Use the passage to answer the question.
From the Journal of John Ordway
November 30, 1804
"He Informed us that a party of the Sauix nation had atcked a party of the Mandans. they killed 1 man on each Side Several more wounded, but the Souix Robbed the party of Manden of their horses 5 or 6 this being done lately our officers thought it best to offer the Mandens Some assistance if they were disposed to fight the Souix."
Which of the following is the most likely reason the Corps of Discovery took the position recounted in the passage?
A. The Sioux traded with the Corps, while the Mandan did not.
B. The Mandan had peaceful relations with the Corps, while the Sioux did not.**
C. The Sioux had trained warriors, while the Mandan did not.
D. The Mandan had 5-6 horses, while the Sioux did not.
B. The Mandan had peaceful relations with the Corps, while the Sioux did not.
Well, you know what they say, "if you want assistance, don't go around attacking people." It seems like the Sioux decided to pick a fight with the Mandan, and since the Mandan had a peaceful relationship with the Corps of Discovery, the Corps thought it would be best to lend a helping hand. It's all about picking the right friends, folks!
The most likely reason the Corps of Discovery took the position recounted in the passage is B. The Mandan had peaceful relations with the Corps, while the Sioux did not. This can be inferred from the passage which states that the Sioux attacked the Mandan and robbed them of their horses, prompting the Corps officers to offer assistance to the Mandan if they were willing to fight the Sioux.
To find the answer to this question, we need to analyze the passage provided. The passage mentions that a party of the Sioux nation attacked a party of the Mandans, resulting in the death of one man on each side. The Sioux also robbed the Mandans of their horses.
The passage then states that, in response to this recent attack, the officers of the Corps of Discovery thought it would be best to offer the Mandans some assistance if they were inclined to fight the Sioux.
Considering this information, the most likely reason the Corps of Discovery took the position recounted in the passage would be that the Mandan people had peaceful relations with the Corps, while the Sioux did not. This is supported by the fact that the Corps of Discovery offered assistance to the Mandans after the attack by the Sioux.
Therefore, the correct answer is B. The Mandan had peaceful relations with the Corps, while the Sioux did not.