The Lewis and Clark Expedition took place on August 31, 1803 and was led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. This expedition was launched by Thomas Jefferson after purchasing the land for $15 million. In a letter to Congress, Jefferson wrote: The appropriation of two thousand five hundred dollars, “for the purpose of extending the foreign commerce of the United States” (Jefferson 2). The $2,500 was for shipping, so for Jefferson this new land was more about doubling the size of the United States, but about making more money for the United States by allying with Native Americans . These Native Americans proved useful for more than just trade, they kept the Lewises and Clarks around. The expedition would not have been a complete failure. Without the help of Native Americans, the Lewis and Clark expedition would not have been a success. Examples of indigenous aid to the expedition would be: knowledge of the tribe of the land, Native American tribes. helped guide the expedition and help them find food. Another example would be: the trade of food and supplies between the expedition and the Native Americans. Finally, Sacagawea would help Lewis and Clark by being a member of the expedition, guiding them, and keeping the peace. with the tribes they meet. The tribes' knowledge of the land gave Lewis and Clark direction for their expedition and kept them alive. The land was unexplored, so they didn't know what to expect, and they had to appeal to the Native Americans for help. An example of Native American assistance would be the Shoshone telling Lewis and Clark that there is no entirely river route to the Pacific, they explain that the only way is through the Bitterroot (Rockie) Mountains (pbs .org: Shoshone Indians). Another example would be that local Indians at Fort Clatsop (Pacific Coast) told the expedition about a stranded whale that the expedition could obtain blubber and oil to survive (pbs.org: Sacagawea) . Thus, the Shoshones telling Lewis and Clark that there was no entirely river route shows that the Indians' knowledge of the territory aided the expedition (they could have wandered for months to find a water source in the Pacific). Additionally, the local Indians recounting the whale expedition shows that the Indians cared about them and therefore did not starve to death when winter came. Say no to plagiarism. Get a Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the Original Essay The exchange of food and supplies between the expedition and the Native Americans allowed the expedition to continue. Again, because the land was entirely unexplored, the expedition did not know where to hunt or when a winter storm would end, so they had to ask the Indians for help. While wintering with the Mandans, the Mandans agreed to be a supplier of goods for the expedition throughout the harsh winter (Ambros [Voyage of Discovery] 75). In order for the expedition to cross the Bitterroot Mountains, they traded horses with the Shoshone (pbs.org Shoshone). The expedition exchanged gifts with the natives they encountered as peace offerings, such as beads, brass buttons, axes, vermilion, scissors, mirrors, whiskey and many other things (Ambrose [Undaunted Courage ] 155). When the expedition came upon a group of Shoshone women, the women were frightened at first, but the expedition gave them gifts and painted their faces with vermilion, which was a sign of peace to the women (pbs.org Sacagawea). Also make peace with the chiefs of the Mandan region.