The Account of Events During Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1804

In May 1804, Lewis and Clark went through many challenges on their expedition that today, in the twenty-first century, would never have been thought about. Technology today would have been a big help for the two frontiersmen. Another factor that held the expedition down was there means of transportation.

Although the expedition was indeed a success, many advancements of this century would have helped the many hardships they faced while trying to explore the American West and the Pacific Northwest.

Today, computers track almost every means of transportation. If anyone today was to go on an expedition like Lewis and Clark did, the whole thing would be mapped out by computers. This 8000 mile adventure up the Missouri River, crossing the Rocky Mountains, and canoeing down the Snake and Columbia rivers to the Pacific Ocean was often confusing and tedious. Many situations, such as getting off course, finding the nearest water supply, places to stay for the night, and the problems with mosquito’s all could have been solved by the power of a computer or a call from a cell phone.

Although their French-Canadian fur traders wife, Sacagawea, was proven invaluable to the expedition, today she would be almost useless because her main succession was finding needed supplies at critical moments. On any expedition today, helicopters would be able to fly in any needed supplies in a short period of time including transportation. These many situations that could have easily been fixed today, could have ruined Lewis and Clarks expedition which would have lessened expansion into Texas and the Southwest.

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Lewis and Clarks expedition took almost two and a half years to complete. Transportation in the 1800’s included walking, and mainly horses. This disadvantage made the trip longer then needed. When the men were faced with the situation of tracking over the Rocky Mountains, Sacagawea gave the men horses that could have cost them their lives because of the snow. Today, planes can take you any place in the world and back in one day. While exploring this land, the mean walked many miles. The men on this expedition traveled across the plains for many years before finally reaching, tracking, and journalizing the whole thing. If this trip was set up for today, it could probably be completed in one week which would give the explorers more time to research there animal specimens, animal bones and pelts, and the various soil and mineral samples. The many disadvantages cost the group of 45 men much time and effort that could have been cut down if they had had speedy transportation and better knowledge of the land.

In conclusion, Lewis and Clark returned as heroes, accomplishing many important tasks that expanded living areas in the Louisiana Territory. Even though this expedition would have been much easier if it had been taken on during this century because the technology and transportation would have shortened the trip in many ways. Today, a trip like the one Lewis and Clark ventured on would be routine, but in May of 1804, it was the beginning of a whole new world.