Presidential Mission

Students analyze excerpts from President Thomas Jefferson’s letter to Meriwether Lewis, identifying explicit goals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The worksheet directs learners to underline mission statements such as studying wildlife, mapping routes, and establishing Native relations. Follow-up questions prompt critical thinking about purpose, motivation, and national expansion. By interpreting historical documents, students practice close reading and inference while deepening understanding of early American exploration and leadership vision.

Curriculum Matched Skills

Social Studies – U.S. Expansion and the Louisiana Purchase

English Language Arts – Analyzing Primary Sources

History – Understanding Purpose and Goals of Exploration

Reading – Identifying Main Ideas and Details

This worksheet is part of our Lewis and Clark Expedition collection.