The Lewis and Clark The Lewis and Clark ExpeditionExpedition

Submitted as partial credit to Submitted as partial credit to Mr. Haskvitz on May 20Mr. Haskvitz on May 20thth, ,

20052005by Lucy Kouby Lucy Kou

2

President Thomas Jefferson . . . Jefferson wanted to know more about

the mysterious lands, west of the Mississippi.

Jefferson persuaded congress, before the Louisiana purchase was complete, to sponsor an expedition as a scientific venture.

Jefferson instructed explorers to find a route across the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean.

Explorers were to learn about Native Americans who lived in the new territory, and treat them in a friendly manner.

Explorers were to collect plant and animal specimens and chart the geography of the region.

Jefferson chose two leaders, Lewis and Clark . . .

3

Merither Lewis . . .● Merither Lewis● 1774 – 1809● Joined US army in 1794● 1801- became private secretary

to President Thomas Jefferson● Under Jefferson's direction,

Lewis planned an exploration of a route west to the Pacific coast of North America.

● Lewis invited William Clark to join his expedition…

William Clark

4

William Clark… ● William Clark

● 1770-1838● Brother of Revolutionary

War hero, George Clark● Ex-army lieutenant ● Invited on expedition by

Merither Lewis● After expedition, Clark

became the Superintendent of Indian Affairs

5

Beginning the Expedition . . .

President Jefferson’s command :

“Washington D.C., June 20, 1803 To Meriwether Lewis Esquire, Captain of the first regiment of Infantry of the United States of America.

The Object of your mission is to explore the Missouri river & such principal stream of it as by it's course and communication with the waters of the Pacific ocean, whether the Columbia, Oregon, Colorado or any other river may offer the most direct & practicable water communication across this continent for the purpose of commerce. “

6

Preparing for the Expedition…

Before taking the long journey, Lewis and Clark studied for safety during the expedition Lewis and Clark took many courses such as

Celestial Observation Medicine Botany Zoology

Lewis and Clark studied history to learn from others Studied maps and journals of traders and trappers Studied geography as far as the Missouri River and North

Dakota

7

… … and nowand nowThe The

ExpeditionExpedition

beginsbegins……

8

The Expedition… Lewis and Clark did not begin the expedition together Lewis:

Lewis left Washington on July 5, 1803. he rode a boat from Pittsburg pensylvania to the Ohio River

His boat was a 55-foot keelboat, specially designed by him

Lewis and Clark reunited in Louisville, Kentucky.

9

The Expedition

From Kentucky, they had separated again. Lewis left on horseback to St. Louis.

Lewis made friends, gathered supplies, and obtained more information in the city.

Clark and the crew took the keelboat up the Mississippi River, and set up winter quarters on the Wood River, in Illinois.

In mid-May, 42 men and their commanders left for the Pacific ocean in the keelboat and 2 smaller crafts called “pirogues”.

10

Journal Entry of William Clark(He could not spell accurately)

“Council Bluffs, August 3, 1804

After Brackfast we Collected those Indians under an orning of our Main Sail, in presence of our Party paraded & Delivered a long Speech to them expressive of our journey the wirkes of our Government, Some advice to them and Directions how They were to Conduct themselves....

Those Chiefs all Delivered a Speech acknowledgeing Their approbation to the Speech and promissing to prosue the advice & Derictions given them that they wer happy to find that they had fathers which might be depended on &c.

We gave them a Cannister of Powder and a Bottle of whiskey and delivered a few presents to the whole after giveing a Br: Cth: [breech cloth] Some Paint guartering & a Meadele1 to those we made Cheifs after Capt Lewis's Shooting the air gun a feiw Shots (which astonished those nativs) we Set out and proceeded on five miles...& Camped....The Misquitors excessively troublesom this evening.”

11

Throughout the Expedition . Throughout the Expedition . . . . .

12

Meeting the Indians

Throughout the journey, Lewis and Clark met many tribes of Indians.For example: Oto Tribe (Modern Iowa) Missouri Tribe (modern Iowa) Yankton Sioux (modern Iowa) Teton Sioux (modern Dakota) Arikaras (modern North Dakota) Hidatsas (mouth of Knife River, North Dakota) Mandans (mouth of Knife River, North Dakota)

13

Winter with the Mandans…

Late October of 1804, Lewis and Clark settled with the Mandans for the winter.

During their stay, they consolidated information they had gathered

They participated in ceremonial dances and festivities

The Winter was sometimes more than 40 degrees below 0

14

The New Interpreter . . .

On november 4, a trader named Toussaint Charbonneau offered the captains his service as an interpreter

His only asset was to bring along his wife, Sacagawea. Sacagawea was good to bring along.

• Clark acknowledged Sacagawea “great service” • she was always on the lookout for edible plants• she also translated in her native Shoshoni tongue. • when the expedition reached Shoshoni territory (July of 1806)

Sacagawea was the pilot.• February 5, 1805

• Sacagawea gave birth to son named “Pomp”

15

Going Home . . . On April 7, 1805 men were sent back to St. Louis, with plenty to report

to President Jefferson. Specimens and artifacts

• Zoological• Botanical• Geological• ethnological

Letters, Maps, ad other reports

Lewis and Clark continued the expedition toward the Pacific Ocean.

16

Journal Entry- Lewis Lewis` Journal Entry:

“At the Yellowstone River, Friday, April 26, 1805:

after I had completed my observations in the evening I walked down and joined the party at their encampment on the point of land formed by the junction of the rivers; found them all in good health, and much pleased at having arrived at this long wished for spot, and in order to add in some measure to the general pleasure which seemed to pervade our little community, we ordered a dram to be issued to each person; this soon produced the fiddle, and they spent the evening with much hilarity, singing & dancing, and seemed as perfectly to forget their past toils, as they appeared regardless of those to come." --Meriwether Lewis “

17

Decision at the Maria River

At one point on the Missouri River, there was a major fork. Captains sent search parties up both rivers Lewis and Clark Decided to stay along the Missouri River

18

Rocky Mountains . . .

By June 10, 1805, Lewis had sighted the Rocking Mountains. Because of his poetic Nature, Lewis began to write a Poem of “the

beauty of this majestically grand scenery”

19

Journal Entry- Lewis “ White Bear Islands, Monday July 15, 1805:

We arose very early this morning, assigned the canoes their loads and had it put on board. we now found our vessels eight in number all heavily laden, notwithstanding our several deposits; though' it is true we have now a considerable stock of dried meat and grease. we find it extremely difficult to keep the baggage of many of our men within reasonable bounds; they will be adding bulky articles of but little use or value to them. At 10 A. M. we once more saw ourselves fairly under way much to my joy and I believe that of every individual who compose the party. I walked on shore and killed 2 Elk near one of which the party halted and dined. we took the skins marrow bones and a part of the flesh of these Elk. in order to lighten the burthen of the canoes I continued my walk all the evening." -- Meriwether Lewis ”

20

Journal Entry- Lewis “Three Forks of the Missouri, Sunday, July 28, 1805:

Both Capt. C. and myself corrisponded in opinon with rispect to the impropriety of calling either of these streams the Missouri and accordingly agreed to name them after the president of the United States and the Secretaries of the Treasury and state having previously named one river in honour of the Secretaries of War and Navy. In pursuance of this resolution we called the S. W. for, that which we meant to ascend, Jefferson's River in honor of Thomas Jefferson. the Middle fork we called Madison's River in honor of James Madison, and the S. E. Fork we called Gallitin's River in honor of Albert Gallatin. --Meriwether Lewis”

21

Journal Entry- Lewis “At Lemhi Pass, Monday, August 12, 1805:

at the distance of 4 miles further the road took us to the most distant fountain of the waters of the mighty Missouri in such of which we have spent so many toilsome days and wrestles nights. thus far I had accomplished one of those great objects on which my mind has been unalterably fixed for many years, judge then of the pleasure I felt in allying my thirst with this pure and ice cold water which issues from the base of a low mountain or hill of a gentle ascent... here I halted a few minutes and rested myself. two miles below McNeal had exultingly stood with a foot on each side of this little rivulet and thanked his god that he had lived to bestride the mighty & heretofore deemed endless Missouri. after refreshing ourselves we proceeded on to the top of the dividing ridge from which I discovered immense ranges of high mountains still to the West of us with their tops partially covered with snow."

22

Journal Entry- Lewis “At Weippe Prairie, Sunday, September 22, 1805:

the pleasure I now felt in having triumphed over the rocky Mountains and descending once more to a level and fertile country where there was every rational hope of finding a comfortable subsistence for myself and party can be more readily conceived than expressed, nor was the flattering prospect of the final success of the expedition less pleasing. ”

23

Journal Entry- Lewis “ At Pillar Rock, Thursday, November 7, 1805:

Great joy in camp we are in View of the Ocean, this great Pacific Ocean which we been So long anxious to See. and the roaring or noise made by the waves breaking on the rocky

Shores (as I Suppose) may be heard distinctly”

24

Help from Indians

Like before, Lewis and Clark benifited from Indian advice, and took and overland trail tat led them straight to the mouth of the clearwater.

Got horses from the Shoshoni Tribe

Went back toward the Rocky Mountains

Set out on June 24, 1805

Averaged 26 miles a day

25

Journal Entry- Lewis “At Travelers' Rest, Tuesday, July 1, 1806:

Capt. Clark & my self consurted the following plan viz.from this place I determined to go with a small party by the most direct rout to the falls of the Missouri,...and myself and six volunteers to ascend Maria's river with a view to explore the country and ascertain whether any branch of that river lies as far north as Latd. 50 and again return and join the party who are to decend the Missouri, at the entrance of Maria's river. I now called for the volunteers to accompany me on this rout, many turned out, from whom I scelected Drewyer the two Feildses, Werner, Frazier and Sergt Gass accompanied methe other part of the men are to proceed with Capt Clark to the head of jefferson's river where we deposited sundry articles and left our canoes. from hence Sergt Ordway with a party of 9 men are to decend the river with the canoes; Capt C. with the remaining ten including Carbono and York will proceed to the Yellowstone river at it's nearest approach to the three forks of the missouri, here he will build a canoe and decend the Yellowstone river with Charbono the indian woman, his servant York and five others to the missouri where should he arrive first he will wait my arrival. Sergt Pryor with two other men are to proceed with the horses by land to the Mandans and thence to the British posts on the Assinniboin with a letter to Mr. Heney whom we wish to engage to prevail on the Sioux Chefs to join us on the Missouri, and accompany them with us to the seat of the general government.these arrangements being made the party were informed of our design and prepared themselves accordingly. “

26

Returning Home…

Headed home on August 12

Greeted new Indian friends on the way home

Arrived in St. Louis on September 21, 1806

27

Letter to the President

Lewis's letter to President Jefferson, St. Louis, Tuesday, September 23, 1806:

Sir,It is with pleasure that I announce to you the safe arrival of myself and party at 12 O'clock. today at this place with our papers and baggage. In obedience to your orders we have penetrated the Continent of North America to the Pacific Ocean, and sufficiently explored the interior of the country to affirm with confidence that we have discovered the most practicable rout which dose exist across the continent by means of the navigable branches of the Missouri and Columbia rivers. --Meriwether Lewis

28

The EndThe End

29

Bibliography• http://lewisandclarkjournals.unl.edu/toc.html

– From this Website, I read many journal entries, written by Lewis and Clark, in which I obtained the Information.

• American Journey Textbook– In our 8th grade textbook holds short but informative pieces on Lewis

and Clark’s Expedition.• The Journals of Lewis and Clark, by Stephen E. Ambrose.

Copyright 1997– This book does not only include journal entries, but also great

commentary from the author's point of view.