About this episode

This episode discusses Zebulon Montgomery Pike's exploration mission and the tensions between the United States and Spain following the Louisiana Territory acquisition.

In this episode I cover the rising tensions between the United States and Spain after Jefferson’s acquisition of the Louisiana Territory which nearly brought us to war with the Catholic Kingdom. Zebulon Montgomery Pike is selected by the Governor of Upper Louisiana Territory, US General, and Spanish spy James Wilkinson to explore the Great Plains & find the headwaters of the Arkansas River. This mission is a ruse though, and the real plan was for Zeb to get captured by the Spanish and be given a tour of the province of New Spain before being escorted back to Louisiana. This episode covers the first leg of this journey as Pike and his men escort Osage Indians from St. Louis to their lands in Kansas via various rivers. Pike will then head north towards the Pawnee where high tensions between the White and the Red man almost reach a deadly crescendo.

People in this episode

Host: Thomas Wayne Riley

Topics covered

• exploration
• US-Spain relations
• Louisiana Purchase
• Zebulon Pike
• Native American history
• military history
• early American expansion

Keywords

• Zebulon Pike
• James Wilkinson
• Louisiana Territory
• Spanish relations
• Osage Indians
• exploration
• Arkansas River
• Pawnee
• Great Plains
• early American history

Mentioned in this episode

Places: United States, Spain, Louisiana Territory, Great Plains, Arkansas River, New Spain, St. Louis, Kansas, Pawnee

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• The Quest for Confederate Treasure: Arkansas Secrets & The Knights of the Golden Circle · March 18, 2026 · 2h 24m
• The Imperial Adventure of Zebulon Montgomery Pike: Defend My Memory · February 17, 2026 · 2h 10m
• The Imperial Adventure of Zebulon Montgomery Pike: The Handsomest Views In New Mexico · February 8, 2026 · 1h 53m

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