Ken Burns Classroom

Lewis & Clark: Mapping

Ken Burns Film: Lewis & Clark

Collections: The New Nation (1750-1820s)

Subject: American History

Grade Level: 6-8

Run Time: 1 class period

Part I.

Review the following maps:

The Route of the Corps of Discovery to the Pacific
The Route of the Corps of Discovery to the Pacific. Courtesy of Florentine Films. NOTE: Outbound route shown in red, inbound in blue.
"Soulard Map of the Missouri and Upper Mississippi, 1802" by William Clark.
“Soulard Map of the Missouri and Upper Mississippi, 1802” by William Clark. Courtesy of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library.
The Route of the Corps of Discovery to the Pacific.
The Route of the Corps of Discovery to the Pacific. Courtesy of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
"Map of Lewis and Clark Track"
“Map of Lewis and Clark Track”. Original by Clark. 1810, Copied by Samuel Lewis 1814. Courtesy of Library of Congress
"Whale Drawing Map" by William Clark
“Whale Drawing Map” by William Clark. Courtesy of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library

A. Compare these old maps to a modern map of the United States and answer the following questions.

1. What are the main differences that you notice between the old and the new maps?

 

 

2. What parts of today’s United States were the least known in the beginning of the 19th century?

 

 

3. How do you think the Americans of the eastern United States got their information about the West before the expedition of Lewis and Clark?

 

 

Part II.

Review the following map of Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery route and compare it with a modern map of the United States to answer the following questions.

The Route of the Corps of Discovery to the Pacific
The Route of the Corps of Discovery to the Pacific. Courtesy of Florentine Films. NOTE: Outbound route shown in red, inbound in blue.

1. What rivers did the party go down?

 

 

2. What mountain ranges did they cross?

 

 

3. What modern-day states did they go through?

 

 

4. What modern-day towns did they go through (name five)?

 

 

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