O objetivo principal desse trabalho é tratar da primeira expedição norte-americana científica de circunavegação, de nome U. S. Exploring Expedition, realizada entre 1838 e 1842, e comandada pelo capitão-tenente Charles Wilkes. Discuto os objetivos de tal expedição no contexto de viagens do mesmo tipo realizadas, no período, pelas potências européias.The main focus of this essay is the first American round-the-world scientific voyage, the U. S Exploring Expedition, which took place between 1838 and 1841 and was lead by Lieutenant Charles Wilkes. Here, I discuss the purposes of this expedition in the context of the voyages of circumnavigation accomplished by the various European powers during the same period.L'objectif central de cet article est d'analyser la première expédition scientifique Nord-américaine de circumnavigation, l'U.S. Exploring Expedition, réalisée entre 1834 et 1842 et commandée par le capitaine lieutenant Charles Wilkes. Je propose ici une discussion des objectifs de cette expédition dans le contexte d'autres voyages semblables réalisés par les potences européennes