The Lewis and Clark expedition has had many big effects not only on the Indian population, but on all races. An example of one effect is Ambrose gave an unbiased account that Meriwether Lewis is both a hero and a flawed man.
Another effect is the social conventions, in particular the social standing and treatment of women, blacks, and Indians. The expedition also changes the role in the role of all women. There were also many first scientific discoveries of floral and fauna specimens that Lewis came across.
The last aspect of the expedition I will be talking about is the hardships and the spectacular sights Lewis and Clark encountered.
In Undaunted Courage chapter 40, Ambrose gives an unbiased opinion of Meriwether Lewis. Ambrose depicts that Lewis is a hero and also a flawed man. He reconciles Lewis as a flawed man because he came from family of abusive father. Although it wasn’t his fault, but by having the problem with depression in this time made hin viewed as a flawed man. Ambrose also expressed that in some cases Lewis was a hero. In one case he was a hero, is that he lived through his live of beating by his father that drank alcohol tremendously and possibly did every night. He also was a hero by leading the many of people throughout the treacherous terrain of the Indian’s land and soon to be the America’s.
While reading this book, I related it to many experiences i’ve had while reading a novel.
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One of the experiences i’ve had are learning about the details of history. Ambrose also made this documentary seen like a novel, because this is a historical non-fiction book it shows how great of an author he is due to how he changes Lewis’s journals into a really great informational, historical book. Ambrose also made the characters seen very realistic. He fit all of them in the book to seem as though he was alive during that time. Reading history is different from ready fiction in many different ways. One way being that in fiction books imaginable and fake characters are being used, and in real books all the characters are real. Another way of history being different than fiction is that the events in a fictional book versus a historical book are unreal and madeup. In all non-fiction and historical novels all the facts and or details in that book are true.
A huge difference between the two are in fiction books one could not research or find out more information about events or characters in that book. In a non-fictional or historical book, one could look up and research multiple of the accounts listed in the book and all about the character’s too. In comparison from the book, some aspects of the treatment of women are the same. One example is that today most women are found to be still known as “housewives” and not equal to men. In Lewis’s time women were also treated in horrible ways. The contrast in today’s world versus Lewis’s environment back then is that the treatment of blacks and Indians were terrible. Most blacks were slaves and mostly all the Indians were treated with disrespect and not able to own any land. Today, mostly all Indians are able to have their own land and all blacks have their own rights in the United States.
The harsh, physical environment affected the black people and indians due to as they were slaves and had to do many vigorous tasks for the whites they had to face the horrible terrain and weather. In the story of the Lewis and Clark expedition, women played a couple of significant roles. One of these roles being the most important is the role of Sacagawea’s. As Lewis and Clark had just arrived on the Indian territory, were served with water, food and got a warm, log cabin to sleep in provided by the tribal leaders wife. Sacagawea was selected as the navigator to help Lewis and Clark. They believed that she had much knowledge on the Louisiana Territory and knew she would help them during the exploration. Sacagawea, Lewis and Clark traveled thousands of miles from North Dakota the the Pacific Ocean. During this exploration, Sacagawea had carried her barely two month old son on her back throughout the whole journey.
Out of all the roles that women had that role was the most significant at that time. “She fulfilled many roles as the expedition progressed and proved to be an asset for the Corps of Discovery.” The other roles women had were tending to their children and preparing meals. The women with these roles were uneducated and poor women. Women that came from a wealthy family were well educated their whole life and had slaves. Eventually those Virginian women would marry with wealthy men to continue to not having to cook or clean and have slaves work for them. Most women in that time would wed at 15 or 16 and start their families at very young ages. Women also weren’t allowed to do many things. These things are not being able to vote, not being apart of a jury in the court, not being able to go to court over property, and lastly all women had to obey their husbands no matter what. Most of the wealthy American women would occupy their time with sewing, quilting, or embroidering and could not do anything else.
“Women played a very important role in the life of the Native American. They were more than just mothers of the tribes’ children, they were builders, warriors, farmers, and craftswomen. Their strength was essential to the survival of the tribes.” The book Undaunted Courage reveals many firsts during the time of the expedition. Lewis was the first white man to explore territory west of the Rockies. York was the first African American man the Indian tribes had ever seen and talked to. On the voyage, Lewis and Clark came across over 120 mammals. They stated that they also found many species of birds, reptiles, fish and almost over 182 plant species.
As the expedition moved up the Missouri River, Lewis would focus more on the color of the animals, the shape and texture of the rocks, to feel of the plants, which way the current of the river was flowing, how fast was the river moving and most importantly how the plants, animals and cliffs were different in the west than in the east. While they encountered many viscous animals, the type of animal they were attacked by multiple times were bears. The three well-known main maps they were sketched out during the expedition were created by Clark himself as he specialized in Army mapping. Beyond its historical significance, Undaunted Courage is a story of a great and exciting adventure. The expedition endured many various hardships as well as truly wondrous and spectacular sights. If this land were to be encountered in today’s world on the same voyage as Lewis and Clark, there would be many differences and many similarities.
One of the many similarities is how most of the same species of animals would be in the same area or close to the same area of where Lewis and Clark encountered their habitats. Also, many of the same plants would be in the same area as before. Another similarity of an aspect that Lewis and Clark encountered and what we would encounter today would be the terrain. Although most of the terrain today would be weathered down and may have changes, most of the rivers, lakes, and cliffs would be fairly the same as before. A difference in the world today from before is how one would travel in on the expedition. Back in the day of Lewis and Clark’s Expedition, one would have to travel by foot as the mountains, cliffs, rivers and lakes were very vast and had no roads or bridges. In today’s world, one could travel by foot for a hiking experience or one could travel by car as many roads and bridges have been put in place on all of the territory.
Another difference would be the upbringing of many different and new species. The creation of buildings and many factories is also a very significant change from the era of Lewis and Clark and today’s world. In conclusion, in Undaunted Courage, Ambrose declared that Lewis was a hero and a flawed man. Also, the role of women was very significant in the story of Lewis and Clark. There were also many firsts in the book of Undaunted Courage. These firsts being the discovery of many new species and plants. This book is a great and exciting experience. Lewis and Clark also went through many various hardships of the terrain and weather. They also encountered many spectacular and truly wondrous sights. The Lewis and Clark expedition has had many big effects not only on the Indian population, but on all races.
Bibliography
- Ambrose explained how Lewis acted and his personal life. Ambrose, Undaunted Courage, 476-484
- Josh Stevens. “Sacagawea’s role and significance in the Lewis and Clark expedition.” Historical Society. http://www.sacagawea-biography.org/significance-role-lewis-clark-expedition/ (accessed November16,2018)
- Ranger Cusick, “Women’s Roles During the Time of Lewis and Clark Expedition – 1804 to 1806.” Prezi. https://prezi.com/dwhqpleaurzw/womens-roles-during-the-time-of-lewis-and-clark-expedition-1804-to-1806/ (accessed November 15,20018)
Undaunted On Courage Essay. (2021, Dec 16). Retrieved from https://paperap.com/undaunted-on-courage-essay-2/
