Expedition of Zebulon Pike

Expedition of Zebulon Pike

Introduction

Zebulon Pike's explorations were fraught with more secrecy than the Corps of Discovery, although he too played a vital role in expanding America's military presence in the heartland of the country. Pike began a trek north on August 1805, while Lewis and Clark were exploring to the west. In a telling demonstration of America's intention to project its military might, at a post of the British North-West Fur Company on American soil, Pike forcibly took down the British Union Jack and had the Stars and Stripes raised proudly in its place at Hugh McGillis' Leech Lake Post.

Pike began his second voyage of exploration—and likely espionage—in July 1806. Only this time he was captured by the Spanish from New Spain (Mexico), who suspected the real intention of his mission. Although captured by the Spanish, he was returned to American Louisiana on July 1, 1807. During his sojourn on his second trip, through the American West, and Mexico after his capture, he proved that espionage—the gathering of intelligence—was now an important “third force” to employ along with military and naval might to further American foreign policy interests.

Discussion

On April 30, 1803, the Louisiana Purchase, pressed by President Thomas Jefferson, greatly added to the size of the United States. Indeed, some, including Jefferson, believed it opened a path across the continent to the far Pacific Ocean. In order to explore and lay American title to the vast wilderness, Jefferson called on the only body of men trained in both rigorous operations and accurate observation: the U.S. Army. In spite of the victory at Fallen Timbers in 1794 and Pinckney's Treaty, both Great Britain from Canada and Spain to the south wished to keep the United States hemmed in by the Mississippi River. Even more, they constantly encouraged secessionist movements along the American east bank of the river to weaken the United States.

As late as 1795, Spanish warships patrolled the Mississippi River from their base at New Orleans. Therefore, Jefferson felt that the bold adventures of Lewis and Clark and Zebulon Pike, were needed to demonstrate to the British and Spanish that the United States was to be the master in its own house. He assigned Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to lead a Corps of Discovery to the Pacific—and hopefully back again. At the same time, he dispatched Zebulon Pike on a much more mysterious journey.

In this convoluted but effective Indian trading network, Indian women lived harsh lives, but such images were deceptive, because the single most important factor in village society was the surplus of corn that women produced. Corn crops caused great changes in material cultures, and with the Caddo organization divided into a multileveled political structure, it deeply depended upon the support of the matrilineal clan to broker all lucrative trade agreements. Also, in clan politics, the familiar, private social and family dynamics gave meaning to their lives, and Indian women's status within their own culture reveals they fulfilled valuable economic and social roles that ...