HISTORY DAY 2002
Process Paper
My project, the Lewis and Clark Expedition, goes with this year's History Day theme very well. It was a great revolution in history because it opened up the west for the United States and it won the fur trade over France, England, Spain and Russia. If this hadn't happened, the United States would be a lot smaller than it is today because other countries were ready to claim those territories. People reacted to this by being very excited because the west was now open. Because of this reaction, the Corps of Discovery became heroes of the nation. After the Corps of Discovery explored the west, the views of the people changed. They were no longer afraid to explore the western territory since the Corps of Discovery came back safely.
I picked the Lewis and Clark Expedition for my project because I thought it would be easy to research and interesting to study. I find it fascinating that without Lewis and Clark, I wouldn't be living here today and the United States would be half the size it is now. The west would still be a vast wilderness, or it would have been claimed by another country. Another reason I picked it was because of what Lewis and Clark went through and I thought it would be fun to read about their adventures and do a project about it.
I knew right away that I was going to create a board for my project because it was the best way to display the expedition since I could be very creative and present my project in a unique way. I had to do a lot of research before actually starting to build it though, so I visited the library and searched for anything that has to do with Lewis and Clark. For more information I searched on the internet for the addresses of the historic preservation agencies that were involved with the Lewis and Clark Expedition. After I found the addresses, I wrote letters to St. Louis, Missouri; Springfield, Illinois, and North Dakota.
The second step in creating my project was to make a rough draft of my board. I had many ideas on how to make the exhibit look interesting, but I had to go to my father's Graphics Department where he works [at Rockwell Semiconductor Systems in Newport Beach, California]. There I used his Photoshop program and poster printer.
When all of the written portion and graphics were complete, I had to decide what items to put in the window on the board. Then I went out and bought the materials such as foam core, fur and spray paint. I also had to go and find some Indian artifacts and minerals for the exhibit on the board. Finally after about two months of work, I put everything together and built my project.
Elora assembled a variety of authentic artifacts for the "Shipment" portion of her exhibit
When all of the written portion and graphics were complete, I had to decide what items to put in the window on the board. Then I went out and bought the materials such as foam core, fur and spray paint. I also had to go and find some Indian artifacts and minerals for the exhibit on the board. Finally after about two months of work, I put everything together and built my project.
The expedition of Lewis and Clark not only affected the world economically, but made the United States a major world power. By doing this project, I learned how our country became what it is today.
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| November 2001 -- Elora in Corona, California, working on her History Day project |
October 2014 -- At the Lewis & Clark Sculpture in Kansas City, Missouri
REVOLUTION
The Expedition of Lewis and Clark was a big revolution because it changed the viewpoint of the whole world. It affected the economy by winning the valuable fur trade for the United States and opened the west for settlement, making America a major world power.
REACTION
Jefferson only expected to buy the port town of New Orleans from France. Instead, Napolean sold all the French-controlled territory from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains -- a total of 800,000 square miles. Napolean was happy with the deal. He said, "The sale assures forever the power of the united States, and I have given England a rival who, sooner or later, will humble her pride."
Meriwether Lewis started out as the captain of a quiet military mission to survey foreign territory. With the Louisiana Purchase, he became the leader of a historical event nearly equal to the Declaration of Independence. Everyone involved with the Expedition became heroes, especially President Jefferson -- the country was amazed that, even before the Louisiana Purchase Treaty was signed, he had a team of trained soldiers already equipped and waiting to explore it.
REFORM
In 1800, the future of the U.S. was in doubt. There were less than five and a half million Americans, but two out of three people lived within 50 miles of the Atlantic. The country's attention was directed eastward to Europe. The Canadian-owned North West Company was very close to dominating the important Northwest Empire. If Jefferson hadn't acted quickly, he would have lost his chance to claim the disputed Oregon Country, and the U.S. would forever be dependent on Canadian permission to use the western trade routes.
The Expedition had finally put to rest the dream of the "Northwest Passage," an easy water route across the entire continent. But they had found their own passage, and they did it with just one death early in the trip. This gave everyone the idea that the journey was safe, though actually the Corps of Discovery was just incredibly lucky. In the following years, only the toughest explorers and trappers were able to survive in the newly-opened territory. But now the country's attention was directed westward and it wasn't long before thousands of settlers followed in the footsteps of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark.
For more like this, go to: Lewis & Clark Journals
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