Investigation 2, Part 1

How did the contributions of John Wesley Powell expand the field of scientific knowledge? How did these past scientific contributions influence current scientific understand?

Prior to John Wesley Powell's expedition, there was little to no written account of the physical features and conditions of large portions of the Grand Canyon. Not only did Powell describe the rocks and landforms (features diversified, vertical walls above great curves, cliffs are undermined by the water in places), but he also included descriptions of the vegetation (willows along the river), wildlife (killing and eating rattlesnakes), weather conditions (hurricane producing drifting sand), and river characteristics (swiftness, salinity, width). This written account serves as a baseline for all future exploration of the Grand Canyon. Current scientists can ask testable questions and conduct investigations about the information contained in Powell's journal entries. Over time, as scientists have critically reviewed Powell's account of his journey and as technology has improved, the field of scientific knowledge has expanded.