Seeking Buyers and Sellers
French, Spanish, and British traders already controlled trade empires west of the Mississippi river when Lewis and Clark began the Expedition in 1804. but President Thomas Jefferson wanted the United States to control trade in the newly acquired Louisiana Purchase.
First, many questions had to be answered: Is it true there is a direct water route to the Pacific Ocean? Are there minerals to mine? Where are good locations for towns, farmers, and military forts? Conducting this research was an important mission of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
Jefferson wanted to know the names and sizes of the tribes and what territories they controlled. He asked Lewis to learn where Indians thought trading posts would be most successful, and what they wanted to buy or sell.
Lewis and Clark learned there was no all-water route, but they did answer many of Jefferson’s questions about Indian tribes. Within two generations, settlers traveling through this region on the Oregon, Mormon and California Pioneer Trails would forever transform the places and people that Lewis and Clark came here to learn about.
Graphic: Lewis and Clark brought gifts as a way to make an impression on the people who lived here. Another purpose of the gifts was to show symbols of American power. (University of North Dakota photo)
Marker is on 34th Ave/.
Courtesy hmdb.org
