Expansion of a New Nation

 

 

"Our lofty mountains and almost boundless prairies, our broad and magnificent rivers, the unexampled magnitude of our cataracts, the wild grandeur of our western forests, and the rich and variegated tints of our autumnal landscapes, are unsurpassed." 

-Joshua Shaw

In July of 1803, Jefferson received the information that Napoleon had decided to sell the Territory of Louisiana to the United States for the mere price of three cents per acre. This news excited Jefferson because it would effectively double the size of the country while also removing France, a potential threat to the country, from the area. Earlier, Jefferson had made plans for his secretary, Meriwether Lewis, to embark on an overland journey to study the North American continent. When the news of the acquisition of Louisiana reached Jefferson, he decided to alter Lewis’ expedition to include the new land. As Wulf points out in her book, Jefferson had longed to explore the West in order to receive scientific and economic knowledge. Jefferson believed that the West held numerous magnificent plants and animals that could not only provide economic benefits, but could also provide the country with a national identity.

Before Lewis proceeded with his trip, Jefferson provided him with a list of activities he wished for him to do. This list consisted of Lewis constructing maps of the new land, gaining knowledge from the Native Americans within the region, and studying the plants and animals present in the area. Like Jefferson, Lewis also shared a love for botany and the wilderness and was happy to comply with the instructions given to him. While on his trip Lewis would send Jefferson samples of plants, animals, and fossils that he found. He also would write detailed letters describing the scenery in hopes of keeping Jefferson updated on the journey and condition of the new land. In some of his letters Lewis described the new territory as so perfect that they rivaled human art and as the most beautiful land he had ever looked upon. With these descriptions in mind Jefferson, along with Lewis, promoted the idea of the United States as a sublime wilderness. This idea of a sublime wilderness quickly became the national identity that Jefferson had been searching for. Painters began portraying the landscapes of the West and poets began celebrating its beauty in their poems. This helped to positively portray the West to the people of the United States and helped Jefferson push for expansion. Before Lewis’ trip, the people of the United States had a negative image and viewpoint of the West. As Wulf writes, many described the West as “hideous and desolate". When people began to  hear of the wonders of the West described by the many painters and poets, their views changed. The people began to embrace and take pride in the wilderness that was the West.

When Lewis returned, he brought with him many samples and seeds of various plants. He also returned with fossils, pelts, and animals. Jefferson quickly took many of the plants and began growing them himself. He also sent many to Bernard McMahon, who also began planting and growing the new plants. Many of the plants that Lewis brought back were species never seen before and many quickly became staples in many people’s gardens and crops. This agricultural discovery was important to Jefferson because he viewed expansion to the West as a necessity if the country was to become an agrarian nation. With the news spreading of the West being a beautiful and fertile land, it made the  new land appealing to many people and helped to support Jefferson’s argument for the expansion of the country and, Jefferson hoped, promoted an air for an agrarian nation.

To Jefferson, the Lewis expedition was a great success. The expedition showed that the West held land that could be beneficial for the country, promoted Jefferson’s view of an agrarian nation, and successfully provided the country with a national identity that the people of the United States was proud to represent. As Wulf describes in her book, the Lewis expedition was more than a trip of scientific discovery for Jefferson. It was also a trip that glorified the American wilderness and proved to Europe that America was a unique land. The American wilderness, free from the history that characterized the landscape of Europe, symbolized a strong, free nation that was ready to construct a country that was independent from the influences of the countries before them.