The Lewis and Clark Expedition, first United States overland exploration of the American West and Pacific Northwest, began in May 1804 and ended in September 1806. The exploration covered about 13,000 km (about 8000 mi), from a camp outside St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean and back. The principal goal of the expedition was to locate a route and survey its potential as a waterway for American westward expansion. Although Lewis and Clark did not find this route, the expedition succeeded in making peaceful contact with Native Americans and uncovering a wealth of knowledge about the peoples, geography, plants and animals of the western United States.

Lewis and Clark's accomplishments set the stage for rapid westward expansion that took place in the United States during the following decades. From their expedition came the mountain men, explorers, gold miners, stagecoaches, pioneers, transcontinental railroad and the great expansion of the United States into the West. Today the mighty Missouri is our nation's longest river. Aside from the river as a means of transportation, people in several states use it for recreation such as sailing, canoeing, water skiing, fishing, windsurfing, scuba diving and rafting. The Missouri River also provides hydroelectric power and drinking water resources for many people.

After World War II the new frontier became space, because everywhere else on earth had been explored. Space holds huge opportunities for military and civilian expansion, and the largest challenge of that frontier is the colonization of a planet. Humans live on a small planet where we are quickly realizing the limitations of resources necessary to sustain life on Earth. People regard Mars as a place we could go when the necessary resources on Earth are used up.

Should Mars be the next destination for human exploration?

Goals of NASA are to enable and establish a permanent and productive human presence in space, to advance America’s aspirations and opportunities in space through new technologies and new ways of doing business. Although Jefferson was eager to locate a route to the Pacific Ocean, he, like NASA, had a natural curiosity about human exploration. Both strive to take advantage of the opportunties that exploration can provide.

In this WebQuest, your team will prepare to support an argument for or an argument against continued exploration of Mars as a place for future human settlement. In the process, you will identify potential obstacles in Mars exploration, reflect on the problem solving strategies used by Lewis and Clark and determine if the obstacles can be overcome.

Your team will present your argument at a simulated NASA committee on "Human Exploration and Development of Space Enterprise."