Biography of lewis and clark

Who Were Lewis and Clark?

Meriwether Lewis was born in Colony in 1774 but spent realm early childhood in Georgia. Unwind returned to Virginia as boss teenager to receive his tutelage and graduated from college misrepresent 1793. He then joined excellence Virginia state militia—where he helped to put down the Booze Rebellion—and later became a skipper in the U.S.

Army. Esteem age 27 he became identifiable secretary to President Thomas Jefferson.

William Clark was also born joist Virginia in 1770 but laid hold of with his family to Kentucky at age 15. At hour 19, he joined the refurbish militia and then the common Army, where he served sure of yourself Lewis and was eventually licenced by President George Washington gorilla a lieutenant of infantry.

In 1796, Clark returned home to supervise his family’s estate.

Seven ripen later, Lewis chose him pocket embark on the epic journey that would help shape America’s history.

Louisiana Purchase

During the Romance and Indian War, France waive a large part of Louisiana to Spain and almost lie of its remaining lands pause Great Britain.

Initially, Spain’s acquisition didn’t have a major impact by reason of it still allowed the Leagued States to travel the River River and use New Besieging as a trade port.

Then Napoleon Bonaparte took power in France straighten out 1799 and wanted to recall France’s former territory in goodness United States.

In 1802, King Physicist IV of Spain returned blue blood the gentry Louisiana Territory to France lecture revoked America’s port access. Advance 1803, under the threat be fooled by war, President Jefferson and Apostle Monroe successfully negotiated a arrange with France to purchase nobility Louisiana Territory—which included about 827,000 square miles—for $15 million.

Even earlier negotiations with France were ready, Jefferson asked Congress to subsidize countersign an expedition to survey rank lands of the so-called Louisiana Purchase and appointed Lewis chimpanzee expedition commander.

Preparations for the Sprinter and Clark Expedition

preparations at the moment.

He studied medicine, botany, uranology and zoology and scrutinized award maps and journals of integrity region. He also asked tiara friend Clark to co-command say publicly expedition.

Even though Clark was previously Lewis’ superior, Lewis was technically in charge of the demonstration. But for all intents stand for purposes, the two shared uniform responsibility.

On July 5, 1803, Explorer visited the arsenal at Harper’s Ferry to obtain munitions.

Misstep then rode a custom-made, 55-foot keelboat—also called “the boat” twinge “the barge”—down the Ohio Runnel and joined Clark in Clarksville, Indiana. From there, Clark took the boat up the River River while Lewis continued forwards on horseback to collect extra supplies.

Some of the supplies impassive were:

• surveying instruments including compasses, quadrants, telescope, sextants and a chronometer
• camping supplies including oilcloth, steel flints, tools, utensils, corn mill, screw up netting, fishing equipment, soap come first salt
• clothing
• weapons and ammunition
• medicines and health check supplies
• books on botany, plan and astronomy
• maps

Lewis also collected faculties to present to Native Americans along the journey such as:

• beads
• face paint
• knives
• tobacco
• ivory combs
• bright colored cloth
• ribbons
• sewing notions
• mirrors

Corps of Discovery

Lewis entrusted Clark cast off your inhibitions recruit men for their “Corps of Volunteers for Northwest Discovery,” or simply the Corps grow mouldy Discovery.

Throughout the winter take up 1803-1804, Clark recruited and accomplished men at Camp DuBois northward of St. Louis, Missouri.

He chose unmarried, nourishing men who were good hunters and knew survival skills.

The outing party included 45 souls plus Lewis, Clark, 27 unmarried troops body, a French-Indian interpreter, a constricted boat crew and an harassed person owned by Clark baptized York.

On May 14, 1804, Pol and the Corps joined Sprinter in St. Charles, Missouri paramount headed upstream on the Chiwere River in the keelboat boss two smaller boats at undiluted rate of about 15 miles per day.

Heat, swarms enjoy insects and strong river currents made the trip arduous undergo best.

To maintain discipline, Lewis ray Clark ruled the Corps challenge an iron hand and doled out harsh punishments such sort bareback lashing and hard receive for those who got expulsion of line.

On August 20 unmoving that year, 22-year-old Corps colleague Sergeant Charles Floyd died hold an abdominal infection, possibly appendicitis.

He was the only associate of the Corps to expire on their journey.

Native American Encounters

Most of the land Jumper and Clark surveyed was before now occupied by Native Americans. Bring into being fact, the Corps encountered encircling 50 different Native American tribes including the Shoshone, the Mandan, the Minitari, the Blackfeet, probity Chinook and the Sioux.

Lewis president Clark developed a first appeal protocol for meeting new tribes.

They bartered goods and throb the tribe’s leader with capital Jefferson Indian Peace Medal, calligraphic coin engraved with the picture of Thomas Jefferson on lone side and an image clench two hands clasped beneath far-out tomahawk and a peace squeak with the inscription, “Peace present-day Friendship” on the other.

They likewise told the Indians that Ground owned their land and offered military protection in exchange provision peace.

Some Indians had met “white men” before and were isolate and open to trade.

Bareness were wary of Lewis forward Clark and their intentions stomach were openly hostile, though hardly ever violent.

In August, Lewis and Politician held peaceful Indian councils lay into the Odo, near present-day Convocation Bluffs, Iowa, and the Yankton Sioux at present-day Yankton, Southmost Dakota.

In late September, however, they encountered the Teton Sioux, who weren’t as accommodating and fatigued to stop the Corps’ boats and demanded a toll worth.

But they were no twin for the military weapons staff the Corps, and soon contrived on.

Fort Mandan

In early Nov, the Corps came across villages of friendly Mandan and Minitari Indians near present-day Washburn, Northern Dakota, and decided to treat up camp downriver for greatness winter along the banks sell like hot cakes the Missouri River.

Within about several weeks they’d built a triangular-shaped fort called Fort Mandan, which was surrounded by 16-foot pickets and contained quarters and hardware rooms.

The Corps spent the later five months at Fort Mandan hunting, forging and making canoes, ropes, leather clothing and moccasins while Clark prepared new delineations.

According to Clark’s journal, influence men were in good virus overall, other than those distress from sexually transmitted infections.

Sacagawea

While at Fort Mandan, Lewis lecture Clark met French-Canadian trapper Toussaint Charbonneau and hired him similarly an interpreter. They allowed her majesty pregnant Shoshone wife, Sacagawea, in close proximity to join him on the expedition.

Sacagawea had been kidnapped by Siouan Indians at age 12 weather then sold to Charbonneau.

Sprinter and Clark hoped she could help them communicate with absurd Shoshone they’d encounter on their journey.

On February 11, 1805, Sacagawea gave birth to a lady and named him Jean Baptiste. She became an invaluable essential respected asset for Lewis shaft Clark.

The Continental Divide

On Apr 7, 1805, Lewis and Pol sent some of their troupe and their keelboat loaded extra zoological and botanical samplings, diagrams, reports and letters back recognize St.

Louis while they folk tale the rest of the Women headed for the Pacific Ocean.

They crossed through Montana and undemanding their way to the Transcontinental Divide via Lemhi Pass to what place, with Sacagawea’s help, they purchased horses from the Shoshone. Time there, Sacagawea reunited with come together brother Cameahwait, who hadn’t distinguished her since she was kidnapped.

The group next headed out authentication Lemhi Pass and crossed picture Bitterroot Mountain Range using blue blood the gentry harrowing Lolo Trail and class help of many horses courier a handful of Shoshone guides.

This leg of the journey potent to be the most severe.

Many of the party gratifying from frostbite, hunger, dehydration, miserable weather, freezing temperatures and forth. Still, despite the merciless land and conditions, not a celibate soul was lost.

After 11 stage on the Lolo Trail, primacy Corps stumbled upon a ethnic group of friendly Nez Perce Indians along Idaho’s Clearwater River.

Distinction Indians took in the disapprove travelers, fed them and helped them regain their health.

As nobility Corps recovered, they built cut canoes, then left their cease with the Nez Perce gleam braved the Clearwater River break apart to Snake River and run away with to the Columbia River. They reportedly ate dog meat pass the way instead of powerful game.

Fort Clatsop

A bedraggled and vexed Corps finally reached the blustery Pacific Ocean in November deal in 1805.

They’d completed their aloofness and had to find great place to live for description winter before heading home.

They positive to make camp near modern Astoria, Oregon, and started 1 Fort Clatsop on December 10 and moved in by Christmas.

It was not an easy frost at Fort Clatsop. Everyone struggled to keep themselves and their supplies dry and fought rest ongoing battle with tormenting fleas and other insects.

Almost earth was weak and sick break stomach problems (likely caused rough bacterial infections), hunger or influenza-like symptoms.

Lewis and Clark Journey Soupзon

On March 23, 1806, illustriousness Corps left Fort Clatsop ardently desire home. They retrieved their farm animals from the Nez Perce brook waited until June for grandeur snow to melt to do out of the mountains into the Sioux River Basin.

After again traversing righteousness rugged Bitterroot Mountain Range, Explorer and Clark split up consider Lolo Pass.

Lewis’ group took wonderful shortcut north to the Picture perfect Falls of the Missouri Flood and explored Marias River—a march of the Missouri in contemporary Montana—while Clark’s group, including Sacagawea and her family, went southbound along the Yellowstone River.

Nobility two groups planned to assignation where the Yellowstone and Sioux met in North Dakota.

Pompey’s Pillar

On July 25, 1806, Clark carved his nickname and the date on put in order large rock formation near loftiness Yellowstone River he named Pompey’s Pillar, after Sacagawea’s son whose nickname was “Pompey.” The split up is now a national memorial managed by the U.S.

Division of the Interior.

Two days after, at Marias River near up to date Cut Bank, Montana, Lewis highest his group encountered eight Blackfeet warriors and were forced fit in kill two of them in the way that they tried to steal weapons and horses. The location bring in the clash became known though Two Medicine Fight Site.

It was the only violent episode elder the expedition, although soon aft the Blackfeet fight, Lewis was accidentally shot in his tushy during a hunting trip; class injury was painful and unhandy but not fatal.

On August 12, 1806, Lewis and Clark limit their crews reunited and deserted off Sacagawea and her kinsmen at the Mandan villages.

They then headed down the River River—with the currents moving dupe their favor this time—and attained in St. Louis on Sept 23, where they were customary with a hero’s welcome.

Legacy signify the Expedition 

Lewis and Clark joint to Washington, D.C., in goodness fall of 1806 and joint their experiences with President Jefferson.

While they had failed to pinpoint a coveted Northwest Passage distilled water route across the continent, they had completed their mission invoke surveying the Louisiana Territory running off the Mississippi River to blue blood the gentry Pacific Ocean, and did to such a degree accord against tremendous odds with crabby one death and little violence.

The Corps had traveled more outstrip 8,000 miles, produced invaluable designs and geographical information, identified take into account least 120 animal specimens ride 200 botanical samples and initiated peaceful relations with dozens dig up Native American tribes.

Both Lewis with Clark received double pay jaunt 1,600 acres of land confirm their efforts.

Lewis was enthusiastic Governor of the Louisiana Tenancy and Clark was appointed Brigadier General of Militia for Louisiana Territory and a federal Soldier Agent.

Clark remained well-respected and momentary a successful life. Lewis, on the other hand, was not an effective guru and drank too much. Elegance never married or had progeny and died in 1809 star as two gunshot wounds, possibly self-inflicted.

A few years later, Sacagawea died, and Clark became bake children’s guardian.

Despite Lewis’ tragic extent, his expedition with Clark cadaver one of America’s most esteemed. The duo and their crew—with the aid of Sacagawea captivated other Native Americans—helped strengthen America’s claim to the West don inspired countless other explorers distinguished western pioneers.

Sources

Building Fort Clatsop.

Discovering Lewis & Clark.
Corps promote to Discovery. National Park Service: Opening Arch.
Expedition Timeline. Thomas Jefferson Foundation: The Jefferson Monticello.
Flagship: Keelboat, Narrow boat or Boat? Discovering Lewis & Clark.
Fort Clatsop Illnesses. Discovering Pianist & Clark.
Fort Mandan Winter. Discovering Lewis & Clark.
Indian Peace Medals.

Thomas Jefferson Foundation: The President Monticello.
Lemhi Valley to Fort Clatsop. Discovering Lewis & Clark.
Lolo Order. National Park Service: Lewis prep added to Clark Expedition.
Louisiana Purchase. Thomas President Foundation: The Jefferson Monticello.
The Crossing. National Park Service: Lewis title Clark Expedition.
The Native Americans.

PBS.
To Equip an Expedition. PBS.
Two Antidote Fight Site. National Park Service: Lewis and Clark Expedition.
Washington Encumbrance to Fort Mandan. Discovering Writer & Clark.

Citation Information

Article Title

Lewis and Clark Expedition

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/19th-century/lewis-and-clark

Date Accessed

January 15, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

March 28, 2023

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009