Editing Lewis and Clark Expedition (section)

== Preparations ==
For years, Thomas Jefferson read accounts about the adventures of various explorers on the western frontier, and, consequently, maintained a long-held interest in further exploring this mostly-unknown region of the continent. In the 1780s, while [[List of ambassadors of the United States to France|Minister to France]], Jefferson met [[John Ledyard]] in [[Paris]], where they discussed a possible trip to the [[Pacific Northwest]].<ref>[[#Ambrose|Ambrose, 1996]] p. 69</ref><ref>[[#Gray|Gray, 2004]] p. 358</ref> Jefferson had also read Captain [[James Cook]]'s ''A Voyage to the Pacific Ocean'' (London, 1784), an account of Cook's [[Third voyage of James Cook|third voyage]], and [[Le Page du Pratz]]'s ''The History of Louisiana'' (London, 1763), all of which greatly influenced his decision to send an expedition. Like Captain Cook, he wished to discover a practical route through the Northwest to the [[Pacific]] coast. [[Alexander Mackenzie (explorer)|Alexander Mackenzie]] had already charted a route in his quest for the Pacific, following [[Canada]]'s [[Mackenzie River]] to the [[Arctic Ocean]] in 1789. Mackenzie and his party were the first non-indigenous people to cross mainland North America, north of [[Mexico]], reaching the Pacific coast of [[British Columbia]] in 1793–twelve years earlier than Lewis and Clark. Mackenzie's accounts in ''Voyages from Montreal'' (1801) informed Jefferson of [[Great Britain|Britain]]'s intent to establish control over the lucrative [[North American fur trade|fur trade]] of the [[Columbia River]], convincing him of the importance of securing the territory posthaste.<ref>[[#DeVoto|DeVoto, 1997]] p. xxix</ref><ref>[[#Schwantes|Schwantes, 1996]] pp. 54–55</ref> In [[Philadelphia]], [[Israel Whelen]], purveyor of public supplies, purchased necessities for the expedition with a list provided by Lewis; among the items found were 193 pounds of [[portable soup]], 130 rolls of pigtail [[tobacco]], 30 gallons of strong [[spirit of wine]], a wide assortment of Native American presents, medical and surgical supplies, [[mosquito net]]ting, and [[oilskin]] bags.<ref>Cutright 1969, p. 27.</ref>

Two years into his presidency, Jefferson asked [[United States Congress|Congress]] to fund an expedition through the Louisiana territory to the Pacific Ocean. He did not attempt to make a secret of the Lewis and Clark expedition from Spanish, French, and British officials, but rather claimed different reasons for the venture; he used a secret message to ask for funding, due to poor relations with the opposition [[Federalist Party]] in Congress.<ref>[[#Rodriguez|Rodriguez, 2002]] p. xxiv</ref><ref>[[#Furtwangler|Furtwangler, 1993]] p. 19</ref><ref>[[#Ambrose|Ambrose, 1996]] p. 83</ref><ref>[[#Bergon|Bergon, 2003]], p. xiv</ref> Congress subsequently appropriated $2,324 for supplies and food, the appropriation of which was left in Lewis's charge.<ref>[[#jackson81|Jackson, 1993]], pp. 136–137</ref>

In 1803, Jefferson commissioned the [[Corps of Discovery]] and named Army Captain Meriwether Lewis its leader, who then invited William Clark to co-lead the expedition with him.<ref>Ambrose, pp. 98–99</ref> Lewis demonstrated remarkable skills and potential as a frontiersman, and Jefferson made efforts to prepare him for the long journey ahead as the expedition was gaining approval and funding.<ref>[[#Woodger'09|Woodger & Toropov, 2009]] p. 270</ref><ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.monticello.org/site/jefferson/lewis-and-clark-expedition|title = Lewis and Clark Expedition|access-date = November 30, 2015|archive-date = December 8, 2015|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151208150705/https://www.monticello.org/site/jefferson/lewis-and-clark-expedition|url-status = live}}</ref> Jefferson explained his choice of Lewis:

<blockquote>It was impossible to find a character who to a complete science in botany, natural history, mineralogy & astronomy, joined the firmness of constitution & character, prudence, habits adapted to the woods & a familiarity with the Indian manners and character, requisite for this undertaking. All the latter qualifications Capt. Lewis has.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-39-02-0499|title=Founders Online: From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Smith Barton, 27 February 1803|website=founders.archives.gov|language=en|access-date=2019-04-12|archive-date=April 12, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190412181952/https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-39-02-0499|url-status=live}}</ref></blockquote>

In 1803, Jefferson sent Lewis to Philadelphia to study medicinal cures under [[Benjamin Rush]], a physician and former leader in the [[American Revolution]]. He also arranged for Lewis to be further educated by [[Andrew Ellicott]], an [[astronomer]] who instructed him in the use of a [[sextant]], among other navigational instruments.<ref>[[#Gass|Gass & MacGregor, 1807]] p. 7</ref><ref>[[#Ambrose|Ambrose, 1996]] pp. 79, 89</ref> From [[Benjamin Smith Barton]], Lewis learned how to describe and preserve plant and animal specimens; from [[Robert Patterson (educator)|Robert Patterson]], refinements in computing latitude and longitude, and [[Caspar Wistar (physician)|Caspar Wistar]] covered [[fossil]]s, and the search for possible living remnants.<ref name="dd">{{cite book |last1=Duncan |first1=Dayton |last2=Burns |first2=Ken |title=Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery |date=1997 |publisher=Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. |location=New York |isbn=9780679454502 |pages=9–10}}</ref><ref name="sa">{{cite book |last1=Ambrose |first1=Stephen |title=Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the Opening of the American West |date=1996 |publisher=Simon & Schuster |location=New York |isbn=9780684826974 |pages=81, 87–91}}</ref> Lewis, however, was not ignorant of science, having demonstrated a marked capacity to learn, especially with Jefferson as his teacher. At [[Monticello]], Jefferson possessed an enormous library on the subject of North American geography, to which Lewis had full access. He spent time consulting maps and books, as well as conferring with Jefferson.<ref>[[#jackson81|Jackson, 1993]], pp. 86–87</ref>

The [[Lewis and Clark's keelboat|keelboat]] used for the first year of the journey was built near [[Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania]], in the summer of 1803, to Lewis's specifications, and was completed on August 31. The vessel was immediately loaded with equipment and provisions. While in Pittsburgh, Lewis bought a [[Newfoundland dog]], [[Seaman (dog)|Seaman]], to accompany them. Newfoundlands are amicable, large working dogs and good swimmers, lovers of water and commonly found on fishing boats, as they can assist in water rescues. Seaman proved a valuable member of the party, aiding with hunting and protection from bears and other potential predators. He was the only animal to complete the entire trip.

Lewis and his crew set-sail that afternoon, traveling down the [[Ohio River]] to meet up with Clark near [[Louisville, Kentucky]], in October 1803, at the [[Falls of the Ohio]].<ref>[[#Ambrose|Ambrose, 1996]] p. 13</ref><ref>[[#Lewis&Clark1903|Homser, James Kendall, 1903]] p. 1</ref> Their goals were to explore the vast territory acquired by the Louisiana Purchase and to establish trade and US sovereignty over the Native Americans along the Missouri River. Jefferson also wanted to establish a US claim of "discovery" to the Pacific Northwest and [[Oregon Territory]] by documenting an American presence there before European nations could claim the land.<ref name="Lavender32"/><!-- defined by Template:Timeline of the Lewis and Clark Expedition --><ref>[[#Kleber|Kleber, 2001]] pp. 509–510</ref><ref>[[#Fritz|Fritz, 2004]] pp. 1–5</ref><ref>[[#Ronda|Ronda, 1984]] p. 32</ref> According to some historians, Jefferson understood that he would have a better claim of ownership to the Pacific Northwest if the team gathered scientific data on animals and plants.<ref>[[#Miller|Miller, 2006]] pp. 99–100, 111</ref><ref>[[#Bennett|Bennett, 2002]] p. 4</ref> However, his main objectives were centered around finding an all-water route to the Pacific coast and commerce. His instructions to the expedition stated:

{{blockquote|The object of your mission is to explore the Missouri River, & such principle stream of it, as, by its course and communication with the waters of the Pacific ocean, whether the Columbia, Oregon, Colorado or any other river may offer the most direct & practicable water communication across this continent for the purpose of commerce.<ref>[[#Ambrose|Ambrose, 1996]] p. 94</ref>}}
[[File:Camp Dubois reconstruction 034.jpg|thumb|[[Camp Dubois]] (Camp Wood) reconstruction, where the Corps of Discovery mustered on the east side of the Mississippi River, through the winter of 1803–1804, to await the transfer of the [[Louisiana Purchase]] to the United States]]
The US mint prepared special silver medals with a portrait of Jefferson and inscribed with a message of friendship and peace, called [[Indian Peace Medal]]s. The soldiers were to distribute them to the tribes that they met. The expedition also prepared advanced weapons to display their military firepower. Among these was an Austrian-made .46 caliber [[Girandoni air rifle]], a repeating rifle with a 20-round tubular magazine that was powerful enough to kill a deer.<ref name="Saindon551">[[#Saindon|Saindon, 2003]] pp. 551–552</ref><ref name="Miller106">[[#Miller|Miller, 2006]] p. 106</ref><ref name="Woodger104">[[#Woodger'09|Woodger, Toropov, 2009]] pp. 104, 265, 271</ref> The expedition was prepared with flintlock firearms, knives, blacksmithing supplies, and cartography equipment. They also carried flags, gift bundles, medicine, and other items that they would need for their journey.<ref name="Saindon551"/><ref name="Miller106"/>
The route of Lewis and Clark's expedition took them up the [[Missouri River]] to its headwaters, then on to the [[Pacific Ocean]] via the Columbia River, and it may have been influenced by the purported transcontinental journey of [[Moncacht-Apé]] by the same route about a century before. Jefferson had a copy of Le Page's book in his library detailing Moncacht-Apé's itinerary, and Lewis carried a copy with him during the expedition. Le Page's description of Moncacht-Apé's route across the continent neglects to mention the need to cross the [[Rocky Mountains]], and it might be the source of Lewis and Clark's mistaken belief that they could easily carry boats from the Missouri's headwaters to the westward-flowing Columbia.<ref>[[#Lavender|Lavender, 2001]] pp. 30–31</ref>