Americans of Lewis and Clark’s background saw Indians as children lost in a wilderness. They thought Indians were savages who could become “normal” if they were taught the white man’s religion and way of life.
The two leaders believed they could handle any situation with the Indians.
The Indians had their own ways of life. Peoples of the plains, of the mountains, and of the Pacific Coast all had their own languages, religions, traditions, and lifestyles that helped them do well in the different places they lived.
Despite their prejudices, Lewis and Clark’s meetings with the peoples of the West went remarkably well. There were a few close calls, but only once did a conflict take a life.
