- Purpose: Explore the Louisiana Territory, find a land route to the Pacific Ocean, and establish trade relations with Native American tribes.
- Leaders: Meriwether Lewis and William Clark.
- Route: St. Louis, Missouri to the Pacific Ocean and back.
- Distance: Approximately 8,000 miles.
- Duration: 2 years and 4 months (May 1804 - September 1806).
- Significance: Provided valuable geographic and scientific knowledge about the western United States, strengthened relations with Native American tribes, and paved the way for further exploration and settlement of the region.
Zebulon Pike expedition:
- Purpose: Explore the upper Mississippi River and the southwestern United States, establish trade relations with Native American tribes, and assess Spanish military presence in the region.
- Leader: Zebulon Pike.
- Routes:
1. St. Louis to the Upper Mississippi River and back.
2. St. Louis to the southwestern United States (present-day Colorado and New Mexico).
- Distances:
1. Approximately 1,500 miles.
2. Approximately 3,000 miles.
- Duration:
1. 5 months (August 1805 - January 1806).
2. 8 months (July 1806 - March 1807).
- Significance: Provided valuable geographic knowledge about the upper Mississippi River and the southwestern United States, strengthened relations with Native American tribes, and contributed to the understanding of Spanish activities in the region.
In summary, while Lewis and Clark's expedition focused on exploring the Louisiana Territory and reaching the Pacific Ocean, Zebulon Pike's expedition had a broader scope that included exploring the upper Mississippi River and the southwestern United States, as well as assessing Spanish presence in the region. Their routes, distances, durations, and significance also differed, contributing to different aspects of the exploration of the North American continent.