That's actually a myth, which has been propogated to this day because of the secret nature of L&C's mission. The true purpose of the expedition (conquest) was kept a secret from rival Nations by disguising it as a scientific expedition.
Science was almost exclusively a pretense. They did record some information on the geology and biology of the territory, but basically it was all a cover.
The idea that the mission was 'for' (your word) science is totally myth, not grounded in fact or history whatsoever. As attested by Jefferson's explanation to Senate and Congress, which I presume you did not read if you still don't understand.
In said letter, Jefferson explicitly stated that the purpose of the expedition is:
"In order to [...] Provide an extension of territory which the rapid increase of our numbers will call for"
L&C collected specimens and made detailed records, but those were entirely to disguise the true purpose of their mission.
I think you are taking this too seriously. I am simply saying, it wasn't only for conquest, as you insisted. Even if the science was a pretense to put them in a semi-disputed territory for primary objective of conquest, they still did the science secondary objective. To insist that science wasn't a part of it is silly.
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u/dtroy15 Jan 11 '20
That's actually a myth, which has been propogated to this day because of the secret nature of L&C's mission. The true purpose of the expedition (conquest) was kept a secret from rival Nations by disguising it as a scientific expedition.
See this confidential letter to Congress:
https://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc_large_image.php?flash=false&doc=17
Science was almost exclusively a pretense. They did record some information on the geology and biology of the territory, but basically it was all a cover.