Exploration Article

Exploration has changed the way that we live on this earth. None of us would be in America if there was no such thing as exploration. Exploration makes sure that the human race goes on. In order to get what you want and expand you need to explore. Expanding your country has many advantages as well as some disadvantages. The people that are most famous for their explorations are Christopher Columbus. Leif Erikson, and Lewis and Clark. These people were some of the most important leaders and explorers of their time.


The first leader and explorer was Leif Erikson. Leif Erikson wanted to explore because you cannot live off of your environment forever. Some people, like the Leif Erikson and the Vikings, were born into places where they could not grow crops. In result of this the Vikings started to feud against each other for food and supplies. The Vikings finally realized that they could build boats to find new places and expand their civilization. People today are still exploring new ways to expand their businesses and property. Leif Erikson was the first to discover America in 1001 AD (http://www.mnc.net/norway/LeifErikson.htm). However, when he tried to set up a civilization there it died out (http://www.mnc.net/norway/LeifErikson.htm). Leif Erikson was the first European to set foot in the New World (http://www.mnc.net/norway/LeifErikson.htm). However, because there were barely any more expeditions made to the New World by the Vikings the word did not get out so they though Christopher Columbus was the first man in the New World. Leif Erikson was the son of Eric the Red. He was born in Iceland in about 960 AD (http://www.mnc.net/norway/LeifErikson.htm). When he was in his mid 20’s he discovered the new world. For Leif Erikson exploration was not only a hobby it was a necessity to keep living.


Christopher Columbus was the second to arrive in the New World in 1492 (http://www.mnc.net/norway/LeifErikson.htm). Christopher Columbus wrote many captain blogs about his trip there and a lot of the battles he won and why he made this exploration. There are also blogs about separate trips down the Mediterranean and other seas. He was an Italian sailor, navigator, colonizer, and explorer. He described a lot of the places he went as beautiful and exotic compared to what he was used to back in Europe. He liked exploration and thought it was necessary for a civilization to grow because the advantages outweighed the disadvantages in this case. (http://books.google.com/books?id=M1h4ZuzV7lQC&dq=Christopher+Columbus&printsec=frontcover&source=an&hl=en&ei=9FfkS6TMAYS78gbttZXABA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CDYQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q&f=false).


The Lewis and Clark expedition took place from 1804 to 1806 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_and_Clark_Expedition). The goal of this was to find out what was in the new land that they were buying from the Louisiana Purchase. They were mapmakers and they were going to make a vivid map that showed the land features and different topographic features (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_and_Clark_Expedition). In 1803 the Louisiana Purchase sparked in the western half of America (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_and_Clark_Expedition). Thomas Jefferson funded the trip for Lewis and Clark which was 2,500 dollars (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_and_Clark_Expedition). "The river Missouri, and Indians inhabiting it, are not as well known as rendered desirable by their connection with the Mississippi, and consequently with us.... An intelligent officer, with ten or twelve chosen men ... might explore the whole line, even to the Western Ocean...” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_and_Clark_Expedition). This is a quote from one of Thomas Jefferson’s writings that pretty much is a little bit of the description of what they are going to do and how many men are going to help them with this expedition. Lewis and Clark later met up with an Indian woman named Sacajawea who guided them through the new land so they would not get lost or hurt in the process (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_and_Clark_Expedition). This is how the people in the 1800’s thought about exploration.


People off all periods of time thought exploration was a good and helpful way to expand a civilization. Exploration was necessary for a civilization’s survival. People used exploration to not only expand their civilization but also used it to make more money and stabilize their economy by getting more resources and spreading your business further. All people can benefit from expansion of their civilization no matter where they come from or who they are. The good things outweigh the bad things that can come out of exploration. Americans would not be living in America right now if it wasn’t for the exploration the New World.

Citations: "Leif Erikson." MNC Online. Web. 07 May 2010. <http://www.mnc.net/norway/LeifErikson.htm>.

Columbus, Christopher. "Christopher Columbus and the New ..." Google Books. Web. 07 May 2010. <http://books.google.com/books?id=M1h4ZuzV7lQC&dq=Christopher+Columbus&printsec=frontcover&source=an&hl=en&ei=9FfkS6TMAYS78gbttZXABA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CDYQ6

"Christopher Columbus." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 08 May 2010. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Columbus>.

"Lewis and Clark Expedition." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 07 May 2010. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_and_Clark_Expedition>.


"File:Lewis and Clark.jpg." Wikimedia Commons. Web. 08 May 2010. <http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lewis_and_Clark.jpg>.