The Lewis & Clark Expedition

The Lewis and Clark Expedition. . In 1804-1806, Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark led the Corps of Discovery on an epic journey. Charged by President Thomas Jefferson to find a water route to the Pacific Ocean through the newly acquired Louisiana territory, they mapped the land, recorded its resources, and met with and learned from its native inhabitants., The landscape has changed since Lewis and Clark explored it: rivers have been dammed, forests cut over, prairies plowed under, and roads built to the horizon. Although remnants of wilderness still exist, imagine this land as Lewis and Clark first saw it two centuries ago. Today, visitors can travel in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark to share in the diverse perspectives of the Expedition and to gain a better understanding of the history of the United States., Meriwether Lewis , William Clark , In preparation for the journey, Meriwether Lewis took crash courses in medicine, botany, zoology, and celestial observation. With President Jefferson's permission, Lewis asked his friend and former commanding officer, William Clark, to be co-leader. Clark brought his skills as an outdoorsman, a geographer and map-maker. Although opposite in temperament, they worked harmoniously throughout the two-year journey., [Map captions, in chronological order:] , Lewis and Clark outbound journey, 1804-1805 [in green]:, Depart Camp River Dubois , (winter quarters, 1803-1804) , May 14, 1804, First Council with Indians , (Otoes and Missourias) , August 3, 1804, Sgt. Charles Floyd Dies , August 20, 1804, Confrontation with the Teton Sioux , September 25-28, 1804, Fort Mandan is constructed , Toussaint Charbonneau, Sacagawea and their son Jean Bapiste join the Expedition. , (winter quarters, 1804-1805), Decision Point , Lewis and Clark correctly determine the Missouri River route ahead to the Great Falls , June 2, 1805, Portage around the Great Falls of the Missouri River , June 13-July 15, 1805, Purchase horses from Shoshone Indians, ensuring a safe passage through the Bitterroot Mountains , August 30, 1805, Nez Perce help Lewis and Clark prepare for their journey to the Columbia River , September 26-October 7, 1805, Arrive at the Pacific Ocean , November 15, 1805, Lewis and Clark return journey, 1806 (route shown where different from outbound journey) [in brown]:, Fort Clatsop is constructed , (winter quarters, 1805-1806) , Return trip begins on March 23, 1806, Expedition Splits , Lewis and party head north to explore the Marias River. , Clark and party head south and follow the Yellowstone River. , July 3, 1806, Clark return journey, [dashed line]: , Clark engraves his name on the side of a sandstone butte along the Yellowstone River , July 25, 1806, Lewis return journey, [dotted line]: , Two Medicine Fight Site , Clash results in the deaths of two Blackfeet Indians , July 27, 1806, Lewis and Clark parties rejoin , August 12, 1806, Arrive in St. Louis , September 23, 1806, [Map legend caption:] , Some Indian Nations who lived along the Missouri River during the Lewis and Clark expedition were later relocated to Oklahoma. These include the Delaware, Kaw, Osage, Otoe-Missouria, Pawnee, Ponca, Potawatomi, and Shawnee.