Buffalo bill historical center, cody, wyomingthe art archive. Half of the legendary survey team, william clark was an explorer, soldier, territory governor, and indian agent. Lewis and clark expedition timeline created by alecbailey. Timeline of the lewis and clark expedition wikipedia. November 4, 1804 toussaint charbonneau, a frenchcanadian trapper living with the hidatsas, is hired to be an interpreter for the expedition. The american explorer and soldier william clark 17701838 was second in command of what has been called the american national epic of exploration, the lewis and clark expedition of 18041806, which traveled from the missouri river to the pacific ocean. The louisiana purchase legislative timeline 18061807. These true american heroes faced unknown people, harsh conditions and unexplored lands to secure a place in history as two of the worlds greatest explorers. Lewis and clark expedition may 1804 september 1806. Lewis writes a letter to william clark asking him to join lewis on a trip to the pacific. Pierre cruzatte and francois labiche, who were halffrench and halfomaha indian, enlisted in the corps of discovery. Holmbergs recent volume of letters from william clark to his brother jonathan.
It includes sections on language arts, social studies, maps, human behavior, life skills, native american cultures, visual arts and music, and natural sciences and is designed for middle and junior high students in. Meriweather lewis and william clark were american explorers famous for taking the first american expedition to cross what is now the western portion of the united states, departing in may 1804, from near st. William clark, lewis and clark expedition timeline index. In this dvd you will travel back into time and take one one of the most important expeditions in american history. On november 19, 1805, captain william clark 17701838 of the lewis and clark expedition visits the future site of long beach.
Clark was a planter and slaveholder along with meriwether lewis, clark helped lead the lewis and clark expedition of 1804 to 1806 across the. Lewis and clark select a site across the missouri river from the indian villages and begin construction of fort mandan. For 30 years after the expedition, william clark ranked as the leading federal official in the west, the point man for six presidents, from jefferson to van. American settlers knew little about western north america when the lewis and clark expedition set out in 1804. In may, 1804, meriwether lewis and william clark set out on an amazing expedition across the louisiana territory. Lewis and clark expedition students britannica kids. This detailed mapbrochure provides an historically accurate account of the lewis and clark expedition through the rocky mountains of western montana and eastcentral idaho. William clark accepts lewiss invitation to join him and begins to recruit men for the corps of discovery. November 3, 1804 journals of the lewis and clark expedition. In 1803, clark received a letter from his old friend lewis, inviting him to share command of an expedition of the lands west of the mississippi river.
August 3, 1804 journals of the lewis and clark expedition. It began in pittsburgh, pennsylvania, made its way westward, and crossed the continental divide of the americas before reaching the pacific coast. This is the timeline of the lewis and clark expedition through the american west, 18031806. Lewis october 11, 1809 clark september 1, 1838 meriwether lewis and william clark are best known for their expedition from the mississippi river to the west coast and back. Lewis chose william clark as his coleader for the mission. April 1810 nicholas biddle interviews william clark re. Lewis and clark timeline lewis and clark trail heritage. Lewis and clark expedition timeline timetoast timelines. He wrote to william clark in june of 1803 and offered him cocommand. The expedition, called the corps of discovery, was president thomas jeffersons visionary project to explore the american west. The lewis and clark expedition from august 31, 1803 to september 25, 1806, also known as the corps of discovery expedition, was the first expedition to cross the western portion of the united states.
President jefferson sends a secret message to the u. The foundations curriculum guide can be purchased for use in schools across the country. What were spanish and british reactions to the expedition. A timeline of the extraordinary expedition in 1804, lewis and clark set off on a journey filled with harrowing confrontations, harsh weather and fateful decisions as they scouted. William clark was born in caroline county, virginia, on august 1, 1770, the ninth of the ten children of john and ann rogers clark. How was translation performed between the expedition and hidatsa. Louis formally transferring louisiana territory from france to united states. On may 14, 1804, captains meriwether lewis and william clark set out on an expedition to explore the new territory that would fundamentally change americans conceptions of their country. A native of virginia, he grew up in prestatehood kentucky before later settling in what became the state of missouri. Readers will learn more about the louisiana purchase, who meriwether lewis and william clark were, the important role that a young native american woman named sacajawea played, and so much more. Clark served as a militia against the native americans 1789. Includes a timeline of the expedition, plus a timeline of world events. Lewis and clark convince one of the trappers to return to sioux camp to act as an interpreter.
Corps of discovery why did captain meriwether lewis and lieutenant william clark go on the expedition. Lewis and clark were good friends as they grew up, and clark ended up. Clarks parents, john clark, iii, and ann rogers reared four children in central virginia, including williams illustrious older brother george rogers clark. An experienced soldier and outdoorsman, clark helped keep the expedition moving. A native of virginia, he would also grow up in prestatehood kentucky before later settling in what later became the state of missouri. Jefferson chose meriwether lewis to lead the expedition and his partner was william clark. Their famous expedition to the pacific northwest took place 1804 until 1806. The lewis and clark expedition began in 1804, when president thomas jefferson tasked meriwether lewis with exploring lands west of the mississippi river that comprised the louisiana purchase. To gather information about the geography, natural resources, and people of louisiana, and to establish territorial claims to the transmississippi west, jefferson dispatched an expedition, led by his private secretary, meriwether lewis 17741809, and william clark 1770. And it wasnt until the oregon trail became popular, decades later, that large numbers of settlers began moving into the pacific northwest. Louis, missouri, in 1804 and went all the way to the pacific coast. Lewis invites william clark to share command of expedition, and clark accepts. Lewis and clark expedition timeline timeline description.
Lewis and clark timeline 1804 gateway arch national park. Based on solid research, the guide includes national content standards in each section. There are extraordinary primary resources on the expedition, including moultons thirteen volumes of the journals and jacksons two volumes of the letters of the expedition. Lewis writes to william clark inviting him to colead the expedition. Monuments honor them, hundreds of books have been written about them, and a formal organization, the lewis.
June 26 the expedition arrives at kaw point where the kansas river meets the missouri river basin. Lewis and clark timeline 1804 gateway arch national park u. Uncovering deeper meanings in the explorers journals and lives, exploring lewis and clark exposes their selfperceptions and deceptions, and how they interacted with those who traveled with them, the. Louis on the mississippi river, making their way westward through the continental divide to the pacific coast. The lewis and clark expedition oregon history project.
Writes to ask william clark to join him and share command. A timeline created with timetoasts interactive timeline maker. William clark biography childhood, life achievements. There he received a long letter, dated 19 june 1803, from his old army friend, meriwether lewis, inviting him to share command of the expedition and outlining the overall plans. The corps of discovery departs from camp dubois at 4 p. Online resources is a comprehensive list of lewis and clark. From these conversations, biddles notes recorded that lewis joined clark who then resided at louisville and from louisville they proceeded by water to st. In one of the more unusual moves by a commander in the history of. Pdf no two explorers are more firmly imprinted in the american consciousness than meriwether lewis and william clark.
His parents were natives of king and queen county, and were of english and possibly scottish ancestry. August 1, 1770 william clark, born august 18, 1774 meriwether lewis, born march 6, 1801 lewis is asked by president jefferson to be his. Twelve years earlier captain robert gray, an american navigator, had sailed up the mouth of the great river that he named the columbia. Selecting william clark as his coleader, lewis undertook, and completed, one of the greatest explorations of all time.
Lewis and clarks expedition timeline missouris natural heritage. Captain william clark of the lewis and clark expedition. Rivers, counties, towns, schools, and wildlife refuges in oregon are named after them. Key dates of the lewis and clark expedition dummies. A timeline of the trip gives an easytofollow overview of the expedition, from its inception to the later death of william clark. What was the weather like during the expeditions winter stay in 18041805. May 14 expedition sets off from camp dubois under a jentle brease. The lewis and clark expedition 18041806 was the two year voyage of discovery across the continent from st. President thomas jefferson after the louisiana purchase in 1803. December 7, 1803 william clark landed at cahokia, illinois with the expeditions three boats. Twentysixyearold lieutenant william clark retired from the army in 1796 and returned to the vicinity of louisville, chiefly to help george. Friday august 3dth the council was held and all partes was agreed the captens give them meney presents thes is the ottoe and the missouries the missouries is a verry small nathion the ottoes is a very large nathion so thay live in one village on the plate river after the council was over we took ouer leave of them and embarked at 3 oclock p. He was a father, husband, slave owner, and political man who received many honors for his role in the construction of america.
The lewis and clark expedition at the time known as the corps of discovery expedition, was the first american exploration of what is now the western portion of the united states. William clark descended from a line of adventurous men. The clark family first settled in virginia in 1630. Together with meriwether lewis, explorer william clark saw quite a bit of the country. William clark was an american explorer who along with meriwether lewis led an epic expedition to the pacific northwest. William clark august 1, 1770 september 1, 1838 was an american explorer, soldier, indian agent, and territorial governor. William clark was an american explorer, soldier, indian agent, and territorial governor. Clark served as the expeditions principal cartographer. Meriwether lewis more than fulfilled the wishes of his president, thomas jefferson, who had asked his secretary to lead an expedition west. When meriwether lewis was chosen to lead the expedition, he could chose someone else to come with him. Lewis and clark expedition united states history timelines. William clark was an early american explorer who, alongside meriwether lewis, led the lewis and clark expedition into the louisiana territory between 18041806. Thomas jefferson was leaning on lewis to find a second in command for the expedition. Meriwether lewis born august 18, 1774 and william clark born august 1, 1770 under the supervision of president thomas jefferson, led a two and onehalf.
The lewis and clark expedition digital history id 168. William clarks name is consistently misspelled in congressional documents by adding an e to the end. In some ways, efforts like the settlement of the trading post at astoria in presentday oregon were more important. This provocative work challenges traditional accounts of meriwether lewis and william clark s expedition across the continent and back again. The lewis and clark expedition did not directly lead to settlement in the west.
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