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The Spanish were anxious to get rid of the problem of American expansion into the West, especially into New Orleans and lower Mississippi. The Spanish signed a treaty with the French, that gave up the Louisiana territory, in exchange for six warships and a small territory in northern Italy.
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Jefferson asked congress if he could create an expedition that explored the Louisiana Territory and look for resources there. Louisiana was not yet part of the United States. Jefferson began talking secretly with James Monroe to purchase the territory shortly after.
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The Spanish closed the port of New Orleans which further pushed the United States to purchase Louisiana. This hurt the American economy because farmers shipped their goods to the port for sale. They got the use of the port back six months later, but the French still fear the expansion of the Americans.
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Napoleon offers the Americans not only New Orleans, but the entire Louisiana Territory. He did this because he needed more money to support his war efforts in Europe, he wanted to make sure it didn't get into the hands of the British again, and he knew he would probably lose the land anyway because it was no longer well protected.
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After two offers to the French, Jefferson buys New Orleans and all of Louisiana for $15 milllion doubling the size of the US.
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After Jefferson bought Louisiana he wanted this new land explored, and he wanted to know if there was a direct waterway to the Pacific. So he chose Meriwether Lewis to lead 31 other men on an expedition to the West.
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After about a year of training and preparation the expedition took off.
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The expedition made their first indian encounter with the Oto and Missouri Indians. It was a friendly encounter and they exchanged greetings and gifts with the indians. The indians arrived at their camp at sundown.
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While Lewis and Clark were wandering through the eastern edge of the Great Plains, they encountered the Yankton Sioux Indians. They were a more peaceful tribe than the Teton Sioux. The Indians were disappointed with the gifts that they received, which were five medals, and warned the expedition about the Teton Sioux.
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The Teton Sioux met the expedition with bitterness and hatred. The expedition gave the Teton a medal, military coat, and cocked hat. The chief demanded a boat as a price for passage through their territory. Clark drew his sword and Lewis got out his gun, ready to fight, when the Indians started to get troublesome. At the last moment both sides pulled back, and the expedition had failed to make good relations with the Sioux.
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The expedition stopped for winter and built fort Mandan near the Missouri River. While they were there they repaired equipment, traded with the Indians, and hunted for buffalo. They hired Sacagawea while they were here. They also wrote a written report about all that they had discovered.
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Sacagawea, an Indian Woman, went on the expedition because her husband was hired to go, and she decided to come with him. She was originally part of the Shoshone tribe, but was kidnapped by a Hidasta Indian war party. She wanted to go on the expedition to see the Shoshone tribe again. She was hired as a translator and guide for the expedition.
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After going up the Missouri River the expedition was forced to abandon their boat and continue on foot over the Rockies.
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The men built a fort and stayed on the coast for the winter after claiming all of the land that they had explored.
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The expedition stops for winter south of the Columbia, near the Pacific Ocean, and builds Fort Clatsop. They stayed there to make clothing, store food, work on their journals and maps, and plan for their journey home.
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When the expedition was running out of food, they encountered the Nez Perce. They had to wait until the weather improved in order to cross the Bitterroots. During the time of rest, Lewis spent his time doing ethnography and nature studies of the area and Clark treated the sick members of the Indian tribe.
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On their way home the expedition went through Yellowstone and found new wildlife, plants, and geographical features
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The expedition was very successful. They claimed land, discovered plants and animals, they drew maps, found the Pacific, and throughout it all they only lost one man.
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Many people begin moving west looking for new lives and better opportunities. Through this, the country expanded which opened nautural resources, farmland, and new trading opportunities
