Topographer



Photo courtesy of Corbis.com		 "...I discovered immense ranges of high mountains still to the West of us with their tops partially covered with snow.  I now descend the mountain about 3/4 of a mile to a handsome bold running Creek of cold Clear water.  here I first tasted the water of the great Columbia River."
~Merriwether Lewis, August 12, 1805

 

Responsibilities:
Your bag is packed with food, clothes, and most importantly, plenty of paper to record the land you see.  You feel that no mountain will be too big to climb, no river too deep to cross.  You, as the topographer (one who studies maps, and landforms, in this case) must be brave, for your job is an important one.  You will be the Corps member who studies and takes notes on all the mountains, prairies, streams, rivers, and any other important part of the terrain.  In order to be prepared for the 10 questions that you will be required to write for the game, you must use your field journal to record major landforms and waterways.  If you complete your job successfully, you and your fellow members will have an accurate map to use as your game board.

Questions:
1. Approximately how many miles long do you think the trail is?  (Check using the scale on a real map)
2. What major river did the Corps set out on from Saint Louis, Missouri?
3. After reading the journal entries on map2, describe how the Corps dealt with rivers that headed in unknown directions and mountains that looked unsurpassable.
4. How would you go about making a map of what you find?  What did Lewis and Clark use to make their maps?  Where did they stand to get a feel for the land?
5. Who were the three forks in the river named after?
6. What was the most difficult part of the journey to navigate, in your opinion?
7. You just set your eyes upon the ocean that you have been traveling toward for more than a year.  How do you react?
8. What are the names of the separate rivers that Lewis and Clark took back to St. Louis?

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