10 Things About Lewis & Clark
By: Sage Lagud
#1
Lewis and Clark's main mission was to find a water route across north America and explore the uncharted West. They traveled 8,000 miles from St. Louis to the Pacific and back, mostly by boat and horse back. when they emerged from the wilderness in 1806 they had come in contact with dozens of Native American tribes.
#2
Lewis and Clark met prier to the expedition. When Lewis court-martialed by the Army. Was allegedly challenging a lieutenant to a duel to a drunken dispute. He was found not guilty of the charges, but his superiors decided to transfer him to a different riffle com[any so there wouldn't be any future incidents. His new commander became Clark, the man who later became his partner.
#3
Thomas Jefferson thought that during the expedition they would encounter wooly mammoths. Before Lewis and Clark completed their expedition American's could only imagine what what lurked in the uncharted territories beyond the Rocky Mountains. Even Thomas Jefferson who owned a small library which held a ass of books was convinced that, the explorers would have run ins with mountains of salt, a race of Welsh-speaking indians and even herds of wooly mammoths and giant ground sloths. the expedition failed to sight any of the long-extinct creates, but lewis did describe 178 unknown species of plants and 122 new animals including coyotes, beavers and grizzly bears.
#4
The Spanish sent soldiers to arrest the expedition. Jefferson often described the expedition as a scientific mission to study the lands of the Louisiana Purchase, but the main goal was to find a water route through the land to the north west creating American claim. That sounded like threatening news for the Spanish so the Spanish Governor commanded 4 groups and asked indian tribes to locate and intercept with the expedition and bring them back in chains but obviously that failed.
#5
Clark brought his slave with him. With more than two-dozen enlisted me and officers, his slave, York. The tall manservant was a hit with many tribes with whom have never seen someone with such dark skin. The tribes would refer to him as the "medicine man" and they thought with his dark skin he had special powers. Also given his given hands him and sacagawaya were the fist slave and women to vote in American History.
#6
Lewis and Clark's arsenal included 200 pounds of gunpowder and an experimental air riffle. They carried an assortment of pikes, tomahawks, knives, several riffles and muskets, 200 pounds of gun powder and over 400 pounds of lead for bullets.
#7
Sacagawaya reunited with her long lost brother during the journey. One of the most important members of the trip. During a run in with the tribe of shoshone. They were trying to trade for some horses and during the trade she realized that the chief was her long lost brother.
#8
Only one member died on the expedition. Lewis and Clark suffered there first fatality in August 1804, when Sargent Charles Floyd died. Lewis diagnosed him having "bilious colic" but historians believe he suffered from and appendix burst.
#9
Lewis died under mysterious circumstances. Lewis battled serious depression and mood swings but it worsened after the expedition. He also suffered from money troubles and drinking problems, he attempted suicide twice but then a few days later he was found dead with gunshot wounds in his head and chest.
#10
Clark Adopted Sacagawaya's children. During the expedition Clark showed an interest to her child during the expedition. After the expedition Clark offered to raise her child as his own, obviously she turned the offer down. Later he became responsible for Pomp's education. Following Sacagawaya's death Clark became the legal guardian.