Lewis and Clark's Journey into the American Unknown
The formation of what we know as the United States was a long and complicated process. Much of that process was dark and destructive. The United States as we know it would not exist without the theft of Native American land, the enslavement of African Americans, and a host of other inhumane acts. That being said, the United States might look quite different without the intrepid expedition of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. The trip they made was massive, complex, and uncertain. The completion of their expedition changed the course of American history.
The statue of Lewis and Clark by St. Louis’ iconic Gateway Arch helps commemorate the city’s status in American history as the gateway to the west.
In 1804, President Thomas Jefferson, who had recently acquired the Louisiana Purchase from Napoleon, tasked Meriwhether Lewis with exploring this new territory. Lewis subsequently chose William Clark to be his co-leader, and the two set out with the blessings of Jefferson and a host of U.S. Army companions. The entire excursion lasted for over two years, where the Corps of Discovery faced rough terrain, treacherous waterways, unforgiving weather, disease, starvation, dehydration, and Native American tribes who might have been unfriendly to their incursion on their land. At the end of their nearly 8,000 miles of traveling, Lewis and Clark had acquired new ecological and geographical knowledge about places previously unknown to the government of the United States. Their expedition may not have been possible without the help of the American Philosophical Society.
The American Philosophical Society (APS) was founded in 1743 by Dr. Benjamin Franklin, America’s most famous sage. It was founded for the purpose of “promoting useful knowledge” in what was becoming a burgeoning European settlement in North America. The American Philosophical Society Museum is located in a brick building built in the 1780s, just behind the east wing of Independence Hall in Philadelphia. The APS is truly America’s first museum, national library, and academy of science. Amongst the collection at the American Philosophical Library Museum are Thomas Jefferson’s handwritten copy of the Declaration of Independence and, of course, the journals of Lewis and Clark.
In 1780, when the APS was already well established, Thomas Jefferson was elected to membership. The future sponsor of the Lewis and Clark expedition was very active in the organization, serving as its President from 1797 to 1815. His passion for exploring the West was well supported by the APS. In 1793, Jefferson had initiated a fundraising campaign within the society to finance an expedition headed by French botanist, Andre Michaux. Unfortunately, the expedition was mired in international political difficulties and fizzled out before it reached the Mississippi river. Jefferson and the APS had another opportunity with the now famous Lewis and Clark expedition.
The headquarters of the American Philosophical Society, which can be found just a short walk away from Philadelphia’s Independence Hall.
When Jefferson tasked his personal ally and personal secretary, Meriwether Lewis, with this new expedition of the Louisiana Purchase, the President sent him to the American Philosophical Society to learn more about the skills the expedition would need to succeed. As leader of the society, Jefferson called on fellow members to provide aid. In 1803, Jefferson sent Lewis to Philadelphia to get training from the organization's experts. This included, botanist Benjamin Smith Barton, mathematician Robert Patterson, physician and chemistry professor Benjamin Rush and Caspar Wistar, physician and professor of anatomy. Andrew Ellicot provided Lewis with training on surveying, while John Vaughn, the APS’s librarian and treasurer, provided Lewis with the right tools for the journey into the unknown.
Lewis left Philadelphia in the summer of 1803, picking up Clark and heading to the staging area in St. Louis. On the eve of their departure in 1804, Lewis and Clark got instructions from Thomas Jefferson that echoed that of Benjamin Franklin’s original mission for the the APS and “promoting useful knowledge”: discovering new plants; discoveries of fossils, mines and minerals; surveying, map making and charting new areas and land formations, and introduction of "sorts from foreign countries." Lewis and Clark followed the instructions very well, producing a collection of journals, maps, and other various documents. As a thank you for their contribution to the expedition, the APS was given a large part of the expedition’s papers. They remain there today.
The Lewis and Clark expedition was the most famous expedition in American history. The American Philosophical Society eac crucial to success, funding and supporting the western expansionism. It provided the training for Lewis, and by extent Clark, which allowed them to bring back so many new tidbits of scientific knowledge. The journals at the APS remain an interesting glimpse into the history of the United States and the history of exploration.