Introduction
Meriwether Lewis was an American explorer, who with William Clark led the Lewis and Clark Expedition through the uncharted American interior to the Pacific Northwest in 1804–06. He later served as governor of Upper Louisiana Territory. The Lewis and Clark Expedition spanned 8,000 mi (13,000 km) and three years, taking the Corps of Discovery, as the expedition party was known, down the Ohio River, up the Missouri River, across the Continental Divide, and to the Pacific Ocean. Lewis served as the field scientist, chronicling botanical, zoological, meteorological, geographic and ethnographic information.
Task
read and solved the problem and
Process
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/west/main.
fact:
WORK FOR JEFFERSON
Explorer, soldier. Born on August 18, 1774, in Albemarle County, Virginia. As a member of the state militia, Lewis helped to quell the Whiskey Rebellion, a Pennsylvania uprising led by farmers against taxes, in 1794. The next year he served with William Clark, a man who would later help him on one of the greatest expeditions of all time. Lewis joined the regular army and achieved the rank of captain. In 1801, he was asked by President Thomas Jefferson to act as his private secretary.
Did You Know?
Congress allocated $2,500 for Lewis and Clark's expedition.
Jefferson made Lewis another offer – to lead an expedition into the lands west of the Mississippi. Already eager to know more about these lands, Jefferson’s interest in the area increased with purchase of the Louisiana Territory from France in 1803. Jefferson asked Lewis to gather information about the plants, animals, and peoples of the region. Lewis jumped at the chance and selected old friend William Clark to join him as co-commander of the expedition.
THE EXPEDITION BEGINS
Lewis, Clark, and the rest of their expedition began their journey near St. Louis, Missouri, in May 1804. This group – often called the Corps of Discovery by historians – faced nearly every obstacle and hardship imaginable on their trip. They braved dangerous waters and harsh weather and endured hunger, illness, injury, and fatigue. Along the way, Lewis kept a detailed journal and collected samples of plants and animals he encountered. Lewis and his expedition received assistance in their mission from many of the native peoples they met during their journey westward. The Mandans provided them with supplies during their first winter. It was during this time that expedition picked up two new members, Sacagawea and Touissant Charbonneau. The two acted as interpreters for the expedition and Sacagawea, Charbonneau’s wife and a Shoshone Indian, was able to help get horses for the group later in the journey.
REACHING THE PACIFIC
The Corps of Discovery reached the Pacific Ocean in November of 1805. They built Fort Clatsop and spent the winter in present-day Oregon. On the way back in 1806, Lewis and Clark split up to explore more territory and look for faster route home. Lewis and his men faced great danger when a group of Blackfeet Indians sought to steal from the corps in late July. Two Blackfeet were killed in the ensuing conflict. The next month, Lewis was shot in the thigh by one of his own men during a hunt. Lewis and Clark and their two groups joined up again at the Missouri River and made the rest of the trek to St. Louis together. In total, the expedition traveled roughly 8,000 miles by boat, on foot, and on horseback.
http://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/into/
http://lewisandclarkjournals.unl.edu/read/?_xmlsrc=lc.img.corpus.04.xml&_xslsrc=LCstyles.xsl
Conclusion
Conclusion
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The Lewis and Clark Expedition is one that will be told to generations forever. They left on March 14, 1804 and returned home on September 23, 1806. They had seen more of the world than many others in the East of America. They had made their nation proud by sticking with the expedition and coming through to find a route of passage to the West. Along with passages they recorded 178 new species of plants and 122 new species of animals.
They encountered weather they did not know was possible to happen and endured rough waters while traveling. There was only one casualty most likely due to biological illness and besides that all 40 or so men returned home. [21] The Lewis and Clark expedition was out national epic and will forever go down in history as the one of the most successful travels and discoveries in American History. |