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The Journey Begins
The Expedition Began just outside St. Louis on the Missouri River. Clark spent most of his time on the keelboat charting courses and making maps, while Lewis spent a lot of his time on land studying rock formations and wildlife.
Watch this video to learn more about Lewis and Clark and their mission. -
First Meeting with Indians
The Corps first meeting with the Oto and Missouri Indians went well. They exchanged greetings and gifts. The Corps knew that this peaceful encounter would be unlike their encounter with the Teton Sioux Indians, who were known as a powerful and fearsome tribe. The Corps first and only death occurred shortly after this meeting when a soldier died of what appeared to be appendicitis on August 20. The Corps was now west of the Mississippi, getting closer to the heart of Sioux Territory. -
Encounter with the Sioux
Just as predicted, the Corps had tried to make friendly relations with the Teton Sioux. However, one of the cheifs demanded a boat as a price to pass peacfully through their lands. When the Corps decided that the indians have become threatening, they had a standoff that ended when both sides stood down. -
Winter among the Mandan Indians (Ft. Mandan, North Dakota)
The Corps decided that they needed to build a fort to protect themselves against the harsh winter and the threat of the Sioux.
They spent the winter trading with the indians and hunting buffalo.
During the winter, they also hired an interpreter Toussaint Charbonneau, a French-Canadian fur trapper living among the Hidatsa. His Shoshone wife, Sacagawea, and their infant son, Jean Baptiste, would travel with the expedition when they left the fort in the Spring. -
In need of Horses
After the expedition arrived to the Rockies, they found that they were n need of horses. They knew that the Shoshone tribe was rich with horses and were desperate to find them.
On August 11, the crew spotted an Indian on a horse. The Shoshone Indian took the expedition to his chief who was by great luck, Sacagawea's brother. She translated for the men, which resulted in horses and a good path through the mountains. -
Enduring the Bitterroot Mountains
Here the crew tested their endurance when they passed though the Bitterroots. They were getting low on food and were near starvation. They ran into flathead Indians where they were able to trade for more horses. The men had to resort to eating three colts to stay alive. Finally, the men came upon the Nez Perce who gave them food. -
The Pacific!!!
In mid November, the Corps of Discovery reached the Pacific. They decided to spend the winter on the coast before they made their way back to St. Louis
