A secret letter. (American History).Two hundred years ago this month, President Thomas Jefferson wrote a confidential (secret) letter to Congress. The letter proposed sending a team of explorers up the Missouri River Missouri River River, central U.S. The longest tributary of the Mississippi River, it rises in the Rocky Mountains of southwestern Montana. It flows east to central North Dakota and south across South Dakota, forming sections of the South Dakota–Nebraska boundary, the and across the Rocky Mountains Rocky Mountains, major mountain system of W North America and easternmost belt of the North American cordillera, extending more than 3,000 mi (4,800 km) from central N.Mex. to NW Alaska; Mt. Elbert (14,431 ft/4,399 m) in Colorado is the highest peak. to the Pacific Ocean. Although the U.S. did not own the land, Congress agreed. About three and a half months later, France sold the Louisiana Territory to the U.S., almost doubling the size of the nation. In May 1804, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark set out to explore that land and to search for a water route to the Pacific. America is now preparing to celebrate the bicentennial bi·cen·ten·ni·al adj. 1. Happening once every 200 years. 2. Lasting for 200 years. 3. Relating to a 200th anniversary. n. A 200th anniversary or its celebration. Also called bicentenary. of Lewis and Clark's expedition. Festivities fes·tiv·i·ty n. pl. fes·tiv·i·ties 1. A joyous feast, holiday, or celebration; a festival. 2. The pleasure, joy, and gaiety of a festival or celebration. 3. began on January 18--the 200th anniversary of Jefferson's secret letter to Congress. For more information, log on to: www.monticello.org. |
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