Lewis and Clark Expedition
Jefferson's western survey
The Lewis and Clark Expedition was a U.S. military expedition from 1804 to 1806 that explored the western territories following the Louisiana Purchase.
Led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, the Corps of Discovery traveled from St.
Louis to the Pacific Ocean and back, mapping terrain, documenting wildlife and plants, and establishing relations with Native American tribes.
The expedition opened the American West to further exploration and settlement.
- SacagaweaShoshone interpreter for westward expedition
- native tribesOriginal inhabitants of land
- Louisiana Purchase1803 territorial acquisition
- Missouri RiverMajor central waterway
- Rocky MountainsWestern North American cordillera
keelboat · grizzly bear · buffalo herds · Columbia River · Thomas Jefferson · ethnobotany · map · Oregon Trail · westward expansion · York · portage · cartography · Pacific Ocean · uncharted territory · wild frontier · Continental Divide · Mandan · winter camp
Lewis and Clark ExpeditionTrail of Tears
1830s forced indigenous relocation