The Louisiana Purchase And The Lewis & Clark Expedition

Introduction In this power point you will learn the main parts/history of the Louisiana Purchase and the Westward Expansion.

Brought to you by: Cyndi Smith/5th Grade Ms Brought to you by: Cyndi Smith/5th Grade Ms. Brady/Oakwood Avenue Community School 2014-2015

History of the Louisiana purchase The Louisiana Purchase was a land deal between the United States and France. The land west of the Mississippi River was approximately 827,000 square miles which the United States got for about 15 million dollars. President Thomas Jefferson wrote to Pierre Samuel Du Pont about buying their land for their own personal reasons. Within the same week that the letter was sent to Pierre Samuel Du Pont, Jefferson sent a letter to the U.S Minister to France Livingston about the same topic. After a few years the French surrendered the land and all contents that is in it. Allowing the United states to double it’s size. According to my resources the land was 828,800 square miles was the land claimed by the French. Any other land was either already claimed by the United states or the Spanish people.

The states that were purchased was… Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Parts of Minnesota that were west of the Mississippi River, North Dakota, Nearly all of South Dakota, northeastern New Mexico, Portions of Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado east of the Continental Divide

Lewis & Clark When the Louisiana Territory was bought someone needed to map it out and see what treasures it holds. This is were Lewis and Clark come in. Lewis was the commander of the Corps of Discovery. Lewis mapped out area’s that they had crossed. They traveled from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean with the Corps of Discovery Group. They both shared an equally of command for the same group, which consisted of over 40 men. While they were traveling they came across a Shoshone camp and allowed Toussaint Charbonneau and his wife Sacagawea to come along with them. As translators, guides, and to show other people that they mean no harm.

Meriwether Lewis Meriwether Lewis was born August 18,1774 in Ivy, Virginia. He was an American explorer and soldier. He is best known for his leadership in the Lewis and Clark Expedition, also know as the Corps of Discovery. Their task was to explore the territory that was bought in the Louisiana Purchase. They had to travel from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean. Before Lewis went on the expedition he was President Thomas Jefferson’s Secretary's aid. But when Meriwether Lewis was chosen as commander of the expedition he then wrote to William Clark to join them on the journey. He obviously excepted. Three years after the expedition was completed Meriwether Lewis had committed suicide on October 11,1809 at Grinders Stand, which is an inn south of Nashville, at the age of 35.

William Clark William Clark was born August 1,1770. He was the person who received the letter Meriwether Lewis had sent out. He was basically second command in the Corps of Discovery. He was in charge of mapping out the land, he was also like a supervisor for when they were building things to help them along the journey. When he came across a river he named it after a girl back home that he would like to marry. The river was called the Judith River. Later on in life he married Judy or “Judith” the girl he named the river after. He died at the home of his eldest son Meriwether Lewis Clark on September 1,1838 at the age of 68.

Sacagawea Sacagawea, Sakakawea, or Sacajawea was allowed to join the expedition with Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. She was a translator and sometimes a guide. She would often point out good trails to follow. She even got them horses for when they bumped into other Native Americans since they were about to embark on a dangerous challenge.

President Thomas Jefferson President Thomas Jefferson was born April 13, 1743 and died July 4,1826. His presidential term was from March 4, 1801 – March 4,1809. he was the third president of the United States. He was also the person who bought the Louisiana Territory from the French people. If he didn’t buy the Louisiana Territory then there would be no need for an expedition and Lewis and Clark would be nothing more then a citizen and a Secretary’s Aid.

Conclusion Thank you for reading and watching my power point that contains the important things you might want to know about the Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis and Clark Expedition.