambrose, Stephen E. Undaunted Courage; Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the Opening of the American West, New York: Simon & Schuster, 1996. Burroughs, Raymond D. The Natural History of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Michigan State University Press, 1995. Clark, Charles G. The Men of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. University of Nebraska Press, 2002. Lewis, Meriwether, and Coues, Elliott, and Clark, William,  History of the expedition under the command of Lewis and Clark / edited by Elliott Coues,  New York:  Dover Publications, 1965. Ostler, Jeffrey. The Plains Sioux and US Colonialism from Lewis and Clark to Wounded Knee. University of Cambridge, 2004. Journal: Cavendish Richard.  "Start of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, August 31st, 1803." History Today  53,  (2003): 53. Gilman Carolyn.  "Clash of Empires: The British, French & Indian War, 1754-1763” The Journal of American History  93, (2006): 147-150. Koelsch, William A. "Thomas Jefferson, American geographers, and the uses of geography." The Geographical Review 98 (2008): 260-279. Olsen, Deborah M. "Fair connections: women's separatism and the Lewis and Clark exposition of 1905." Oregon Historical Quarterly (2008): 174-. Read More