The Lewis and Clark Expedition
Storyboard Text
- The 2-Year Road TripLewis and Clark's Expedition
- January 18, 1803
- Dear Congress,Can you please give me $2,500 to fund an expedition to the Northwest? From, JeffersonP.S. Don't tell anyone
- Thomas Jefferson
- Two years seems like a long time with this guy...
- 1803
- Lewis and Clark
- I better get a raise after this...
- By: Smridhi Mahajan
- May 14, 1804
- Are we there yet?
- No...but only 8,000 miles to go!
- Thomas Jefferson secretly asked Congress to help send people to explore the Northwest, make diplomatic contact with Natives, expand fur trade, and locate the Northwest Passage (an alleged waterway that connected the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans). This journey became more important with the purchase of the Louisiana Territory.
- Winter of 1804 - 1805
- Jefferson asked his personal secretary Meriwether Lewis to lead the expedition due to his knowledge in botany, navigation, and medicine. Lewis selected William Clark as his co-commander since he had been Lewis' military superior in battles with the Northwest Indian Federation. They, and 45 other explorers, formed the Corps of Discovery.
- September 23, 1806
- 1. Greater scientific knowledge of the area due to the new species found.
- Outcomes:
- The Corps of Discovery began their journey to the Pacific Ocean from St. Louis, MO, traveling 10 to 20 miles a day. Throughout their journey, Lewis mapped the geography and kept detailed records of any observed plant and animal species. The prarie dog, grizzly bear, and bitterroot were discovered on this expedition!
- The Corps stopped at the Mandan and Hidatsa villages in present day North Dakota for the winter. Here, they met and were joined by French trapper Toussaint Charbonneau, an interpreter, and Sacajawea, who aided the expedition by guiding the Corps and communicating with other Shoshone along the way.
- Charbonneau and Sacajawea
- Hey, look! We found a GPS!
- The Corps went to the Pacific Ocean and back and returned two years later. Although the Northwest Passage was not discovered, Jefferson was still pleasantly surprised at the immense success of the journey. Shortly after, Lewis and Clark were appointed Governor and Brigadier General of Militia respectively of the Louisiana Territory.
- 4. Better relations with Native Americans
- 3. Better maps for fur trappers and settlers
- 2. Stronger claims to the Oregon territory
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