Question #0df32
1 Answer
After leaving St Louis the expedition followed the Missouri River. Then transported over the Rockies to the Snake and Columbia Rivers.
Explanation:
The Missouri River was navigable deep into Montana. As the Missouri flowed into the Mississippi all of the Missouri watershed was part of the Louisianna Purchase. So Lewis and Clark followed the Missouri River up as far as they could by boats, exploring the land the US had purchased from France.
Thomas Jefferson had visions of the United States streaching from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans. Jefferson gave instructions to Lewis and Clark that they were to proceed to the Pacific Ocean if possible.
When the expedition could proceed no further by boat they were able to obtain horses to transverse the Rocky Mountains. Now the expedition was in land that would be claimed by Russia, England and because of Lewis and Clark the United States.
After crossing the Rockies the expedition again traveled by rivers, the Snake and the Columbia to the Pacific Ocean. The expedition spent the winter in the Oregon territory before returning by much the same route to St. Louis.
