Ilustrated Time Line

       Exploring with Lewis and Clark

Imagine that it is 1804.  President Thomas Jefferson has asked you to lead the Corps of Discovery---an expedition to explore thousands of miles of unknown wilderness.  This unknown country stretches almost two-thirds of the way across North America---from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean---but no one knows how far that is.  It is a mysterious wilderness known only by Indians.  You are to make friends with the Indians; draw maps of the land; and take notes on plants, animals, and everything else of interest.  You will be "pathfinder for a nation."   This is exactly what President Jefferson asked Meriwether Lewis  to do. 

Lewis chose William Clark to help him lead the expedition.  When they and their party returned to St. Louis, Missouri, in 1806, they became instant American heroes.  Since then, the names Lewis and Clark have been part of American legend, symbols of courage and adventure.

Each day, both Lewis and Clark wrote in their diaries, keeping a record of the many things and events that they saw.  Later these diaries were made into a book called The Journals of Lewis and Clark.   Because of these diaries, we know many things about their journey.  Let us, you and I, join them on their journey.

  

Map of Lewis & Clark's Journey
Up the Missouri River by Keelboat
Sacajawea
The Rocky Mountains
Wild Animals
The Columbia and Snake Rivers
Exploring with Captain Lewis's Dog
Lewis and Clark Web Site
Today's news about Clark, Sacajawea, and York.  (2000-2005)

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The Idaho Compass
Copyright © 2004
by
Katherine A. Young and Virgil M. Young
Producers, Designers, Writers, and Websters
in cooperation with Boise State University