Lewis and clark lesson plan and fun facts for kids lovetoknow. Lewis asked his friend lieutenant william clark of the us army to hire and train men for the expedition while he gathered supplies. Library of congress, geography and map division, washington, d. Famous explorer meriwether lewis, half of lewis and clark, is known for his expedition to the west of the mississippi. They left saint louis in 1804, leading a group of 33.
They spent a winter in a mandan indian trading village. One of the important events during his presidency was the lewis and clark expedition that followed the 1803 louisiana purchase. After the expedition, lewis was appointed the governor of the louisiana territory, however, lewis died a few years later. The lewis and clark expedition was an expedition by meriwether lewis 17741809 and william clark 17701838, two men chosen by united states president thomas jefferson to explore the louisiana purchase, which the country had just bought from france. Uncover the details of lewis and clarks great journey and then test your knowledge with the lewis and clark trivia quiz below. Undergraduate degree bachelor of arts number of majors. The county was established in 1865 as edgerton county, and was renamed lewis and clark county two years later. These two explorers full names are meriwether lewis 17741809 and william clark 17701838.
May 31, 20 lewis and clark had to think ahead and plan for times when wild game would be unavailable or in short supply. Born to william lewis and lucy meriwether, meriwether. You can follow the timeline of the lewis and clark expedition to learn all the places the group visited and some of the simple things they did in their camps. The huge part of the land west of the mississippi river was completely unknown to americans and needed to be examined first before it could be settled. On may 14, 1804, meriwether lewis, william clark and their group of 40 men, collectively known as the corps of discovery, launched their pirogues and keelboat onto the missouri river at its mouth, some 18 miles from the young town of st. Lewis recommended clark a retired officer who had served alongside him in the armyas the expeditions co. Explore ten surprising facts about one of americas first and greatest expeditions of discovery. Lewis and clark fun facts for kids you can follow the timeline of the lewis and clark expedition to learn all the places the group visited and some of the simple things they did in their camps. The expedition celebrates with the best cuts of elk and venison, a beaver tail, and various fruit.
The nations economy diversified and grew during the first decades of the united states independence from the british empire. These and other believeitornot facts about the famous expedition of 200 years ago are discussed by national geographic books editor anthony brandt. Fun facts about the lewis and clark expedition and its time in. It only took them around six months for the return journey. Sep 30, 2019 top 10 littleknown stories about lewis and clark omg facts is an channel of historical facts youll ever need to know. President thomas jefferson asked captain meriwether lewis, jeffersons private secretary, to arrange the expedition. Army captain meriwether lewis to explore and map the louisiana territory which had just been purchased from france. Lewis and clark, american historys dynamic duo, first met in 1795. Two 15week semesters and summer session facultystudent ratio 1 to 12 average class size 17 88% of classes have 29 or fewer students. Lewis, president jeffersons personal secretary, was an officer in the united states army and spoke several native american languages. The president chose captain meriwether lewis and captain william clark to lead the expedition. Lewis and clark county is a county located in the u. In 1803, clark received a letter from his old friend lewis, inviting him to share command of an expedition of the lands west of the mississippi river.
How lewis and clarkalong with a native american guide, sacagawea explored the newly expanded united states. Lewis and clark expedition headwaters of the missouri river, detail from lewis and clark expedition map by william clark and meriwether lewis, 180406. Jan 02, 2020 lewis and clarks expedition across america has been romanticized, demonized, and everything in between. Uncover the details of lewis and clark s great journey and then test your knowledge with the lewis and clark trivia quiz below. In fact, the corps encountered around 50 native american tribes. It was the greatest explorative expedition the young united states of america had ever known. Lewis and clark national historic trail is approximately 4,900 miles long, extending from pittsburgh, pennsylvania, to the mouth of the columbia river, near present day astoria, oregon, following the historic outbound and inbound routes of the lewis and clark expedition plus the preparatory section from pennsylvania to wood river, illinois. Though clark officially only held the rank of second lieutenant at the time, lewis concealed this from the members of the expedition and always referred to clark as captain.
Jeanerick pasquiergetty images while serving as a frontier. Brother of revolutionary war hero george rogers clark, whom jefferson had earlier approached about exploring the. While he wasnt booted from the army, he was placed with a new company, under the command of one william clark. It began in pittsburgh, pennsylvania, made its way westward, and passed through the continental divide of the americas to reach the pacific coast. Basic lewis and clark facts these two explorers full names are meriwether lewis 17741809 and william clark 17701838. The lewis and clark national historic trail, administered by the national park service, is more than 3,700 miles long, traversing eleven states and many tribal lands, along the historic route of the expedition. Lewis and clarks expedition across america has been romanticized, demonized, and everything in between. Lewis was born on 18th august 1774 and died on 11th october 1809. Top 10 littleknown stories about lewis and clark omg facts is an channel of historical facts youll ever need to know. Facts, information and articles about the lewis and clark expedition, an event of westward expansion from the wild west lewis and clark expedition facts.
Lewis, in turn, selected a former army comrade, 32yearold second lieutenant william clark, to be coleader of the corps of discovery. United states president thomas jefferson commissioned u. While the journey was harsh, there were some funny, interesting, and inspiring things that came out of it. Yet his contributions to science, the exploration of the western u. Sep 03, 2018 explore ten surprising facts about one of americas first and greatest expeditions of discovery.
The lake is impounded by gavins point dam and is managed by the u. Many people think the expedition was the physical start of manifest destiny in the american culture, which brought the extermination of cultures, bison and prairie lands. With a colorful cast of characters, lewis and clark spent two years hiking clear to the pacific ocean and back. The lewis and clark expedition was the first overland expedition across america from the east to the pacific ocean and back. The lewis and clark expedition began in 1804, when president thomas. Many animals were new to lewis and clark including the grizzly bear and the prairie dog. Lewis procured weapons at harpers ferry, virginia now in west virginia, supervised the construction of a 55foot 17metre keelboat, and secured smaller vessels, in addition to designing an ironframed boat that could be assembled on the journey.
That was the estimate of the eastern indians, which lewis and clark compiled during the winter of 180405 and sent back on the keeled barge in april 1805. A hotheaded young soldier, meriwether lewis was courtmartialed for drunkenly challenging his superior officer to a duel. Jan 31, 2020 the lewis and clark expedition began in 1804, when president thomas jefferson tasked meriwether lewis with exploring lands west of the mississippi river that comprised the louisiana purchase. Lewis and clark and the corps of discovery had to do more than be on the lookout for danger they had to keep their eyes open for new plants.
Lewis and clark had to think ahead and plan for times when wild game would be unavailable or in short supply. In so doing, they united the states from sea to sea, and, it. With the vast majority of the population engaged in agriculture, thomas jefferson 1801 1809 believed that the health of the republic rested on small independent farms, owned by men he called yeoman farmers. Lewis and clark national historic trail visitor centers. The film tells the remarkable story of the entire corps of discovery not just of the two captains, but the young army men, frenchcanadian boatmen, clarks africanamerican slave, and the. Learn the inside facts about the expeditions 214 days in north dakota. The united states purchased louisiana from france in 1803. However, there a many opportunities for visitors traveling the trail to learn more about this expedition and to experience the diverse landscape and peoples of the trail through visitor centers and cultural centers. The lewis and clark expedition began in 1804, when president thomas jefferson tasked meriwether lewis with exploring lands west of the mississippi river that comprised the louisiana purchase. Top 10 littleknown stories about lewis and clark youtube. In clarks spreadsheet there are 19 columns and the overall dimensions of the seven sheets of letter paper pasted together are approximately 35 by 28. The lewis and clark expedition began in 1804, when president thomas jefferson tasked meriwether lewis with exploring lands west of the mississippi river. They rode horses over the rocky mountains through wyoming, idaho, and oregon to the pacific ocean a roundtrip journey of over.
Mar 04, 2019 lewis and clark and the corps of discovery had to do more than be on the lookout for danger they had to keep their eyes open for new plants, animals, peoples, and places and keep a record of. Additional information for many years, lewis legacy was overlooked, inaccurately assessed, and even tarnished by his alleged suicide. Fun facts for kids about the lewis and clark expedition. Lewis and clarks expedition national geographic kids. Their keelboat was stocked with nearly 7 tons of dry goods, including flour, salt. The lake is approximately 25 miles 40 km in length with over 90 miles 140 km of shoreline and a maximum water depth of 45 feet 14 m.
Their famous expedition led to the exploration of western north america, through lands that now compose states such as illinois, missouri, idaho. The leaders of this expedition, or journey, were meriwether lewis and william clark. Many animals were new to lewis and clark including the grizzly bear. Clark became governor of the missouri territory as well as superintendent of indian affairs.
Information recall remember what you know about lewis and clarks discoveries reading comprehension take away the most important information from the lewis and clark lesson. Sep 03, 2019 famous explorer meriwether lewis, half of lewis and clark, is known for his expedition to the west of the mississippi. He later served as governor of upper louisiana territory. August 3 lewis and clark hold council with oto and missouri indians at council bluffs. Lewis and clark expedition of 1803 to 1805 across the louisiana purchase to the pacific ocean. Lewis and clark expedition facts the lewis and clark expedition was the first overland expedition across america from the east to the pacific ocean and back. What lewis and clark ate the history kitchen pbs food. Fun facts about the lewis and clark expedition and its. Lewis recommended clarka retired officer who had served alongside him in the armyas the expeditions co. In 1804, president thomas jefferson ordered captain meriwether lewis and second lieutenant william clark to march west and chart the vast, unexplored interior of america. The expedition spent 214 days in north dakota on two separate visits.
The lewis and clark expedition from may 1804 to september 1806, also known as the corps of discovery expedition, was the first american expedition to cross the western portion of the united states. Lewis and clark lesson plan and fun facts for kids. This land was made up of much of what is now the central and western united states. An anomaly of some proportion is the fact that the 1814 account, now commonly referred to as the biddle edition, carried no mention of biddle.
The lewis and clark expedition from august 31, 1803, to september 25, 1806, also known as. August 2 at sunset, the captains meet with six oto chiefs and some warriors to plan a council for the next day. The group spent 146 days on its outbound trip in october of 1804, when it. In clark s spreadsheet there are 19 columns and the overall dimensions of the seven sheets of letter paper pasted together are approximately 35 by 28. Lewis and clark expedition facts born meriwether lewis. Lewis and clark expedition for kids thomas jefferson was the 3rd american president who served in office from march 4, 1801 to march 4, 1809. The national park service administers the trail and operates a visitor center at trail headquarters in omaha, nebraska. On may 14, 1804, cocommanders meriwether lewis and william clark set out from camp dubois, outside of. As his cocommander he selected william clark, who had been his military superior during the governments battles with the northwest indian.
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