Era of the Third President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson Essay Example

1805. They returned in 1806, bringing with them an immense amount of information about the region as well as numerous plant and animal specimens. Reports about geography, plant and animal life, and Indian cultures appeared all over the states local newspapers.

Although Lewis and Clark failed to find a commercial route to Asia, they demonstrated the possibility of overland travel to the Pacific coast. They found Native Americans in the trans-Mississippi West accustomed to dealing with European traders and already connected to global markets. The success of their journey helped to strengthen the idea that United States territory was destined to expand its territories all the way to the Pacific coastline. The importance of the well-planned, well-executed expedition was crucial.

Although it was not the first transcontinental crossing in the north, it still opened large new territories to the United States. The expedition's influence on the history of the West is immeasurable and boundless. In conclusion, the 'famous' Lewis and Clark expedition brought back a multitude of scientific information, including maps, the bones and hides from animal specimens, and caged birds and prairie dogs. Of the utmost value were their voluminous journals and diaries, which provided detailed firsthand descriptions of the plant and animal life, geography, and Native peoples encountered during the journey.

Although Lewis and Clark failed to locate a convenient water passage to the Pacific Ocean, they were nonetheless greatly rewarded for their efforts. The U. S. government awarded both men 1,600 acres of land, while each member of the expedition received 320 acres and double pay. Lewis was later appointed governor of the Louisiana Territory, while Clark held a similar post in the Missouri Territory.

Their most lasting achievement, however, was their contribution to the opening of the American West. Which would later lead the United States to another historical period of time called the Manifest Destiny.