Name: edHelper Discovering America I: 1804 (St. Louis-Fort )

The was all set for a long journey. They had been given an exciting task! They were to travel through new parts of America. They would bring back news of the land and its people, plants, and animals.

Captains Lewis and Clark had carefully planned the trip. Forty-eight men had been picked for the voyage. The crew had waited through the winter at Camp Wood near St. Louis, Missouri. Now that it was spring, they were eager to start their adventure.

A keelboat had been built for the first part of the trip. This was a large boat used for freight. Many tons of supplies were packed and ready. The travelers would need camping supplies like cloth for tents and tools for fire-making. Firearms, clothes, and food had to be taken. Map-making tools would be needed, as well as books and medical supplies. There were also many small gifts to give the Indian people along the way.

Finally, on May 14, 1804, the Corps started up the . Some of the men paddled the two pirogues (PEE-ros), which were smaller canoe-like boats. Some rode in the keelboat, pushing it through the water with long poles. All were happy to be underway. In his diary, one of the men writes: "...we fired our swivel [cannon] on the bow hoisted Sail and Set out in high Spirits for the western Expedition."

The trip was far from easy. Keeping the keelboat going was brutally hard work. Often the boat had to be pulled along with ropes from the shore. When it rained, everything was soggy. There were no dry clothes or bedding. Sometimes the men thought the mosquitoes would eat them alive. Boils and dysentery, an intestinal illness, were common.

Still, the travelers' diaries are filled with zest for the journey. Many wrote of the beautiful land through which they were passing. They were interested in trappers paddling by in canoes laden with furs. They noted numbers of game taken by their hunters. The men ate a great deal of wild game. In fact, each man ate about nine pounds of meat a day!

The team labored up the river, going about fourteen miles on a good day. By May 25, they passed the last village. On July 4, the cannon was fired, and the men were given an extra measure of whiskey. Captain Clark named a nearby stream "Independence Creek" in honor of the day. Today the town of Atchison, Kansas, sits near this creek.

On August 3, the voyagers met with some native people of the Oto and Missouri tribes.

Captains Lewis and Clark handed out presents. Flags and peace medals, beads, mirrors, needles, knives, and tomahawks were some of the items brought along as gifts. The Captains also spoke of a "great father." By this they meant President Jefferson. Name: edHelper

On August 30, one of the men died. Doctors today think he may have had appendicitis. At the time of the voyage, no one knew what was wrong. The whole crew was very sad to lose Sergeant Floyd. Floyd was the only one of the men who died on the trip.

The Corps moved on. They met other native tribes. Some were not so friendly. The Teton wanted one of the boats in return for safe passage. They tried to take the boat by force. A fight started, but Black Buffalo, a Sioux leader, stopped the fight.

Finally, in October, the Corps reached the villages of the Mandan and Indians.

The welcomed the weary travelers. The men built a fort near the village. The site of their fort is near present-day Bismarck, North Dakota. On Christmas Eve they settled in to Fort Mandan for the winter. It would be spring before they could continue their journey.

Discovering America I: 1804 (St. Louis-Fort Mandan) Questions

1. The expedition traveled up the ______River to the Mandan village. A. Ohio B. Columbia C. Missouri D. Mississippi 2. The voyagers wintered at Camp ______near St. Louis, Missouri. A. Discovery B. Missouri C. Wood D. Mandan

3. What kind of boat was used to haul most of the supplies for the trip? A. Keelboat B. Canoe C. Pirogue D. Barge 4. What kinds of hardships did the travelers endure? A. Mosquitoes B. Boils C. Hard work D. All of the above Name: edHelper 5. The diet of the voyagers was mostly A. Wild fruit B. Salad C. Vegetarian D. Meat 6. Who was the great father that Captains Lewis and Clark mentioned to the Oto and Missouri tribes? A. Emperor Napoleon of France B. The Territorial Governor C. George Washington D. President Jefferson 7. The name of the Corps' second winter quarters was A. Bismarck, North Dakota B. St. Louis, Missouri C. Fort Mandan D. Floyd's Bluff 8. Why do you think Captain Clark named a creek "Independence Creek"?