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Lewis and Clark Expedition (1803-06)

In January of 1803, Jefferson requested $2500 from Congress to pay for the costs of the trip. Thomas Jefferson then commissioned Capt. Meriwether Lewis (his presidential aide) to explore the newly purchased Louisiana Territory. This territory is what is now the northwest United States. Before Lewis met up with Clark, he began the expedition on August 30, 1803 in Pittsburgh PA. Lt. William Clark would offer to join Lewis on the expedition weeks later on October 13, 1803 at Camp Dubois (in present-day Indiana). They then named their team the "Corps of Volunteers for North Western Discovery." At the time, Lewis was 29 years old and Clark was 33. From there, they sailed down the Ohio River towards St. Louis.

The party of nearly 30 --including Lewis and Clark, three sergeants, 22 enlisted men, volunteers, interpreters, and Clark's slave -- departed St. Louis in May 1804 heading up the Missouri River. They would spend their first winter at Fort Mandan at the present site of Bismarck, North Dakota. It took about 3 weeks to build Fort Mandan, which they named for the local natives, and they settled in on Nov. 27, 1804. There, they acquired a guide and translator, the Shoshone woman Sacagawea. In spring 1805, they continued to the headwaters of the Missouri River, struggled across the Continental Divide, and headed west along the Salmon, Snake, and Columbia rivers to the Pacific. They returned to St. Louis the following year.

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Did Louis and Clark go West for their expedition?

Yes, Louis and Clark went West for their expedition.


Who was a good friend of the leader of the Louis and Clark expedition?

Sakagawea


Who did president Jefferson hire to explore the Louisiana Purchase in 1803?

The Lewis and Clark Expedition : Captain Meriwether Lewis and Second Lieutenant William Clark .


What was the size of the Lewis and Clark expedition?

The Lewis and Clark expedition consisted of 33 individuals. Meriwether Lewis and William Clark were the leaders.


Lewis and Clark began their expedition from what city?

Contrary to popular belief, the expedition DID NOT begin in St. Louis, Missouri. The first entry in the Lewis and Clark Expedition Journals state that the journey began in Pittsburgh, PA on August 30, 1803. Lewis, who had been assigned by Jefferson sailed down the Ohio River with supplies towards St. Louis.William Clark would offer to join Lewis on the expedition weeks later on October 13, 1803 at Camp Dubois (in present-day Indiana). They then named their team the "Corps of Discovery." From there, they sailed down the Ohio River towards St. Louis. Meriwether Lewis had spent the time prior to their departure in St. Louis gathering information from mountain men returning from the west. They then departed St. Louis in May 1804 heading up the Missouri River.If you don't believe that the expedition began in Pittsburgh, please check the related link below. It leads to a copy of the original Lewis and Clark Journals online. If you click the first entry, you will see that this is true.