Editing Pacific Northwest (section)

===Continental crossover exploration===
Explorer [[Alexander Mackenzie (explorer)|Alexander Mackenzie]] completed in 1793 the first continental crossing in what is called today central [[British Columbia]] and reached the [[Pacific Ocean]]. [[Simon Fraser (explorer)|Simon Fraser]] explored and mapped the [[Fraser River]] from Central British Columbia down to its mouth in 1808. And mapmaker [[David Thompson (explorer)|David Thompson]] explored in 1811 the entire route of the Columbia River from its northern headwaters all the way to its mouth. These explorations were commissioned by the [[North West Company]] and were all undertaken with small teams of [[Voyageurs]].

United States President [[Thomas Jefferson]] commissioned the [[Lewis and Clark Expedition]] to travel through the Midwest starting from [[St. Louis]], cross the [[Continental Divide]] and reach the Columbia River up to its mouth. Americans reached the [[Pacific Ocean]] "overland" in 1805. The [[Pacific Fur Company]] sent in 1811 an "over-lander" crew including a large contingent of [[Voyageurs]] to retrace most of the path of the earlier expedition up to the mouth of the Columbia and join the company ship. The ''[[Tonquin (1807)|Tonquin]]'' came oversea via [[Cape Horn]] to build and operate [[Fort Astoria]].

These early land expeditions mapped the way for subsequent land explorations and building early settlements.