ACT Reading Practice Test 14

SOCIAL SCIENCE: Lewis and Clark Go West

Over two hundred years ago, at the request of President Jefferson, the corps of volunteers for “North Western Discovery” set off under the command of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to find the fastest

Line 5 water route across North America. The path they were to carve out would be the first of its kind; they were setting a course through the territory of potentially dangerous Indian tribes and ferocious animals. None but the fearless and inventive, the most resourceful and

10 curious, would dare to undertake such a venture. In 1803, virtually no one had attempted to cross the stretch of land between the mighty Mississippi and the vast Pacific Ocean using only water routes. All of the wonders of those states in the West are, in part, the result

15 of this expedition. These intrepid pioneers, especially Lewis and Clark, deserve to be remembered now some two centuries after their courageous journey into the unknown lands west of the Mississippi. The rolling hills of the breadbasket, the ski-resorts in the snow-

20 capped Rocky Mountains, and the lush, fertile valleys of the coast echo the bravery of all those involved. After receiving wilderness training in Washington D.C., Meriwether Lewis set out on July 5, 1803, picked up guns at Harpers Ferry, Virginia, and then moved to Pittsburgh

25 to pick up a 55-foot keelboat. Floating it down the Ohio, he met with Clark in Indiana, who took over command of the boat and crew, while Lewis then rode on to get supplies in St. Louis. Months later, in May, the entire party gathered in St. Louis. The

30 forty-some men were to travel from there to the Pacific Ocean in only the keelboat and two smaller boats, all of which were moved by sails, towropes, poles, or oars. The beginning of their journey was a voyage of confirmation; traders had gathered information of

35 various possible water routes to the Pacific, and Lewis and Clark’s job was to confirm the truth of such reports and observe anything else of importance along the way. They also catalogued new species of plants and animals which they encountered, and worked toward peace with

40 several Indian tribes. History tells us that the few messages the men were able to send back told of their health and high spirits. They were all eager to explore just what might lie beyond the Mississippi. Despite having adequate supplies and equipment,

45 including guns, the men’s journey was still a dangerous one. They were traversing the wild and until this point, the only other individuals to have crossed it were fur traders and trappers. It was largely Indian territory and although most tribes, such as the Otos, the

50 Missouris, and the Mandans were friendly, the Sioux and the Blackfeet tried to impede the group’s progress on more than one occasion. Illness claimed the life of one man early, but despite the strenuous pace of the expedition, there were no further losses.

55 Throughout it all, including long winters and the harsh conditions of wildness living, the travelers continued to forge west in search of an efficient trade route using only the rivers. In September of 1806, some three years after they started on their voyage, Lewis, Clark,

60 and their team made it to the Pacific Ocean. Relying on the Missouri and Columbia rivers as their main “highways,” and taking the help of friendly Indian tribes whenever they could, the expedition was a success, and served as an example for all manner of westward

65 expansion. Despite the success of their expedition, proving that there was indeed a water route from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean, future travelers to the West found faster passage on land, utilizing the Oregon

70 Trail. Keelboats were eventually replaced by covered wagons and trains, and America pushed ever onward into the West. The settlers who came after Lewis and Clark went forward with blind-devotion knowing then that it could be done. The initial breakthrough into that

75 unknown land was all that the country really needed. From there on out, the rest was history.