You're listening to an Airwave Media Podcast.

Hello and welcome to Explorers.

Today we are going to take a look at the life of American Explorer and Soldier, a Zebulon Pike.

Pike is probably most famous for his 1806 expedition into the newly acquired Louisiana

territory, traveling into the rocky mountains and discovering the headwaters of the Arkansas River.

His efforts would help open up the American West to settlers and commerce, but it would also

be clouded with political intrigue, all of which makes a great story so let's get right to it and we're going to start part one of Zebulon Pike

Zebulon Montgomery Pike was born in Lamington, New Jersey on January 5th, 1779.

He was quite literally a child of the American Revolution.

His father, also named Zebulon, had joined the American fight for independence as a private, and would rise to the rank of captain in the Continental Army by the Wars End.

Zebulan's middle name of Montgomery was to honor General Richard Montgomery, who had died leading American forces in an attempt to capture Quebec in December of 1775.

Zebulon Sr. would serve with distinction during the revolution, fighting throughout the colonies, and even serving under the nation's top man, General George Washington.

He had worked hard, sacrificed, and prevailed, along with many other men and women.

After the war, the growing family, which included Pike's mother Isabella, moved to Western

Pennsylvania, where they bought a 298 acre plot of land.

Unfortunately, the years after the war were difficult for many veterans like Zebulin

Pike Sr.

The newly minted American government was struggling to pay what was promised to those who

had served. The federal government was deeply in debt with the war. was

deeply in debt with the war and there was little money coming in.

Men like Zeppelin Pike Sr. were paid off in paper notes,

redeemable in some to be determined future. The result was that cash was short and credit was

...