ELA Testlet 009 - Argumentative Writing

Last updated 4 months ago

1 Asɛmmisa

Unexpected Assistance

In 1804, President Thomas Jefferson commissioned Meriwether Lewis to explore the territory west of the Mississippi River. His ultimate goal was to find a passage through the Northwest to the Pacific Ocean, which could open up travel and trade. Lewis chose William Clark as his partner. Their journey lasted two years and covered 8,000 miles. To accompany them, the duo recruited volunteers who were skilled in hunting and survival techniques. The expedition of forty-five people launched from St. Charles, Missouri, on May 14, 1804.

Along their way, the group encountered many unforeseen hardships. Wild animals and insects were a constant bother. The group cataloged many unfamiliar breeds of animals, such as the grizzly bear, the jackrabbit, and the prairie dog. They learned quickly which species to avoid and observe from afar. One expedition member, Sergeant John Ordway, kept a diary of the trek, writing about the events of each day. He recorded that the mosquito was “troublesome” for the group, as they had not been prepared for the itching and swelling that this insect’s bites caused.

Weather became a serious issue as well. Temperatures were more extreme than expected, ranging from intense heat to frigid cold. Torrential rain, hailstorms, dust clouds, and snow plagued the group on their journey.

The explorers crossed the lands of many Native peoples along the way. In all, the group encountered almost fifty Native American tribes. In most cases, the Native peoples were wary, and the travelers kept their distance. One encounter with Native Americans was particularly significant, however.

Lewis and Clark’s group arrived at the Clearwater River in Idaho in September of 1805. They had just crossed the Bitterroot Mountains and were exhausted and sick. Food had been scarce. At this point, the horses and wagons could no longer handle the terrain, and they feared that further progress would be impossible. The Nez Perce tribe dwelled in this area, and they decided to aid the expedition. It is not clear whether their motive was kindness or just a desire to move the intruders out of their area as quickly as possible. But the tribe did share food and help the explorers carve canoes that could travel on the small waterways of the region. Some scholars believe the tribe did not trust the explorers and wanted to rid themselves of the visitors as quickly as possible. In any case, they helped the travelers carve five canoes in just ten days, an astonishing achievement even by today’s standards.

Although their motivation remains a mystery, the Nez Perce enabled Lewis and Clark’s quest to continue, and the expedition eventually reached the Pacific Ocean in November of 1805.

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8.W.2.A.c

ELA Testlet 009 - Argumentative Writing

Last updated 4 months ago

1 Asɛmmisa

Unexpected Assistance

Although their motivation remains a mystery, the Nez Perce enabled Lewis and Clark’s quest to continue, and the expedition eventually reached the Pacific Ocean in November of 1805.

Canoe Camp

In September 1805, a weary group of explorers known as the Lewis and Clark Expedition reached northern Idaho. The ruggedness of the terrain caused problems for their horses and wagons and prevented the expedition from continuing the search to find a passage to the Pacific Ocean. If it had not been for the generosity of the Nez Perce Native American tribe, the expedition would have ended right there in defeat. Over the next ten days, with the help of the tribe members, explorers accomplished an amazing feat in what is now known as Canoe Camp.

Crafting a canoe is difficult and time-consuming even with the use of modern power tools. The Nez Perce had only axes, adzes, saws, and fire, coupled with strength and determination. An adze is a type of axe with a blade that protrudes from the handle like a giant claw. This tool was used to smooth and carve wood. At that time, it often took the explorers weeks to build a canoe. With guidance from the Nez Perce tribe, the explorers built five canoes in just ten days.

The Nez Perce canoes were traditionally carved from sturdy ponderosa pine logs. Each log itself determined which side would ride in the water. After felling the trees, workers removed all the branches and floated the logs in the river. The logs spun naturally in the water, and workers waited for them to stabilize. The side of each log that rested below the waterline became the bottom of the canoe.

Next came the difficult task of using short axes to remove all the bark from the log. After that, the log was squared. Then workers carved the front and back ends into the traditional canoe shape, which sloped upward from the bottom, or keel, and narrowed to an arrow-like edge at both the bow (1) and the stern (2). This shape helped the crew navigate the canoe with ease. Next workers rounded and smoothed the bottom of the canoe.

Positioning the canoe passenger side up, workers used hatchets to notch out the riding space. Then they used fire to burn out the inside cavity one small section at a time, being careful not to burn the log too deeply. The workers kept buckets of water close by to control the rate of the burn. Next they chipped away the charred wood, which was easier to remove than green wood, and they smoothed the interior with adzes. The workers continued in this manner until the inside of the canoe was finished.

In the fall, the Lewis and Clark Expedition continued their journey to the Pacific Ocean. Their success was made possible by the canoe-building skills of the Nez Perce tribe.

1bow—front of a boat

2stern—back of a boat

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Argumentative Essay Prompt
Write an argumentative essay for your teacher stating your claim about whether Lewis and Clark could have been successful without the help of the Nez Perce. Be sure to state your claim, address a counterclaim, and use evidence from both passages to support your argument.
• My argument has an effective beginning, middle, and end.
• My argument flows smoothly from one idea to another.
• My argument contains a clear claim and addresses a counterclaim.
• My argument includes specific and relevant details, reasons, and/or examples.
• My argument uses precise and vivid language.
• My argument contains sentences that are clear and varied in structure.
• My argument includes correct grammar, usage, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling.
• My argument uses material from the source(s).

8.W.2.A.c