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How Did The Lewis And Clark Influence Westward Expansion

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Two of the most pivotal events in the history of the United States are the Lewis and Clark Expedition and the California Gold Rush. They significantly influenced the Westward Expansion between 1800 and 1848 (Kunkel, 2022). The Lewis and Clark Expedition was initiated by President Thomas Jefferson in 1804 to explore the newly acquired Louisiana Territory and find a practical route to the Pacific Ocean. This expedition provided valuable cultural, scientific, and geographic insights into the largely unknown western territories. It also established relationships with native American tribes, documented the diverse flora and fauna, and mapped the region, thus paving the way for future traders and settlers. The California Gold Rush marked the surge in westward migration in 1884.In such a fortune or goal discovered in Sutters Mill, …show more content…

The Lewis and Clark expedition laid the foundation for the understanding and exploration of the western territories. The gold rush prompted an immediate and massive movement of people. This even caused the integration of the West into the United States, economic development, and rapid settlement. The gold rush's influence on economic activities, population growth, and migration patterns had a more transformative and direct effect on the West's demography and landscape than Lewis and Clark's exploratory mission. The ideology of manifest destiny had a crucial role in shaping the Lewis and Clark Expedition and the California Gold Rush. The ideology that the United States was supposed to expand through destiny justifies its westward expansion. This ideology for the Lewis and Clark expedition showed or underscored Jefferson's vision of an "Empire of Liberty" stretching from coast to coast. The expedition was seen as the means to assert American sovereignty, spread civilization across the continent, and promote

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Undaunted Courage by Steven Ambrose is written about the exploration of the West by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. Thomas Jefferson, president of the United States, decided to send Lewis on this exploration, and Lewis chose to take Clark along with him. Many people criticized Jefferson because westward expansion had been tried before and failed. Others argued that he shouldn’t be allowed to purchase land with their tax dollars. Ambrose argues that Jefferson made the correct decision in choosing Lewis to explore the land that makes up Louisiana, Arkansas, parts of northeastern Texas, Oklahoma, eastern Colorado, and Minnesota (Kindle Locations 92-93).

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The Lewis and Clark expedition marked the first American expedition to cross what is now the western portion of the United States. The expedition occurred from the Louisiana Purchase which allowed Jefferson to turn away from his strict ideals of the Constitution to pull through with this purchase for the country's good. The Louisiana Purchase managed strong support by many Americans which lead to the Lewis and Clark expedition. The expeditions leaders were Captain Meriwether Lewis and Lieutenant William Clark who set out from St. Louis in 1804 and reached the Oregon coast on the Pacific Ocean. The two explorers turned back and completed the return journey in 1806.

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Manifest Destiny brought an age of expansion and exploration upon the United States throughout the 1800s. The vast Great Plains were unexplored, and held lots of promise and opportunity for new communities and businesses. With the establishment of the railroad system, transportation became much more reliable and efficient, sending a wave of settlers to the West. Railroad companies also posted many advertisements that encouraged settlers to buy plots of land for reasonable prices. The railroad during this time played a key role in Western Expansion by giving people access to fertile and open land, uniting communities together, and lowering transportation costs, but inflicted cruel treatment on those who worked on the railroads.

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In 1845, when John L. O’Sullivan used the term “manifest destiny” to describe America’s given right to expand west, he did not know what impact it would have on the United States. Manifest destiny influenced the expansion and settlement of America, as well as the culture and economy. As the United States expanded west in the 1800s, wars and treaties impacted the growth of the nation. War and treaties, specifically the Mexican-American War and the Oregon Treaty of 1846, impacted the westward expansion of the United States. At the end of the Mexican-American War, which occurred from 1846 to 1848, the U.S. and Mexico signed the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

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As well as laying ideologiacl foundations of America, and creating the American Library System, Jefferson also was a main component to The Lewis and Clark Expedition that was responsible for discovering cast new lands and treasures in the heartland of America" (Sandra Jabonson). Not only did he provide the inspiration, and funding, but he was also the person who helped push it into action. Because of their expedition, the country became a place of inspiration to people as the sheer size alone provided endless possibilities for people to imagine, all due to

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Lewis and Clark produced countless discoveries of , people, land, plants, animals, waterways, and trade. Last, created the west to be livable for America, the rapidly growing country. It caused close bonds with the Native Americans. The men showed the Indians that Americans could be trusted. Natives were becoming open to visitors and helping the travelers in need with the exception of something usually in

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“Historical Impact of the California Gold Rush.” Historical Impact of the California Gold Rush, 2 Oct. 2017, Historical Impact of the California Gold Rush LO, C. “From Gold Rush to Golden State : Early California History: An Overview : Articles and Essays : California as I Saw It: First-Person Narratives of California's Early Years, 1849-1900 : Digital Collections : Library of Congress.” From Gold Rush to Golden State, The Library of Congress, n.d., https://www.loc.gov/collections/california-first-person-narratives/articles-and-essays/early-california-history/from-gold-rush-to-golden-state/ John Umbeck, “The California gold rush: A study of emerging property rights”, Explorations in Economic History, Volume 14, Issue 3, 1977, Pages 197-226, ISSN 0014-4983, https://doi.org/10.1016/0014-4983(77)90006-7,

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The Gold Rush in California and the Silver Rush in Nevada had caused many Americans to travel west. Thousands of immigrants came from both the United States and other countries in search of great fortune. This caused the population to increase dramatically. At the time there were only two ways to get to the West. Either by covered wagon or by ship.

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Most of the pioneers who settled the west became cash croppers. The South wanted to expand slavery into the North during the westward expansion but the North did not want slavery to be legal. The Gold Rush brought even more people to the west.

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The California Gold Rush, one of the most influential time periods in American history, led to the development of the country as it is known today. “Gold!” were the words heard around the world when James W. Marshall discovered the gold at Sutter’s Mill, California, on January 24, 1848. As these words swept the nation nearly a year later in 1849, California reached its peak as over one hundred thousand miners made the dangerous journey in the hopes of striking it rich. Miners and citizens of California will mostly remember the gold rush as a time period of hard work and disappointment. Some will remember how their good luck resulted in riches beyond their imagination.

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In the 19th Century, there were strong supporters of the ideology of Manifest Destiny. Manifest Destiny was basically the belief of expansion by settlers expanding all over America because god supposedly destined the Americans for expansions by their resources. This resulted for the Americans to find a modern mode of transportation that would make traveling from the east to the west coast easier. This resulted in a mega construction known as the Transcontinental Railroad. The railroad not only helps with transportation but with trading.

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In December 1848, President James Polk announced during a speech that there was more gold in California than people had previously thought. Miners came by the thousands across land, and sea to find the gold and the journeys that

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The importance of the Lewis and Clark were monumental, beyond just documenting new plant life, animals, and land/water formation, but for the westward expansion. Writers would publish stories that would create hopes, dreams and fascinations about the adventure that lies in the west. For some it proposed a glamourous illusion of mystery and passion. The Corps of Discovery explorers made their way across the northwest, mapping the terrain of the newly purchased Louisiana Territory and westward across the Pacific Northwest.

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The California Gold Rush of 1848 was a very significant event because the California Gold Rush had a big influence as it brought together the Eastern and Western nations. This situation did not divide the two nations instead it united them together. The Gold Rush created a large flow of people who decided to take the voyage to California because they were out looking for the gold that had been discovered there, and thought that by doing this they would be wealthy and successful. This was one of the biggest migrations in the United States. As many people came to reach California to find gold, they started to realize that it was much harder than they thought it would be.

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Known as one of the most significant gold rushes in the world, the California Gold Rush rapidly improved the economy of the U.S.; a man by the name of Francisco Lopez was said to have been the first person to discover gold in California, near Sutter’s Mill. Lopez had intended to keep the discovery a secret, but soon after, the word spread out, and people from all over the world began to immigrate to California, wanting to strike it rich. The quest for gold began: small businesses for buying supplies began to spring up in the West. People flocked to the West, and where there were people, there was business. With so much activity and immigration, America went through an economic boom, with California being a commercial powerhouse.

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