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St. Louis, Missouri
The Louis and Clark expedition started at St. Louis Missouri and left May 21, 1804. The Corps of Discovery started sailing up the Missouri River from their camp in St. Louis where they had been preparing fo the expidition since fall of 1803. They travled in a fifty-five foot long keelboat and two smaller pirogues. -
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Lewis and Clark Expedition
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The Only Casualty of The Corps of Discovery
There was only one death among The Corps of Discovery, Sergent Charles Floyd. He died from what was thought to be appendicitis on August 20, 1804. He told Clark before he died to write him a letter, and he was buried on a bluff overlooking presant day Iowa. -
First Encountered a Prairie Dog
Lewis and Clark were astounded by Prarie Dogs when they were first spotted, it profoundly affected the expidition. Clark documented them in his journal as a "Village of small animals that burrow in the ground." They caught one by pouring water down the hole and digging nerely six feet down and still only showing half of the entire "village." -
First Encounter with Sioux Native Americans
Lewis and Clark first encountered the Sioux Native Americans on September 25, 1804. At first the encounter was getting out of hand because the Native American tribe thought of Americans and competitors for controll of trade. However, Chief Black Buffalo brought things back to a more diplomatic manner. -
The Mandan Indians
Lewis and Clark made a peaceful trading arrangment with the Mandan Native Americans in October of 1804. The Natives supplied The Corps with food and shelter for the winter in extchange for trading goods; this was later to be known as Fort Mandan. When the Mandan Native Americans first saw The Corps of Discovery, they had never seen an African American person before, they were enchanted by Ben York's skin color so much they looked apon him with great spiritual power. -
Fort Mandan
The Corps of Discovery stayed at Fort Mandan over the winter, they arrived December 21, 1804 and left April 6, 1805. They occupied themselves by repairing equiptment, trading with the Native Americans, and hunting. Here they hired a translator, Toussaint Carbonneau, a french-canadian fur trapper who lived among the Hidatsa. Lewis and Clark also met Sacagawea, Toussaint's wife. -
Where Weather Profoundly Influenced the Expedition
The winter at Fort Mandan was extreamly bitter. It was said that tempuratures dropped -40*F. This froze just about everything that was liquid, including ink which made it hard to write. -
Sacagawea's Baby was Born
Sacagawea's boby was born Febuary 11, 1805. He was named Jean Baptiste Charbonneau. Sacagawea's labor was described as being "tedious and the pain violent". Lewis being the Corps docter, made a mixture of water and a small part of a raddle on a raddlesnake, and gave it to her. Nerely ten minutes after, her baby was born. -
Sacagawea Falls Severely Ill
At the mouth of the Marias River on June 10, 1805, Sacagawea fell severely ill. Clark wrote a couple journal entries describing the sickness, and Lewis commented in his that " She now lay gravely ill, delerious, and much reduced by her indisposition." He gave her "two dozes of barks and opium" and noteced a sudden improvement of her pulse. -
First encounter with the Shoshone Tribe
Lewis encounterd some indian women when he and a few other members of the Corps travled ahead of Clark in search of the Lemni Shoshone natives and horses.Lewis gave the women gifts as a reassurance that they came in peace and did not want to cause any harm. Soon after, the Shoshone provided them with horses and warned them about the Nez Pierce indians they were to encounter on the other side of the mountain while travleing to get the the Pacific ocean. -
Lewis and Clark Visit Idaho
The Corps set up camp between Dollar and Sixbit Creeks, Idaho. Lewis and Clark had to split up the group in order to get through the Bitterroots. Clark encounters the Nez Pierce Native Americans as he emerges from the mountains at Weippe Prarie. Soon later the rest of the men catch up and the Native Americans help them build canoes so they are able to proceed by water. -
Fort Clatsop
Lewis and Clark spent the winter at Fort Clatsop from December 7, 1805 - March 23, 1806. During the Corps of Discovery's time there, he Clatsop and Chinook Native Americans, whom Clark described as close bargainers, came to the fort almost daily to visit and trade. The captains wrote often in their journals of these tribes’ appearances, habits, living conditions, lodges and abilities as hunters and fishermen. -
Aided Greatly by Nez Pierce
The Nez Pierce Native Americans aided The Corps gratly when they returned after spending the winter at Fort Clatsop. Their horses and belongings that were left behind where in excellent condition. The Natives supplied them with food and accurate guides to lead them safely to their destination. -
A Spot Where a Plant Greatly Affected the Expedition
Lewis healed Sacagawea's illness with opium and bark he found while on an expedition. He mixed these two things with water and soon after she was regaining strength. Lewis's profound discovery was recorded in his journal. -
First Bloodshed of the Journey
On July 27, 1806, The Corps of Discovery encountered eight Blackfeet warriors. It had taken a while for the Natives to trust Lewis and Clark, but they ended setting camp up together. However, the Native Americans only looked at the Americans as a threat. That night they organized a plan to to steal The Corp's supplies and artillery. They got caught, Lewis and Reuben Field each killed a Blackfeet warrior. This event had been marked as the first bloodshed of the journey.