A GROWING NATION When Thomas Jefferson became president in 1801 most Americans lived within 50 miles of the Atlantic Ocean The land west of the Mississippi River was not yet part of the United States Although American Indians had lived in the West for centuries few white Americans or Europeans had explored this part of North America Jefferson hoped to expand the United States so it would stretch from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean He seized an important opportunity to nearly double the property owned by the United States through the Louisiana Purchase In 1803 for 15 million the United States bought a vast area of land from France Even before it became part of the United States Jefferson was planning an expedition across the Louisiana Territory Thomas Jefferson 4
The Louisiana Territory was the homeland of many American Indians French fur traders and trappers also traveled through this area but much of it was unmapped and unfamiliar to white Americans Canada Louisiana Purchase United States of America Mexico 5
LEWIS AND CLARK The expedition Jefferson was planning had three main purposes First it would scientifically document the plants animals and resources of the West Second it would gather information about American Indian tribes and make positive connections with their leaders Third the expedition would try to find the easiest path across the continent by traveling along waterways Jefferson knew that only a strong person with many talents could successfully lead the expedition They needed Expedition Report Record keeping was important on the expedition Lewis and Clark kept journals to report on their travels and the new people plants animals and settings they encountered Much of the historical information available about their explorations comes from these journals 6
Lewis and Clark first met in the U S Army in Ohio Their different personalities and abilities worked together to make them strong team members leaders and lifelong friends William Clark Meriwether Lewis to be dedicated inventive scientific and diplomatic Jefferson saw all these qualities in his secretary Meriwether Lewis Lewis was eager to join the expedition He wrote a letter to his friend William Clark asking him to work by his side as a captain Lewis and Clark were ready to establish a path across America 7
