Lewis and Clark

Why did the Lewis and Clark Expedition Cross North America?
The reasons why the Lewis and Clark Expedition crossed North America are varied. Scholars of the expedition can cite several legitimate reasons that prompted President Thomas Jefferson to dispatch Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, and the "Corps of Discovery."

Lewis and Clark Timeline for 1803
Before leaving on the legendary Lewis and Clark Expedition, Meriwether Lewis was trained and tutored by some of the most accomplished scientists in America.

Lewis and Clark Timeline for 1804
In 1804 the Lewis and Clark Expedition got underway, setting out from St. Louis to travel up the Missouri River. The leaders of the expedition, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, kept journals recording important events, so it's possible to track their movements as they headed into the unmapped western lands.

Lewis and Clark Timeline for 1805
In 1805 the Lewis and Clark Expedition was far from civilization, heading across the western plains and into the Rocky Mountains. It was the critical year for the Corps of Discovery, as the men overcame enormous physical obstacles and eventually reached their goal, the Pacific coast. The year began with the Corps of Discovery in its winter...

Lewis and Clark Timeline for 1806
As 1806 began, the Lewis and Clark Expedition was camped in dreary winter quarters at "Fort Clatsop," along the Pacific Coast. As spring came the Corps of Discovery made preparations to begin traveling back toward the east, to the young nation they had left behind nearly two years earlier.

Did the Lewis and Clark Expedition Include a Slave?
The legendary Lewis and Clark Expedition, which crossed North America to the Pacific Ocean and back from 1804 to 1806, included one participant who was a slave. Learn about York, the "servant" of Capt. William Clark, the co-leader of the expedition.

Journals of Lewis & Clark
The explorers kept detailed journals of their trek to the Pacific and back. The University of Virginia hosts this helpful and well organized hypertext collection of the journals.

National Geographic: Lewis & Clark
National Geographic boasts a comprehensive site about the legendary explorers. As you might expect, the graphics are a treat and the site is highly informative.