"The Journals of Lewis and Clark"

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that the key point of the journals of Lewis and Clark was, in 1803, when President Thomas Jefferson sent his secretary Meriwether Lewis and Lewis' friend William Clark on a mission to explore the uncharted West; Jefferson called the group the Corps of Discovery. The author points out that DeVoto considers these journals as a "national literary treasure", which detail the interior of the American West. The paper relates that the Corps of Discovery returned to St. Louis with comprehensive maps of their route and the surrounding regions, specimens and descriptions of the plants, animal life and potential mineral resources and a wealth of information about the native peoples of the West.

Table of Contents
Introduction
Evaluation of Key Points
Did the Authors Achieve Their Objectives?
Primary and Secondary Sources
Personal Assessment
Relevance Today

From the Paper:

"Whenever a company brings a project in under budget, there are big celebrations and back-patting all around. Lewis and Clark managed to accomplish at lot with $2,500, even for the beginning of the 19th century (although the historians say that in reality they had a blank check for whatever unexpected expenses they may have experienced and the expedition actually cost more). Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark accomplished all of their objectives according to the guidelines set out by President Jefferson to Lewis and more, but they did not just stumble into their success. According to the research, both Lewis and Clark had much experience of command and of wilderness life."

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