Barter and Beyond

This worksheet explores trade and cultural exchange during the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Students read a short background passage explaining how the Corps of Discovery bartered with Native tribes using goods like tools, cloth, and beads instead of money. They then match each trade item to its correct use or cultural meaning, showing understanding of practical and social exchanges along the trail. The activity emphasizes the importance of communication, respect, and choosing appropriate trade items. By completing it, learners connect economic and cultural interactions to survival and diplomacy in early American exploration.

Curriculum Matched Skills

Social Studies – Economics of Early Exploration

History – Trade and Cultural Exchange with Native Peoples

English Language Arts – Reading for Detail and Matching Information

Critical Thinking – Understanding Cause and Effect in Historical Contexts

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