What was the purpose of the Lewis and Clark expedition?

• A. To locate gold in California.
• B. To find a direct path to Asia around Africa.
• C. To establish a naval base in Hawaii.
• D. To explore and map the Louisiana Purchase territory and establish an American presence.

Answer: (D)

The expedition aimed to explore and map the land added by the Louisiana Purchase and to establish an American presence there. Jefferson sent the Corps of Discovery to learn about the geography, resources, and people of the vast new territory, to map a route across the continent, and to assert U.S. claims in the region. They traveled from the Missouri River to the Pacific, documented plants, animals, and tribes, and produced important maps and information about the area. It wasn’t about gold in California, a sea route to Asia around Africa, or a naval base in Hawaii—those goals belong to different times and events.