LEWIS AND CLARKBy Gabriela Paige Steinberg

THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE

The Louisiana Purchase was one of the largest real estate deals in history. The United States purchased the Louisiana Territory from France at a price of $15 million, or approximately four cents an acre. The Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the United States and opened up North America to westward expansion.

MERIWETHER LEWIS

Meriwether Lewis was born on August 18,1774 and died on

October 11,1809.He was born in Charlottesville, Albermarle County Virginia. He spent his

childhood in the wilderness and developed a love of hunting

and exploring. He served in the army and was neighbors with

Thomas Jefferson. He also served President Jefferson as

his personal secretary in 1801.

William Clark was born in Caroline County, Virginia on

August 1,1770 and died September 1,1838. He was the

ninth of ten children and he lived on a farm. When Thomas

Jefferson asked Meriwether Lewis to explore the west of the

Mississippi River, he invited William to join him and he said yes. That’s when the expedition

began.

William Clark

LEWIS AND CLARK’S GOALS

Thomas Jefferson gave Lewis and Clark the following goals:

1.Map the rivers2.Make friends with the Native

Americans3.Find a Northwest Passage-a route across North America4.Open the West to trade

5.Find new animals and plants

LEWIS AND CLARK’S SUPPLIES

1 Mariner’s compass4 tin blowing trumpets

24 iron spoons2 crayons

6 small paper bells30 gallons of spirits

6 papers of ink powder2 pick axes

4 fishing hooks

THE ROUTE OF EXPLORATION

Lewis and Clark’s trip started in Washington

D.C. and zigzags across Delaware , Maryland ,

Virginia and Pennsylvania. Then it goes through a bunch

of states like West Virginia , Kentucky and

Indiana. Their trip covered 4,600 miles in

all.

SACAGAWEA

Sacagawea was born in 1788 and died in what is now called

Salmon, Idaho. Sacagawea got married at age 13 to

Toussaint Charbonneau. She also was part of the Shoshone tribe. When Lewis and Clark

brought her aboard the expedition, she was pregnant.

She named her baby Jean Baptiste. She was a big part and help to the expedition.

NEW DISCOVERIES

Animals:Desert Cottontail

McCown’s LongspurEastern Spiny Softshell Turtle

Plants:Maiden Blue-Eyed Mary

Chocolate LilyLong-Tailed Wild Ginger

EVENTS AND ADVENTURES ON THE EXPEDITION

The greatest distance traveled in one day was 50 miles when they were on a river

going downstream.

EVENTS AND ADVENTURES IN THE EXPEDITION

One day, Lewis and Pierre Cruzatte went hunting for buffalo. Pierre thought Lewis was

a buffalo, so he shot him in the butt. “Ow!” he said “Pierre, why did you shoot me in my rear

end?” The bullet went through his butt’s cheeks, but he still survived.

EVENTS AND ADVENTURES ON THE EXPEDITION

During the Expedition, Seaman, (Lewis’s black Newfoundland dog) saw a big beaver,

so the men told Seaman to kill it. When Seaman tried to get it, the beaver scratched

Seaman’s hind leg with his buck teeth. Seaman got hurt, but Sacagawea healed him.

CONCLUSION

The Expedition took 2 years, 4 months, and 10 days. Approximately, Lewis and Clark discovered

178 plants and 122 animals. The Corps of Discovery, Sacagawea, and Seaman made it

across the interior of the United States. It was an amazing journey that no one will forget.

The End!