Birth of the Corps

“There is on the globe one spot, the possessor of which is our natural and habitual enemy. It is New Orleans, through which the produce of three eighths of our territory must pass to market.”

~President Thomas Jefferson

Emery Kent

Thomas Jefferson endorsed the exploration of the Louisiana Territory. Previous attempts, dating back to 1541, were disastrous. However, the possible benefits of a new expedition would allow for exponential increases in America's growth.

"...other civilized nations have encountered great expense to enlarge the boundaries of knowledge, by undertaking voyages of discovery"

~ Meriwether Lewis

State Papers and Correspondence Bearing Upon the Purchase of the Territory of Louisiana: James Madison, Secretary of State to Robert R. Livingston, Minister to France, September 28, 1801

National Parks Service(nps), image from May 2 1803 -- Click on for translation.

When Spain ceded their land to the French, the time to act was expedient. Not only were the French vying for control, but the British were also entering the race to control Western America.

Jefferson wanted New Orleans, a principal port city in the South, and purchased the entirety of the Louisiana Territory, 827 thousand mi², for $15 million (now $258,697,425.53).

Patterns of Early European Settlement -- Click on to enlarge

Meriwether Lewis was the captain chosen to lead the charge West. He was loyal to the government, a resourceful frontiersman, and Jefferson's secretary. With his adventurous spirit, Lewis was prepared for the challenges that lay ahead.

These badges were handed out to every member of the expedition.(timetoast.com)

Encyclopedia of Native American Wars and Warfare, Second Edition, August 2017