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January 18, 1803, Thomas Jefferson sends a letter to Congress requesting funding for an expedition up the Missouri River. On February 28, the funding is approved.
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On July 4th, the United States bought the 820,000-square mile
Louisiana territory from France for 15,000,000 -
On May 14, 1804, the Lewis and Clark begin their journey up the Missouri river with 3 boats(A keelboat and 2 smaller pirogues) holding men, supplies, and gifts for Indian tribes.
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On August 3, 1804, Lewis and Clark hold their first council with a group of Indians. They give out gifts and peace medals
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On April 7, 1805, the "Permanent party" of the Lewis and Clark expedition left Fort Mandan. The party was Lewis and Clark, 27 soldiers, York(a slave), Charbonneau(The husband of Sacajawea), and Sacajawea(and her baby).
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The group begins to travel through the Bitterroot Mountains with a Shoshone guide named Old Toby.
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The Expedition leaves Fort Clatsop(where they were for the Winter) And begins to travel back to St. Louis. They give the Fort to an Indian chief named Coboway.
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The Expedition goes separate to try and find a better way to cross the Rockies. Lewis leads half the man along the Missouri River, and Clark leads the other half along the Yellowstone River. While separated, Clark writes his name and date(July 25, 1806) on a pillar of rock they named Pompy's Tower. This is the only physical evidence left of the Expedition.
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The two parties are reunited at the junction between the Missouri and Yellowstone rivers.
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The Expedition finally makes it back to St, Louis where Lewis writes to Thomas Jefferson saying that the expedition was a success.
