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Lewis and Clark Expedition
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The Louisiana Purchase
President Jefferson doubled the land that we had by an agreement we call the Louisiana Purchase. -
The Lewis and Clark Expedition Begins
Information about the Expedition In May of 1804, Lewis and Clark begin their expedition from St.Louis, Missouri. -
Lewis and Clark Meet Sacagawea
In April of 1805, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark met Sacagawea, a Native American and decided to continue to travel their journey with her and her husband, a trader. -
Lewis and Clark resume their Journey
The Expeditioners resumed their journey after the winter season. -
Clark Sees the Rocky Mountains
On May 26, 1805 William Clark sees the outline of a great mountain range to the west. In the next few days, all of the group could see what now, they realized was the snow-covered Rocky Mountains along the horizon. The explorers knew that they would have to cross it and were troubled by the fact. -
The Explorers Start to Cross the Great Falls
Before the explorers could cross the Rocky Mountains, they would have to cross the Great Falls of the Missouri River in present-day Montana. The river tumbled down a waterfall that was as tall as a modern six story building. The group would have to cross it in order to get to the Rocky Moutains. They decided to cross. -
The Explorers End the Cross of the Great Falls
Twenty four days after starting to cross the Great Falls, the Lewis and Clark party finish traveling around the falls. They are exhausted and in need of rest. -
The Corps of Discovery Meet the Shoshone Indians
In Mid-August, Meriwether Lewis, hiking ahead of the party with a few other explorers, came upon three Shoshone native american women and several children. Lewis had carried the American flag in his backpack for such an encounter. He waved the flag and slowly walked toward the indians. The people were scared but Lewis explained that he was an explorer, and the women led him to their village. -
The Corps try to Bargain with Cameahwait
Now that the rivers had almost disappeared, Lewis would need horses to cross the peaks of the Rocky Mountains. But the chief of the Shoshone native americans, Cameahwait, would not part with any of the animals. Lewis did persuade Cameahwait to send a few Shoshone to find Clark and the rest of the party and bring them to the village. -
The Corps of Discovery Hold a Meeting with Chief Cameahwait
A meeting was held with Chief Cameahwait. Sacagawea prepared to serve as the translator. When the meeting bgan, Sacagawea stared intently at the chief. Then she broke into tears of joy. Lewis wrote, "She jumped up, ran, and embraced him, and threw her blanket around him, and cried profusely." Sacagawea recognized Cameahwait as her brother, whom she had not seen in six years.Cheers and laughter were heard from the village. The Shoshone hailed her as a lost daughter who had come home. -
Lewis and Clark Leave Shoshone Territory
When they left, Chief Cameahwait not only provided the party with horses, he also gave them a guide to show them the best route through the mountains. Crossing the Rocky Mountains proved to be a difficult ordeal. The trails were too rugged to ride on, so the party walked and used the horses as pack animals. -
The Explorers See Ocean
On the morning of September 7, 1805, the rain stopped. A chorus of shouts went up from the camp site. There were sights of ocean! On the horizon, many miles to the west, lay the Pacific Ocean. -
A Snowstorm Strikes
In mid-September a terrible snowstorm struck the party. It was so bad that even the Shoshone guide that they had got lost. Worst of all, the game that had once flourished could not be found and the explorers were forced to kill some of their pack animals for meat. -
Rain on the Columbia
A rain pelts the Corps of Discovery as they sail down the Columbia River. They make a camp near an indian village and there, spend a restless night. -
The Travelers Break Camp
After a long time searching for vessels, the crew broke camp and began the long journey toward St. Louis. -
The Expeditioners End Their Journey
On September 23, 1806, the Lewis and Clark Expedition arrived safely back in St.Louis, where their journey had begun more than two years earlier.
