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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Lewis spoke to the Shoshone chief through

2. During Jefferson's time, Americans were obsessed with the concept of

3. Lewis and Clark's meeting with Daniel Boone is a matter of

4. Meriwether Lewis has a penchant for

5. Proceeding downstream on wet clay, the party found the ground to be extremely

Short Essay Questions

1. Explain Lewis' realization when he was threatened by buffalo bulls, a bear and wolverines.

2. Why was Lewis angry with Drouillard and Shields after seeing a young Indian?

3. What may have convinced Lewis and Clark that they needed to double their crew?

4. What was ironic about the government's response to the Whiskey Rebellion of 1794?

5. Is it obvious why Clark's commission stayed that of lieutenant and not captain? How did that affect the two leaders?

6. Of what, exactly, was the "great father" trying to convince the Indians, under Jefferson's instructions?

7. Was Sacagawea treated with the respect she was due?

8. Given that he was an educated man, how can we account for Lewis' lack of spelling ability?

9. Why did it take so long for Lewis' keelboat to be built?

10. Discuss the large keelboat and its journey back to St. Louis.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Lewis and Clark witness a Sioux "scalp dance" on the upper Missouri.

1) Why was the scalp dance being performed at this time? What did it mean?

2) Did the Sioux find some kind of spiritual triumph in capturing prisoners of other tribes? What was the Sioux's philosophy regarding other tribes? Was their priority their land, hunting grounds, horses, or just power? How could another tribe offend them enough to get scalped?

3) How many bands, or different groups of Sioux were in the country at that time?

Essay Topic 2

Lewis and Clark signed a detachment order in 1804 that ordered the sergeants of the group to keep their own daily journals. We know that at least two of the soldiers attempted to publish their own journals, but what became of them, and any others that were written?

Write a research essay and determine whether the lesser officers' journals were preserved and whether they were studied by historians later. If so, what are the highlights? Did they disagree with Lewis & Clark's determination regarding the Missouri vs. Marias Rivers? These would be fascinating to compare and contrast to the Captains' journals. If no information is available on them, outline where and how you researched them, and speculate as to what happened to them.

Essay Topic 3

Meriwether Lewis' father died when he was young and his mother remarried, changing her name to Marks.

1) Is there a genealogy of Lewis' family? Is there an organized group of "family" genealogists related to him?

2) Lewis is said to have come from royal ancestry in Europe. Research this and determine whether it is factual, and provide additional information.

3) Try to locate some information on Meriwether Lewis' father. Did he suffer from mental illness? Write an essay on his life.

(see the answer keys)

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