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The story: In preparation for one of the greatest explorations in American history, President Thomas Jefferson wrote out instructions to Meriwether Lewis. At the time, the West was an unknown entity. Lewis and his co-commander, William Clark, were armed with very little information about the obstacles and dangers they would encounter. In his letter, Jefferson informs Lewis of what to look for, how to act, and what to do at various points along the journey.
The object of your mission is to explore the Missouri River, and (the source) of it, as, by its course and communication with the water of the Pacific Ocean may offer the most direct and practicable water communication across this continent, for the purposes of commerce.
Beginning at the mouth of the Missouri, you will take observations of latitude and longitude at all remarkable points on the river, and especially at the mouths of rivers, at rapids, at islands, and other places…
The interesting points of portage between the heads of the Missouri and the water offering the best communication with the Pacific Ocean should be fixed by observation and the course of that water to the ocean. Your observations are to be taken with great pains and accuracy…
The commerce which may be carried on with the people inhabiting the line you will pursue renders a knowledge of these people important. You will therefore endeavor to make yourself acquainted … with the names of the nations and their numbers; the extent and limits of their possessions; their relations with other tribes or nations; their language, traditions; their food, clothing; the diseases prevalent among them, and the remedies they use; and articles of commerce they may need or furnish and to what extent.
Other objects worthy of notice will be: the soil and (landscape) of the country, its growth and vegetable productions, especially those not of the U.S.; the animals of the country . . . ; the mineral productions of every kind . . . ; volcanic appearances; climate as characterized by the thermometer, by the proportion of rainy, cloudy, and clear days, by lightning, hail, snow, ice . . . , by the winds, . . . the dates at which particular plants put forth or lose their flowers, or leaf, times of appearance of particular birds, reptiles, or insects.
In all your (conversations) with the natives, treat them in the most friendly & conciliatory manner which their own conduct will admit. (Reduce) all jealousies as to the object of your journey, satisfy them of its innocence, make them acquainted with the position, character, peaceable & commercial dispositions of the US. of our wish to be neighborly, friendly, & useful to them, & of our dispositions to a commercial intercourse with them.
The questions:
1. Why did President Jefferson give these instructions to Captain Lewis?
2. What did President Jefferson hope this expedition would accomplish?
3. What did he hope to learn about the physical geography of the region?
4. Why might knowing the physical geography of the region be important?
5. Why would it be important to know about the American Indian groups in the region?
6. How did Jefferson instruct Lewis to interact with the American Indian groups they encountered?
