Answer Pike’s first mission was in search of the
source of the Mississippi River. This mission would take him up the Mississippi River and into present-day Minnesota.
Answer Pike’s second expedition was to explore the
American Southwest. He was instructed to seek out headwaters of the Arkansas and Red rivers and to investigate Spanish settlements in New Mexico.
Answer Pike traveled through the present-day states
of Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas.
Answer Pike was stopped by Spanish officials and
charged with illegal entry into Spanish-held territory. It is not known who he was spying for.
Question 5 What specific parts of the country did we
learn more about because of Zebulon Pike? Be specific.
Answer From Pike’s travels, Americans learned about
the Great Plains, Rocky Mountains, and the U.S. territory in Kansas and Colorado. He also explored the Southwest, including part of the Rio Grande, northern Mexico, and what is now southern Texas.
Question 6 Critical Thinking: Based on the reading, it is
clear that Pike was sent out to explore new territories. But why was he a spy? What do you think the real reason may have been fore his travels?