1. It seems that Lewis has had a major lapse in judgment in many respects and his behavior has become erratic. What major political mistake did he make when arranging to send Big White back to the Mandans?

2. Describe the relationship between the Corps of Discovery and the Nez Perce.

3. Why was Lewis desperate to get some Indians to Washington?

4. What may Lewis have been talking about when Mrs. Grinder heard him taking to himself like a lawyer?

5. In what way was Lewis being overly confident when crossing the Lolo trail?

6. Describe Lewis' grand scheme for American fur trading.

7. Was it justifiable for Lewis to turn his publishing project into such a huge and complex undertaking?

8. Can we ascribe any meaning to soldiers giving Captain Clark presents for Christmas, and no mention of presents for Lewis?

9. In what area does the author feel Lewis' greatest talents had lain?

10. Explain Lewis' maneuvering when he arrived in St. Louis, with respect to communicating about the expedition.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How would it have influenced Meriwether Lewis if he could have seen into the future? Write an informal essay about what changed after his death, such as.

1) Jefferson did not realize that the means of transportation would become faster and more reliable than travel by horse.

2) He did not know that Jefferson would expect him to take complete responsibility for publishing his scientific journals.

3) Some of Jefferson's wild inventions would become reality.

4) The country actually would become one nation under one government.

5) The Indians would be subdued and all but wiped out by the government.

6) There would be many thousands of Americans moving west and settling.

7) Britain and France would no longer occupy parts of America.

Essay Topic 2

Lewis and Clark were more famous after their deaths than during their lives. What can we learn about them this many years later?

1) Research and construct a report about all of the monuments, parks, schools and other landmarks that bear Lewis and/or Clark's names. Explain, for each, their significance.

2) In the alternative, research and report on how many of the rivers and landmarks that Lewis & Clark named still have those names. Many were changed in the years after the expedition, but some may have remained.

3) What educational insititution(s) specialize in the history of Lewis and Clark? Describe their research program and anything notable about the school.

Essay Topic 3

Sacagawea's notoriety as one of the the expedition members only came about through history after she was gone. Write a narrative to examine the following:

1)What were her major contributions to the expedition?

2) Was she afforded special treatment?

3) Were her interpreter's skills used wisely? When? Could they have been better used?

4) Was the presence of her child a distraction to the expedition? Did it not create extra work in the portage process?

5) Was the identify of Cameahwait as Sacagawea's brother surprising? Why did she not leave, or stay, with him?

(see the answer keys)

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