A Dream Completed The Journey of Lewis and Clark

In 1803, Thomas Jefferson asked Meriwether Lewis to lead the expedition. Lewis accepted the challenge with enthusiasm. Lewis was, as the president thought, the perfect choice for a leader because he enjoyed being outdoors and exploring new places and things. Lewis, who was born in Albemarle County, Virginia, in 1774, had loved exploring even as a child. The family’s home in Georgia and their move to a two hundred-acre plantation in Virginia provided many such opportunities. His formal education consisted of tutoring from age thirteen to eighteen in Virginia. However, it was his mother who gave him his love of learning. Even

Yakima and Wanapan Indians. As before they gave gifts and peace medals. Within two weeks of traveling down the Columbia they had reached the area that Great Britians' George Vancouver had explored. Now they could use copies of his maps to help them. They stopped to visit more Indians; the Walla Wallas, the Umatillas and many others. They had to deal with several rapids and to walk around a great waterfall. Nearing the ocean, the rough tidal water forced them to continue on foot. Finally on November eighteenth they reached the Pacific Ocean. Clark wrote in His journal, "I proceeded on the sandy coast and marked my name on a small pine, the day of the month and year..."

after eight years in the army, where he earned the rank of Captain, Lewis would continue his education. At the age of twenty-eight, while serving as Thomas Jefferson's private secretary, Lewis had full access to the president's library. Here he had found books on every subject you could imagine.

nicknamed him Pomp, as his given name was extremely long. They were a great help as Lewis and Clark gathered information on the terrain they would cross in the next leg of their journey. The rest of the men busied themselves with hunting and preparing food supplies or building the six canoes that would be needed to continue their journey.

On April seventh the Corps of Discovery began the next leg of their journey. Sending several soldiers and rivermen back to St. Louis in the keelboat with the reports of their progress and discoveries, Lewis and Clark took the remaining thirty-one men, Sacagwe and Pomp up the river in the two pirogues and six canoes. Two weeks passed before the explorers reached the junction of the Missouri and Marias Rivers. Lewis and Clark, not knowing which river was the main one, took an educated guess. It was right. On April twenty-fifth, Lewis reached the head of the Yellowstone River.

Lewis chose his friend William Clark to help him lead the expedition. Although he too had been born in Virginia, Lewis and Clark didn't meet until they served together in the Army. During this time, Lewis learned of Clark's map-making skills. He also was an excellent leader, able to discipline his men. In the wilderness, discipline would be important for their safety. Serving together on many campaigns against the Indians, Lewis had the opportunity to see what a proficient woodsman Clark was. Clark had retired from the military at the age of twenty-six, but when Lewis asked him to join the expedition he reenlisted and was given the rank of Lieutenant.

Some topics in this essay:
Corps Discovery, Lewis Clark, Shoshoni Indians, Bitterroot Mountains, Missouri River, Blackfeet Indians, Columbia River, Separating Clark's, County Virginia, Thomas Jefferson's, corps discovery, lewis clark, oregon region, nez perce, bitterroot mountains, st louis, shoshoni indians, plants animals, homeward journey, peace medals, route pacific coast, days august twelfth, land water route, water route pacific, territory oregon region,