Lewis And Clark Documentary - A Ken Burns film
Lewis and Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery is a 1997 history documentary about the Lewis and Clark Expedition from 1804-1806.
Plot: The documentary itself uses letters and stories written by and for the explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to describe their journey of discovery through the unknown American wilderness. Sent by President Jefferson to map the territory and assess the Native American tribes, Lewis and Clark's trip was filled both with danger and immense discoveries.
My take: This is a fascinating look at a time in American History that everyone knows far too little about. Americans had no idea of the bounty of North America at this time. What they knew extended mostly to the Appalachians. Settlers had just begun to move west into Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri. I was fascinated by the way they used rivers to move west (although it makes perfect sense as being the easiest way to travel), but what really intrigued me was the description of the Rocky Mountains upon first view. They thought that there was simply one row of mountains and, once up and over the visible ones, the trip to the west coast would be smooth sailing. Then they got past the first row of mountains and saw the entire mountainous region laid out for miles. The other main plot of the trip was the dealings with Native American tribes. While most were friendly, there were some harrowing moments. If the Natives knew what was to come, perhaps they wouldn't have been nearly as friendly.
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If you are at all a history buff, or want to learn more about the United States, this is an excellent documentary to watch. Ken Burns does it again.
The Best Books On This Topic:
Undaunted Courage
The Journals of Lewis and Clark
The Essential Lewis and Clark
More from Ken Burns on Netflix:
Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip
The War (World War II)
Plot: The documentary itself uses letters and stories written by and for the explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to describe their journey of discovery through the unknown American wilderness. Sent by President Jefferson to map the territory and assess the Native American tribes, Lewis and Clark's trip was filled both with danger and immense discoveries.
My take: This is a fascinating look at a time in American History that everyone knows far too little about. Americans had no idea of the bounty of North America at this time. What they knew extended mostly to the Appalachians. Settlers had just begun to move west into Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri. I was fascinated by the way they used rivers to move west (although it makes perfect sense as being the easiest way to travel), but what really intrigued me was the description of the Rocky Mountains upon first view. They thought that there was simply one row of mountains and, once up and over the visible ones, the trip to the west coast would be smooth sailing. Then they got past the first row of mountains and saw the entire mountainous region laid out for miles. The other main plot of the trip was the dealings with Native American tribes. While most were friendly, there were some harrowing moments. If the Natives knew what was to come, perhaps they wouldn't have been nearly as friendly.
====================================================================
If you are at all a history buff, or want to learn more about the United States, this is an excellent documentary to watch. Ken Burns does it again.
The Best Books On This Topic:
Undaunted Courage
The Journals of Lewis and Clark
The Essential Lewis and Clark
More from Ken Burns on Netflix:
Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip
The War (World War II)
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