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In 1803 the United States purchased the Louisiana territory from France. And on March 10th, 1804 the United States and France had a ceremony and finalized the purchase. Lewis and Clark were in attendance and then following the purchase they would leave to explore the territory.
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May 14th, 1804; Lewis, Clark, and the other men leave from Camp Dubois. They go up the Missouri River. This date marks the beginning of the further exploration of North America.
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August 3rd, 1804; The Oto and Missouri Indians meet with the Corps of Discovery. This is the "first official council" where they went on to establish more meetings. They gave out medals, new technology, and flags as gifts of peace.
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Part of the group was a young man from Kansas known by the name Sergeant Charles Floyd. While travelling through what is now Sioux City in Iowa dies from what is thought to be a burst appendix. They buried him on top of a hill now known and Floyd's Bluff, near Floyd's River.
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Ten days after Sergeant Charles Floyd passes the expedition encounters a Native American tribe. This tribe is the Yankton Sioux. While they are there, according to oral tradition, a baby is born which Lewis wraps in the American flag and declares he is now "an American."
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While the expedition was building Fort Mandan the temperature dropped well below zero degrees. It got all the way down to -45 degrees according to Clark. Due to the conditions the expedition had to finish and move into Fort Mandan for the rest of the winter.
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Lewis and Clark and their men go hunting with the Mandan Indians. Because of the chilly winter temperatures many of the men and an Indian boy. The Indian boy had to get his toes amputated by Lewis it was so bad.
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Sacagawea, a young Shoshone woman, and her husband were hired as translators for the corp. She was pregnant when she was hired and while at Fort Mandan she went into labor. She gave birth to a son named Jean Baptiste.
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During their travels they came across many new animals and plants. One April 29th, 1805 they hunt and kill a grizzly bear. Throughout their journey they continue to encounter grizzly bears.
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Along the journey the expedition encountered a spectacular waterfall. However, the one waterfall they had planned on turned out to be not one in a series of five waterfalls. They had planned on the journey taking half of a day. Due to weather, landscape, and detours this part of the journey ended up taking around a month.
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With Sacagawea's assistance, the Corps of Discovery find a Shoshone village. The group negotiates for some horses to help them get over the mountains they had to cross. The chief turns out to be Sacagawea's brother.
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The group encounters what seems to be the largest mountain range. They are desperate for food and have to slaughter a horse for food. To make matters worse it starts snowing.
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The chief of the Nez Perce called Twisted Hair teaches the group some handy tips to make their journey easier. Twisted Hair taught them how to make canoes. These canoes were made by hollowing them with fire.
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The Corps build a camp to live in through the winter near Astoria, Oregon in November. Feeling homesick and also wanting to keep tradition the group decides to celebrate Christmas. Due to the lack of supplies, tobacco and handkerchiefs are given as presents.
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From May until late June the expedition stays with the Nez Perce while waiting for the snow to melt. The Nez Perce provide them with food a second time. The first time they were provided with dog meat.
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Eight Blackfeet Indians attempted to steal the expeditions horses and guns. Fighting follows these events. Two fatalities occur, both of which are Blackfeet warriors.
