Hike Through History on a 2-Year Camping Trip

Lewis & Clark . mmmm ch . m g lun oo HIKE for d? Buffalo tongue THROUGH HISTORY ON A 2-YEAR CAMPING TRIP SQUIRRELS THAT BARK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH Lewis_Clark_Cover.idd.indd 1 3/15/17 10:23 AM 2 The Great Unknown On March 4, 1801, a tall, redheaded Vir- ginian named Thomas Jefferson was sworn in as the third president of a very young United States of America. The u IN 1799, country was small compared with its Napoleon present size. Bonaparte took Americans knew there was a lot of land control of France. Then he set out west of the Mississippi River. They knew to conquer the American Indians lived there. Some rest of Europe and beyond. While tak- white trappers had been out West. But ing over country no one had any real idea what was truly after country in ot there. efferson intene to fi n ot. Europe, he sent troops to North He knew he needed someone special to America to tighten help. He found that someone in Meri- France’s hold wether Lewis. over its Louisiana Territory. But in When Jefferson became president, he 1803, Napoleon appointed Lewis as his secretary. After surprised everyone the day’s work of state was done, the two by selling the territory to the U.S. He men studied maps and explorers’ jour- needed the money nals. They shared dreams of discovery. to pay for his war Jefferson was curious about the West. with Britain. He was also ambitious. He wanted to make the United States a great empire: huge, powerful, wealthy, and free. Jefferson’s curiosity and interest were great, but he never made it west of the Mississippi River. However, he made it possible for his young friend, U.S. Army captain Meriwether Lewis, to take the trip of a lifetime. l WHILE IN OFFICE, the nation’s size Jefferson made when the United one of the biggest States got the rights land deals in his- to the land on April tory – and one of 30, 1803. It also the best bargains. brought Jefferson’s For just $15 million dream of a U.S. (less than 3¢ an empire from coast acre!), the Louisiana to coast closer to Purchase doubled reality. Lewis_Clark_2-3.indd 2 3/15/17 10:25 AM 3 r WHEN JEFFERSON took office, Americans had little idea what lay in Terra Incognita (the unknown land) west of the Mississippi. Jefferson believed that explorers volcanoes. He also Missouri River to would find live expected them to the Pacific Ocean woolly mammoths discover a water- with only a small and other prehis- way on which gap where over- toric creatures and boats could sail all land travel would huge, lava-spewing the way from the be necessary. u IN 1801, THE tage in claiming it. United States and Jefferson wanted European coun- to win the race. tries looked at Russia and Britain the land between wanted to move the Mississippi in from the north. and the Pacific Spain and France as a giant prize. wanted to move The first nation to in from the south. explore and map The United States the land would wanted to move in have a big advan- from the east. Lewis_Clark_2-3.indd 3 3/15/17 10:25 AM 4 For nearly half a year before the purchase of the Louisiana Profi les of Territory, President Jefferson and Meriwether Lewis studied books and maps of the West, planning an expedition Lewis, Clark, that Lewis would lead. On January 18, 1803, Jefferson me it offi ci e se Conress to pprove for mission to epore the reion. Conress ree. and Others Jefferson had picked Lewis to lead the expedition, and he trusted him to choose the rest of the team – including a feow offi cer to hep him commn the crew. n ne ewis wrote to iim Cr trste frien from his army days, asking him to join the exploration Meriwether Lewis knew a lot about captain’s positive herbs, and she traits: courage, taught him how curiosity, and sci- to treat injuries entific knowledge. and cure illnesses He trusted Lewis YOU MIGHT SAY with plants found with his dream. that Meriwether in the wild. In his And Lewis rose Lewis spent his seven years in the to the challenge. life training to lead army, Lewis had He proved himself the expedition. As learned how to to be the right a boy roaming the command soldiers man to lead this woods of Virginia and negotiate with once-in-a-lifetime and Georgia, he American Indians. adventure. had soaked up Lewis had several Born: knowledge about personal problems, August 18, 1774 plant and animal but Jefferson rec- Died: life. His mother ognized the young October 11, 1809 r SACAGAWEA be better at help- (SAK-uh-jah-WEE- ing the explorers uh) was 15 years communicate with old or younger people who spoke when she met other languages. Lewis and Clark Her presence – during the winter and that of her of 1804–1805 in infant son, born what is now North shortly before the Dakota. The two trip began – often leaders hired her made relations u YORK WAS York’s biggest some unknown husband, a French easier between an African man contribution was reason, York’s Canadian trapper, Indians and the held in slavery by an unexpected one: presence made to be an interpret- explorers. William Clark. He He was popular some American er. But Sacagawea, Born: 1787? worked as hard with American Indians more will- a Shoshone Died: 1812? as any other man Indians the team ing to accept his woman, proved to on the expedition met. They had nev- companions. team, but did not er seen an African receive any pay. person before. For What does the name Sacagawea mean? Lewis_Clark_4-5.indd 4 3/15/17 10:31 AM party. “Believe me,” he wrote, “there is no man on Earth with whom I should feel equal pleasure in sharing [this adventure] as with yourself.”* “I will cheerfully join you,”* Clark replied. But the two didn’t actually join forces until October. In the meantime, they prepared for the trip. Each picked a few men from the U.S. Army for the Corps of Discovery, as their team was known. William Clark Lewis and Clark picked each corps member for a reason. WILLIAM CLARK WAS *Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. Original Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, vol. 1, by Reuben Gold Thwaites, LL. D. Dodd, born in Virginia. Mead & Company, 1904. But for a while, he lived in Kentucky. At that time, it was l LEWIS AND CLARK a wild frontier. would never have Clark lived far made it to the from schools. So Pacific and back he taught himself without the skills or learned from of all their team his older broth- members. Here ers. At 19, Clark they’re shown on joined the U.S. a steep bank of Army. He served the Columbia River, as an engineer, near Celilo Falls in building forts and Oregon. How will bridges. He also they get everyone went into Spanish and all the supplies territory as a spy! down the 20-foot During his army drop to the river? career, Clark met In the center, Lewis a young officer and Clark direct the named Meriwether team. Sacagawea Lewis. They and her husband, became friends. Charbonneau, are And their mutual among those stand- respect led to ing on the right. one of the great- est partnerships d SEAMAN, LEWIS’S in U.S. history. Newfoundland Clark’s skills made dog, also made up for Lewis’s the trip. Lewis weaknesses, and bought Seaman for vice versa. For $20 while waiting instance, Clark’s for the journey to steady calm bal- begin. A Shawnee u EVERY MEMBER Whitehouse’s skills anced Lewis’s man offered to filled a role that with buckskin kept quick temper. trade three beaver helped the team everyone clothed. Also, Clark’s fair- skins for Seaman. survive. Collins Gibson and ness with the The skins were and Willard were Cruzatte’s fiddle Indians won their worth a lot of good hunters, music kept morale respect. And money, but Lewis and Goodrich was high. But the team Clark’s skillfully refused. a skilled fisher- had troublemakers. drawn maps were man. They helped Newman and Reed a key contribution keep the team tried to desert – to the expedition’s fed. Cruzatte and run away – but valuable research. Labiche were were caught and Born: expert boatsmen, sent back to St. August 1, 1770 and Gass was a Louis to be pun- Died: capable carpenter. ished by the army. September 1, 1838 Lewis_Clark_4-5.indd 5 3/15/17 10:31 AM 6 Preparing for the Expedition Lewis and Jefferson wanted the expedition ty. nce they were in the wierness they to start as soon as possible. But there was a wo hve to mne withot ny items ot to o fi rst. ewis ben byin sppies. they h eft behin. ewis went to hi Choosin wht to te ws bi ob. he ephi to stoc p on sppies n infor tem cont crry etr weiht over the mtion. e h ot to ern n fst. ie roh terrin or n they wo cross. stent before bi test he crmme in t the eporers h to te every necessi the nowee he co bot mpm boat shown here is similar to the one they used. The boat was heavy, u CLARK SKETCHED especially when this design for loaded with sup- a 55-foot-long plies.

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