How did Lewis and Clark prepare for the expedition?

By John Thompson

How did Lewis and Clark prepare for the expedition?

Once the questions of manpower and skill mix were solved, Lewis turned his attention back to gathering supplies and equipment. The city of Pittsburgh would figure prominently in the preparations for the expedition by virtue of the fact that it was a nationally known shipbuilding port located on the Ohio River.

Who was president when Lewis and Clark went to the Pacific?

President Thomas Jefferson had long possessed a great interest, for both practical and scientific reasons, in exploring the American west. In 1783 he had asked Brigadier General George Rogers Clark to lead an expedition to the Pacific, but Clark refused.

Why was Pittsburgh important to Lewis and Clark?

The city of Pittsburgh would figure prominently in the preparations for the expedition by virtue of the fact that it was a nationally known shipbuilding port located on the Ohio River. Procuring suitable transportation was especially critical since the president had specifically instructed Lewis to find a water route to the Pacific.

Who was asked to lead the expedition to the Pacific?

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In 1783 he had asked Brigadier General George Rogers Clark to lead an expedition to the Pacific, but Clark refused. Ten years later, Jefferson helped raise money for a westward expedition by botanist Andre Michaux, which was then canceled.

Who was in charge of the Lewis and Clark Expedition?

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That tale began long before the first step of the journey took place and involved a lengthy period of detailed preparation by the officer in charge, Captain Meriwether Lewis, with the personal support and assistance of the President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson.

Why did Jefferson choose Lewis and Clark as his leader?

Jefferson’s choice of Lewis as the leader of an American expedition to the Pacific coast reflects a mix of practicality, common sense, regional alliances, and the turbulent political times in America at the turn of the nineteenth century.

Where did Lewis and Clark spend their first winter?

These phases included initial preparatory efforts in Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky; a “shakedown” period at an army post in the Illinois Territory during the first winter; movement west to the Pacific in the early spring; and finally the return trip after spending the winter on the Pacific coast.

The city of Pittsburgh would figure prominently in the preparations for the expedition by virtue of the fact that it was a nationally known shipbuilding port located on the Ohio River. Procuring suitable transportation was especially critical since the president had specifically instructed Lewis to find a water route to the Pacific.