Lewis and Clark Expedition
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Sights to See
After the United States purchased the Louisiana Territory from France in 1803, the next logical step was exploration. President Thomas Jefferson appointed his personal secretary, Meriwether Lewis, as the commander of exploration. In turn, Lewis requested help from William Clark, a gifted draftsman and skilled frontiersman, to navigate this unchartered territory. Together, with their Corp of Discovery, Lewis and Clark documented the people, land, and animal and plant specials of the North American continent across the Louisiana territory on to the Pacific Ocean. They discovered never-before-seen prairie dogs and grizzly bears and described them for science. The explorers named rivers and forks. Clark even named the Judith River after a woman he hoped to marry upon his return. With the help of the land knowledge of a French trapper’s wife, Sacagawea, Lewis and Clark were able find food and translate with some of the tribes they met. When Lewis and Clark returned to Washington in the fall of 1806, they were treated as national heroes. The men and their Corps of Discovery were rewarded with land and double their pay.
Map
Traveler Reviews
Patrick Gass- I joined the Lewis and Clark expedition as a private in the Corps of Discovery, but was promoted to a sergeant eight months later. My carpentry skills made me a vital leader of the construction of the Corps’ three winter quarters, canoes, and wagons. Although we suffered frostbite and ice in the winter, Captain Lewis and Captain Clark kept spirits light. They even gave us each a glass of good old whiskey in celebration of the New Year in 1805. We passed through handsome country, with a rich soil, and beautiful rivers surrounded by prairie land. Despite a few altercations with the native people, the journey was enjoyable and profitable.
Sacagawea- I am the wife of Toussaint Charbonneau, a French-Canadian fur trader. Although I was only a teenager, I guided the group through trails that I remembered from my childhood in my Rocky Mountain homeland. Because I spoke both Shoshone and Hidatsa, I served as an interpreter. During the expedition, I gave birth to my first son named Jean-Baptiste Charbonneau. Though I received nothing for my help, I was remembered as a valuable member of the Lewis and Clark expedition.
Photos from Trip
After the United States purchased the Louisiana Territory from France in 1803, the next logical step was exploration. President Thomas Jefferson appointed his personal secretary, Meriwether Lewis, as the commander of exploration. In turn, Lewis requested help from William Clark, a gifted draftsman and skilled frontiersman, to navigate this unchartered territory. Together, with their Corp of Discovery, Lewis and Clark documented the people, land, and animal and plant specials of the North American continent across the Louisiana territory on to the Pacific Ocean. They discovered never-before-seen prairie dogs and grizzly bears and described them for science. The explorers named rivers and forks. Clark even named the Judith River after a woman he hoped to marry upon his return. With the help of the land knowledge of a French trapper’s wife, Sacagawea, Lewis and Clark were able find food and translate with some of the tribes they met. When Lewis and Clark returned to Washington in the fall of 1806, they were treated as national heroes. The men and their Corps of Discovery were rewarded with land and double their pay.
Map
Traveler Reviews
Patrick Gass- I joined the Lewis and Clark expedition as a private in the Corps of Discovery, but was promoted to a sergeant eight months later. My carpentry skills made me a vital leader of the construction of the Corps’ three winter quarters, canoes, and wagons. Although we suffered frostbite and ice in the winter, Captain Lewis and Captain Clark kept spirits light. They even gave us each a glass of good old whiskey in celebration of the New Year in 1805. We passed through handsome country, with a rich soil, and beautiful rivers surrounded by prairie land. Despite a few altercations with the native people, the journey was enjoyable and profitable.
Sacagawea- I am the wife of Toussaint Charbonneau, a French-Canadian fur trader. Although I was only a teenager, I guided the group through trails that I remembered from my childhood in my Rocky Mountain homeland. Because I spoke both Shoshone and Hidatsa, I served as an interpreter. During the expedition, I gave birth to my first son named Jean-Baptiste Charbonneau. Though I received nothing for my help, I was remembered as a valuable member of the Lewis and Clark expedition.
Photos from Trip
Why you should visit
The Lewis and Clark expedition explored the new land purchased in the Louisiana Purchase. The group discovered new plants and animals and interacted with various Indian Tribes. It encouraged people to actively explore and would set the stage for the American settlement of the West.
The Lewis and Clark expedition explored the new land purchased in the Louisiana Purchase. The group discovered new plants and animals and interacted with various Indian Tribes. It encouraged people to actively explore and would set the stage for the American settlement of the West.