# Lewis and Clark - Source: Kiddle (kids.kiddle.co), CC BY-SA 3.0, Kiddle encyclopedia, adapted from Wikipedia - Reading level: Grade 5 - Subjects: Explorers, People, History - Topics: lewis, expedition, clark, river, missouri, group - Length: 1205 words, about 9 min - Published: 2026-03-31 - Original: - Page: - Open in Sprouts: ![Carte Lewis-Clark Expedition-en](https://sprout.rootsofreason.org/media/kiddle-lewis-and-clark-7398994cbd.png) The route of the expedition The **Lewis and Clark Expedition** was a famous journey across the western part of North America. It was led by two explorers, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. They were chosen by U.S. President Thomas Jefferson to explore the huge area called the Louisiana Purchase. The United States had just bought this land from France. This land is now a big part of the Central and Western United States. Lewis and Clark left Saint Louis in 1804 with a group of 33 people. They traveled all the way to the Pacific Ocean by 1806. Along the way, they saw many new things and wrote down everything. A Shoshone Native American woman named [Sacagawea](https://sprout.rootsofreason.org/r/kiddle/sacagawea) joined them and helped guide them. After their amazing journey, Lewis became Governor of Louisiana Territory, and Clark became Governor of Missouri Territory. ### Key Dates of the Expedition ## Getting Ready for the Journey ![Lewis and Clark](https://sprout.rootsofreason.org/media/kiddle-lewis-and-clark-530b487ea9.jpg) Meriwether Lewis and William Clark President Thomas Jefferson had always been interested in the western parts of the continent. He wanted to know more about these unknown lands. He read books by other explorers, like Captain James Cook and Le Page du Pratz. These books made him want to send his own expedition. Jefferson also learned that Britain wanted to control the fur trade in the Columbia River area. This made him realize how important it was to claim the western lands for the United States quickly. In 1803, President Jefferson asked Congress to pay for an expedition. He wanted them to explore the Louisiana Purchase and reach the Pacific Ocean. Jefferson chose U.S. Army Captain Meriwether Lewis to lead this important trip. Lewis then picked William Clark to be his second-in-command. Lewis was very skilled at living in the wilderness. Jefferson helped him prepare for the long journey ahead. Lewis and Clark met near Louisville in October 1803. They gathered a small group of skilled young men, called the "Nine Young Men." These men were the first members of the "Corps of Discovery." Their main goals were to explore the new lands from the Louisiana Purchase. They also wanted to make friends and trade with the Native American tribes along the Missouri River. Jefferson also hoped to claim the Pacific Northwest and Oregon territory for the U.S. by showing an American presence there. The U.S. government made special silver medals for the expedition. These were called Indian Peace Medals. They had Jefferson's picture and a message of friendship. The explorers gave these medals to the tribes they met. These medals showed that the U.S. now claimed the land. The expedition also brought powerful weapons, like a special air rifle, to show their military strength. They packed lots of supplies, including gunpowder, lead for their guns, knives, and tools for blacksmithing. They also brought maps, flags, gifts, and medicines. They spent a lot of time making sure they had everything they needed. The plan was to travel up the Missouri River to where it starts. Then, they would go to the Pacific by following the Columbia River. ## The Long Journey West ![Lewis and clark-expedition](https://sprout.rootsofreason.org/media/kiddle-lewis-and-clark-951a9211c4.jpg) Corps of Discovery meet Chinnoks on the Lower Columbia, October 1805 (*Charles Marion Russel, c.1905.*) The expedition started on May 14, 1804. There were 33 people in the group. They had trained during the winter at Camp Dubois in Indiana Territory. They met Lewis in St. Charles, Missouri, and then followed the Missouri River west. Soon, they passed the last Euro-American town on the river, called La Charrette. The group traveled through what is now Kansas City, Missouri, and Omaha, Nebraska. On August 20, 1804, Sergeant Charles Floyd sadly died. He was the only member of the expedition to die. He was buried on a bluff by the river, which is now called Floyd's Bluff. This place is in Sioux City, Iowa. They marked his grave with a cedar post. By the end of August, Lewis and Clark reached the edge of the Great Plains. This area was full of animals like elk, deer, bison, and beavers. The Lewis and Clark Expedition met about two dozen different Native American nations. These tribes were very important. Without their help, the expedition might have starved or gotten lost in the Rocky Mountains. The Americans had some problems when they met the Lakota nation. The Lakota are also called Sioux. There was a concern that the two sides might fight. One of their horses disappeared, and they thought the Sioux took it. The Sioux asked the explorers to stay or give more gifts to pass through their land. They almost fought several times, but both sides eventually calmed down. The expedition then continued into Arikara territory. In the winter of 1804–05, the group built Fort Mandan near what is now Washburn, North Dakota. Here, they met a French-Canadian fur trapper named Toussaint Charbonneau and his young Shoshone wife, [Sacagawea](https://sprout.rootsofreason.org/r/kiddle/sacagawea). Charbonneau became a translator for the expedition. Peace was made with the Mandan chiefs by sharing a peace pipe. They followed the Missouri River to where it began. Then, they crossed the Continental Divide at Lemhi Pass. They used canoes to travel down the mountains on the Clearwater River, the Snake River, and the Columbia River. They passed places like Celilo Falls and what is now Portland, Oregon. Lewis used old notes and maps to help them navigate by a volcano. ![001 Fort Mandan Interior](https://sprout.rootsofreason.org/media/kiddle-lewis-and-clark-8ab59b6191.jpg) Reconstruction of Fort Mandan, Lewis & Clark Memorial Park, North Dakota The expedition faced another harsh winter. On November 24, 1805, they voted to camp on the south side of the Columbia River, near modern Astoria, Oregon. They built Fort Clatsop there. By March 22, the stormy weather stopped, and they started their journey home the next morning. They used canoes and then traveled by land. On July 3, before crossing the Continental Divide again, the group split into two teams. Lewis wanted to explore the Marias River. Lewis's group of four met some men from the Blackfeet nation. During the night, the Blackfeet tried to steal their weapons. In the struggle, the soldiers killed two Blackfeet men. Lewis and his companions quickly fled over 100 miles (160 km) before stopping. Meanwhile, Clark had entered the Crow tribe's land. Half of Clark's horses disappeared during the night, but they didn't see any Crow people. Lewis and Clark stayed separated until they reached the Yellowstone and Missouri Rivers on August 11. Before they reunited, one of Clark's hunters accidentally shot Lewis in the leg, thinking he was an elk. Once they were back together, the Corps quickly returned home by the Missouri River. They arrived in St. Louis on September 23, 1806. The expedition successfully reached the Pacific Ocean. They mapped the area and showed America's presence there, which helped claim the land. They also made diplomatic and trade connections with many Native American nations. However, they did not find the Northwest Passage, which was a water route across the continent. In March 1804, the Spanish in New Mexico learned about the American expedition. They sent four groups of soldiers and others from Santa Fe to stop Lewis and Clark. But the expedition was moving so fast, traveling 70 to 80 miles a day, that the Spanish could not catch them. ## Picture credits - user:EncMstr , User:Urban , de:Benutzer:Pandat, CC BY-SA 4.0 () - Public domain () - Charles Marion Russell, Public domain () - Chris Light ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0 ()