Early Republic

Lewis and Clark Expedition Maps First Land Route

between 1804 and 1806
Wyoming
Date
between 1804 and 1806
Location
Wyoming
Type
expedition

What happened

The Lewis and Clark Expedition mapped the first land route across the contiguous United States, following instructions from President Thomas Jefferson to explore the Missouri River and find a water route to the Pacific Ocean.

People involved

When this happened

Lewis and Clark Expedition Maps First Land Route occurred in between 1804 and 1806, during the early republic period of American history. The event spanned from 1804 to 1806.

Where this happened

Lewis and Clark Expedition Maps First Land Route took place in Wyoming. Explore the full history of Wyoming and primary source records from this era.

Historical context — Early Republic

The early republic period saw the United States move from the weak Articles of Confederation to the federal Constitution ratified in 1788, with the Bill of Rights added in 1791. George Washington served two terms as president (1789–1797), establishing precedents for executive authority, and the federal capital moved permanently to Washington D.C. in 1800. The Louisiana Purchase (1803) doubled the nation's territory for roughly $15 million, opening vast trans-Mississippi lands to American expansion. The War of 1812 against Britain ended inconclusively but produced a surge of American national identity and eliminated most British support for Indigenous resistance east of the Mississippi. The Northwest Indian Wars (1785–1795) and the Creek War (1813–1814) broke Indigenous confederacies that had resisted US expansion. The Missouri Compromise of 1820 temporarily balanced slave and free states as the nation expanded westward, but embedded the contradiction of slavery in every subsequent territorial debate.

Source

Content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia: Lewis and Clark Expedition.

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Overview
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Geology
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Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
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Rivers & Rail
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Notable People
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Historical Maps
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Finds & Access
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Literature
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Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
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About Lewis and Clark Expedition Maps First Land Route

What was Lewis and Clark Expedition Maps First Land Route?
The Lewis and Clark Expedition mapped the first land route across the contiguous United States, following instructions from President Thomas Jefferson to explore the Missouri River and find a water route to the Pacific Ocean.
When did Lewis and Clark Expedition Maps First Land Route happen?
Lewis and Clark Expedition Maps First Land Route occurred in between 1804 and 1806.
Where did Lewis and Clark Expedition Maps First Land Route take place?
Lewis and Clark Expedition Maps First Land Route took place in Wyoming.

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