Lewis and Clark Expedition
By: Anna Wells
What is the Lewis and Clark Expedition?
Who Are Lewis and Clark?
Meriwether Lewis was President Thomas Jefferson's personal secretary. Jefferson chose Lewis because he was a very intelligent and literate man. He also had skills as a frontiersman. Lewis then turned to William Clark. William Clark had better skills as frontiersman that would help them on their journey. Clark was then named co- commanding captain of the expedition.
Key People
York- William Clark's servant from boyhood. York was compelled to leave his wife and family to accompany Clark on the Lewis and Clark expedition. He was the only African American on the trip. On the Lewis and Clark expedition, York had the same freedoms as everyone else on the expedition.
Sergeant Charles Floyd- Floyd kept an uninterrupted daily record from May 1804 to August. He died a tragic and premature death. Floyd was able to judge land quality and soil conditions. When he died they were no longer able to keep records or keep check the land quality.
Toussaint Charbonneau- Charbonneau purchased two captive ShoShone women: Sacagawea and "Otter Women". These women later were to be his wives. In 1804 Lewis and Clark came to the area where Charbonneau was living. They were looking for members of the corps of discovery. Charbonneau interviewed, but they weren't overly impressed until they found out his wives were ShoShone. Charbonneau is considered to be unimportant, but because he had two ShoShone wives he was needed.
Sacagawea- Born into the ShoShone tribe in Idaho. At age 13 she was taken in to be Toussaint Charbonneau's wife. She joined her husband on the Lewis and Clark expedition and was praised for quick action when the records Lewis and Clark had been keeping went overboard. She was also useful when it came to communicating with the ShoShone tribe, she was able to translate for Lewis and Clark.
What Was The Purpose of The Expedition?
How Did Their Expedition Help Us?
Keeping The Peace
What Else Was Going On At This Time?
-Haitian Revolution: Rebellion of Haitian slaves in France. This was also known as the largest and most successful rebellion.
What Happened After the Expediton?
Good:
-Two years after Lewis and Clark arrived back from their journey to the West they set up a company called the St. Louis Missouri River Fur Company.
-Military forts were established in the late 1800's. These were made to protect workers.
Bad:
-A sudden breakout in diseases like the measles made a once strong group weak and struggling to survive.
-The military forts that were made forced cultural change.
Fun Facts:
-The expedition discovered roughly 122 new animals and 178 new plants.
-The biggest tormentor on the expedition was mosquitos.
-Lewis and Clark met in Louisville, Kentucky!
What to learn more?
This website is very interactive and is great if you're interested in learning more information on the Lewis and Clark expedition.
Don't Know a Word?
Frontiersman- A person who settles in a new region. These people are able to bear harsh living conditions in order to have a better life.
Literate- A person able to read or write.
Cartography- Able to write or make a map.
Diplomacy- Skill of managing international relations.