What did Jefferson hope the expedition would find?

On January 18, 1803, President Jefferson sent a confidential letter to Congress asking for $2,500 to fund an expedition to the Pacific Ocean. He hoped to establish trade with the Native American people of the West and find a water route to the Pacific.

What did the Lewis and Clark expedition hope to find?

The Lewis And Clark Expedition Begins Their mission was to explore the unknown territory, establish trade with the Natives and affirm the sovereignty of the United States in the region. One of their goals was to find a waterway from the US to the Pacific Ocean.

What did Jefferson want Lewis and Clark to find?

Jefferson hoped that Lewis and Clark would find a water route linking the Columbia and Missouri rivers. This water link would connect the Pacific Ocean with the Mississippi River system, thus giving the new western land access to port markets out of the Gulf of Mexico and to eastern cities along the Ohio River and its minor tributaries.

Who was the commander of the Lewis and Clark Expedition?

The expedition was commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson shortly after the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, consisting of a select group of U.S. Army volunteers under the command of Captain Meriwether Lewis and his close friend, Second Lieutenant William Clark.

What did Jefferson want to do with his expedition?

One of Jefferson’s main goals was to find a direct route by water from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean — the so-called “Northwest Passage.”. Jefferson hoped such a route would connect the new western lands to routes already used to buy and sell goods.

How did Lewis and Clark get to the Pacific Ocean?

This water link would connect the Pacific Ocean with the Mississippi River system, thus giving the new western land access to port markets out of the Gulf of Mexico and to eastern cities along the Ohio River and its minor tributaries.