Behind me is the awahi dam which sits just to the north of the city of pier. It was built in 1962 by the army corps of engineers some 162 years after lewis and clark had made their way up the Missouri River through this area. Come with us to the south Dakota Cultural Heritage Center to learn more about their journey. The lewis and Clark Expedition is key in u. S. History. The idea the expedition was to encourage more American Travel up Missouri River and more american trade with the American Indians. What the story is in south dakota, theres some interesting tales. First when you come to south dakota, Sergeant Floyd had died. Where sioux city is. When you got to what is now elk point, south dakota, they elected patrick gas as the first sargeant. The first election held in south dakota. Interestingly enough clarks slave york was allowed to vote in that election. A highly unusual situation. Further up the river they saw spirit mound, supposed to be inhabited by 18 high devils, of course, they had to go see these devils. Once they got to the top of spirit mountain, what do they see, their first bison. It was acres and acres of bison and its flat land. Remember, these are men coming from eastern United States who are used to trees and forests and hills and rocks. So this open plain was like a farmers delight as well as a hunters delight with all these buffalo. As they come up the river a little bit farther, george shannon, youngest members of the expedition, age 17, got lost. The more important thing that happened in south dakota was the encounter with lakota in central south dakota. Main historians believe it could have been the end of the expedition because it was a confrontation. It was a great misunderstanding between the nonindians, lewis and clark, and the indian people here at the confluence of the bad river and the Missouri River. Lewis and clark were walking into a very difficult political situation amongst American Indians here. Lewis and clark assumed these were just simple people, simple lives. They were going to tell them what needed to be told. We could move on, life was happy. These were very sophisticated people, too. They were having a rivalry for leadership between buffalo madison, Black Buffalo and the partisan, they were competing on who was going to represent the tribe to these explorers coming up the Missouri River. They also wanted to control the trade up and down the Missouri River. It was in lakotas best interest not to approve trade up and down the Missouri River. They got paid more from traders and trappers than indians up the river. Of course american explorers, lewis and clark, they said we want you to trade with us, we want to trade. It wasnt in the best interest of lakota to do that. It was a competition between buffalo partisan and madison. That confrontation, they just didnt understand. The other thing lewis and clark did was left their best interpreter behind with the lakota people. Early on they had a great relationship. Here we are lewis giving what they dubbed his indian speech. They didnt have a proper translator. The speeches werent effective. They lay out these wonderful gifts. They give more gifts to Black Buffalo because they see him as the head chief. That didnt do anything with buffalo madison or the partisan. They were angry. They were just as important as Black Buffalo. They wanted more goods. That didnt go so well. So lewis and clark said well take them out on the boat. That will impress them. They loaded them up on the boat and they go out in the river and everything. When they are coming back, buffalo the partisans men grab ahold of the rope and symbolically say you cannot leave. You cannot leave until you give us more things, more goods. And clark immediately got mad. He ordered guns raised. Guns got raised. Well, along the shores, youve got to imagine, both sides of the river are filled with these American Indians, men, women, children watching whats going on, being part of this day, and weapons get drawn on that side. Well, the good thing is at this moment in time, the leadership of Black Buffalo really shows, and he steps forward, tells the warriors to let go of the rope and they do. And like a pause, the tension goes away and the moment of potential confrontation disappears. When president Thomas Jefferson sent lewis and clark out on their expedition, they knew they were going to encounter American Indians, and they wanted to provide a friendly appearance with the American Indians. Its going to be key in the development of this country to work with the American Indians that were living here. When they came up the Missouri River, lewis and clark had peace medals with them, jefferson peace medals, on the front of the face of the medal is the image of Thomas Jefferson. On the back is two hands clasped in friendship. Those medals given out as leaders, people identified as leaders of the American Indians they met along the route. Very important in terms of the gifting they gave. These were given to the people they saw as leadership of the tribe, key people they had to influence, especially talking about this man, this Thomas Jefferson, whose image is on this medal as head of this country. Now your new leader, too. That was really important in the whole diplomatic aspect of the lewis and Clark Expedition. The diplomatic side of the lewis and Clark Expedition i think was important. I think it was something they took great pains to be good at doing. The military part it was a military expedition. They were dressed with military uniforms whenever they met with tribal leaders. That was clear. They showed their guns. They showed their mighty guns. They loved the aspect of discovering new things. The diplomatic one, part of their whole mission, was the most important from the standpoint they were letting people know theres a new owner, quote, of this land. It happens to be the United States of america. Not only to the American Indians who were here but also trappers and traders already living among the indians and encouraging trade. The central south dakota, pierre south dakota, fort pierce, is the heart of the lewis and clark story. Its so important about their connections with American Indians and how that went and how it could have gone. They are pushing diplomacy, pushing of trade, the economy, their pushing of the military strength and their scientific exploration. Its all about whats important on the lewis and Clark Expedition. Their whole corps of discovery, what they are all about. This weekend were featuring the history of pierre, south dakota, together with midco cable partners. Learn more at cspan. Org citytour. Youre watching American History tv all weekend every weekend on cspan3. Its a Radio Station in the nations capitol that covers some 6 million people. This is a very heavily automobile commute city and it will just extend our brand and give people who are involved in the process here a chance to listen to it. Thats how it happened, and it was that simple. Cspan radio marking 20 years of Public Affairs programming from the nations capital. Listen to the washington journal live each morning beginning at 7 00 a. M. Eastern. Hear recaps on washington today weekdays at 5 00 p. M. Eastern and get the latest from congress, the administration and important events from across the nation. Cspan radio is available in washington on 90. 1 fm, on our website at cspan. Org or by downloading the free cspan radio app. Cspan radio for 20 years where you hear history unfold daily. Next, the participants in Landmark Supreme Court cases talk about the legacies. Cora mats uverses United States. Brown versus department of education and tinker versus des moines during the vietnam war. The National Constitution center in philadelphia hosted this hourlong event. My name is vince stango. Im he here at the National Constitutions center and i am so delighted to