Westward Expansion Explorers
What major expeditions played a role in Westward Expansion?
The explorations of Daniel Boone, Lewis and Clark, and Zebulon Pike did not bring slavery to the new western lands. However, they opened these lands to further settlement, which would eventually raise the issue of expanding slavery into the western territories. Their published reports made the land they explored known to American people who would often follow the trails they blazed and later settle the area.
Daniel Boone
Daniel Boone crossed the Appalachian Mountains through the Cumberland Gap to Kentucky. This created the Wilderness Trail, which later became the first National Road. These trails expanded on the original Native American trails. Daniel Boone established the first U.S. settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains. He eventually purchased much of the land in Kentucky that was taken from the Cherokee Native Americans.
Daniel Boone crossed the Appalachian Mountains through the Cumberland Gap to Kentucky. This created the Wilderness Trail, which later became the first National Road. These trails expanded on the original Native American trails. Daniel Boone established the first U.S. settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains. He eventually purchased much of the land in Kentucky that was taken from the Cherokee Native Americans.
Lewis and Clark
Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, with the help of Native American guides such as Sacajawea, documented the land that was soon included in the Louisiana Purchase. They also claimed land for the United States in the Pacific Northwest, then known as Oregon Country. President Thomas Jefferson supported their expedition. He wanted Lewis and Clark to explore and map the land across the continent to the Pacific Ocean for two reasons: 1) Jefferson was secretly negotiating the purchase of the Louisiana Territory from France, 2) Americans and others were still looking for water route connecting northeastern part of North America to the northwestern part, called the Northwest Passage (but today we know it doesn’t exist.) The Louisiana Territory stretched from the mouth of the Mississippi River in Louisiana, to present-day Idaho, and as far north as Canada. During their travels, Lewis and Clark also passed through the Oregon Territory and claimed the land for the United States. In addition to mapping the areas they visited in the northern part of the Louisiana Territory, Lewis and Clark brought back information about the Native Americans who lived in these regions. They tried to establish peaceful relationships with the Native Americans along their expedition. Their expedition also provided scientific information about different plants and animals they found.
Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, with the help of Native American guides such as Sacajawea, documented the land that was soon included in the Louisiana Purchase. They also claimed land for the United States in the Pacific Northwest, then known as Oregon Country. President Thomas Jefferson supported their expedition. He wanted Lewis and Clark to explore and map the land across the continent to the Pacific Ocean for two reasons: 1) Jefferson was secretly negotiating the purchase of the Louisiana Territory from France, 2) Americans and others were still looking for water route connecting northeastern part of North America to the northwestern part, called the Northwest Passage (but today we know it doesn’t exist.) The Louisiana Territory stretched from the mouth of the Mississippi River in Louisiana, to present-day Idaho, and as far north as Canada. During their travels, Lewis and Clark also passed through the Oregon Territory and claimed the land for the United States. In addition to mapping the areas they visited in the northern part of the Louisiana Territory, Lewis and Clark brought back information about the Native Americans who lived in these regions. They tried to establish peaceful relationships with the Native Americans along their expedition. Their expedition also provided scientific information about different plants and animals they found.
Zebulon Pike
Zebulon Pike located and explored the upper regions of the Mississippi River. Pike made treaties with the Native Americans. He mapped and claimed lands for the United States into uncharted territories that stretched to the Pacific Ocean and up to the Oregon Country. Because of his further explorations of the southwest in Spanish territory, Pike’s Peak, in present-day Colorado, is named in his honor.
Zebulon Pike located and explored the upper regions of the Mississippi River. Pike made treaties with the Native Americans. He mapped and claimed lands for the United States into uncharted territories that stretched to the Pacific Ocean and up to the Oregon Country. Because of his further explorations of the southwest in Spanish territory, Pike’s Peak, in present-day Colorado, is named in his honor.
Documents
4-5.1_westward_expansion_explorers_notes.pdf |
4-5.1_westward_expansion_explorers_notes.docx |
Sources
Text: ed.sc.gov
Image 1: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/16/George_Caleb_Bingham_-_Daniel_Boone_escorting_settlers_through_the_Cumberland_Gap.jpg/320px
Image 2: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fd/Detail_Lewis_%26_Clark_at_Three_Forks.jpg
Image 3: https://i2.wp.com/www.usrepresented.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/pike-expedition-resized.jpg?fit=1024%2C652
Image 4: http://smithtree.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Wilderness_road_en.png
Image 5: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8a/Carte_Lewis-Clark_Expedition-en.png
Image 6: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/00/d0/cf/00d0cf4c7ac75f0b44c0bc22cc69ac2b--zebulon-pike-pinterest-com.jpg
Text: ed.sc.gov
Image 1: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/16/George_Caleb_Bingham_-_Daniel_Boone_escorting_settlers_through_the_Cumberland_Gap.jpg/320px
Image 2: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fd/Detail_Lewis_%26_Clark_at_Three_Forks.jpg
Image 3: https://i2.wp.com/www.usrepresented.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/pike-expedition-resized.jpg?fit=1024%2C652
Image 4: http://smithtree.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Wilderness_road_en.png
Image 5: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8a/Carte_Lewis-Clark_Expedition-en.png
Image 6: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/00/d0/cf/00d0cf4c7ac75f0b44c0bc22cc69ac2b--zebulon-pike-pinterest-com.jpg