Library

In 1803, a major event occurred in American history: the United States purchased Louisiana and New Orleans from France. The newly acquired land was larger than the territory of the United States at the time, and also connected the United States to two oceans: the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. Long before the transaction, President Jefferson was very interested in this vast land and wanted to find someone to explore it, but he was unsuccessful. In 1803, after the deal was signed and waiting for congressional approval, Jefferson persuaded Congress to appropriate $2,500 to organize an expedition to explore this magical land. Jefferson selected Captain Lewis as the expedition leader because he had served as Jefferson's personal secretary and was well aware of Jefferson's plans and expectations. This book describes the exploration process of Captain Lewis and his group of 28 people. They traveled upstream along the Missouri River, wading through mountains and rivers along the way. They not only examined the topography, vegetation and mineral deposits of various places, but also examined the local customs, customs and language. After three years, Captain Lewis and his team finally arrived at their destination and completed their mission. In 1807, Captain Lewis was elected governor of the newly formed state of Louisiana and resigned from the military.