The Influence Of Lewi Meriwether Lewis Expedition

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A major turning point in American history began on May 14, 1804. When the two explorers Meriwether Lewis and his close friend William Clark set out on a journey to discover the 820,000 miles of land known as the Louisiana purchase bought in 1803 by Thomas Jefferson. The expedition began in St. Louis and from there they went west in an attempt to find the best path to the Pacific Ocean. The leaders of the well-known expedition known as, “The Corps of Discovery”, were influential in American history because of the social advancements made with Native American tribes, by providing a better understanding of the land America would be expanding onto, and the discovery of many new plant and animal species. The Louisiana Purchase would go on to help America make many advancements. Meriwether Lewis truly helped push America forward by learning and mapping paths of the new territory. Meriwether Lewis was born on August 18, 1774, he lived near Ivy Virginia and was born on a plantation. The home he grew up in was near Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello which had given him the opportunity to know the future president. …show more content…
He did reap the benefits after the expedition as much as he could, “Lewis obtained extra money and land grants for his men, and he was appointed Governor of the extensive Louisiana Territory”(11). Lewis was appointed Governor and was quick to become involved in the politics of the new land after his return home. The thought was he knew the lay of the land and he had the abilities to run it so it was logical at the time to allow him to govern the land. He was also trusted by the occupants of the land already, this caused less conflict when moving and taking away much Native American territory. He did end up eventually neglecting his duties as Governor and being forced to step down and allow someone more fit to run the

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