1. 1804-1806 Lewis and Clark Expedition

6. The adventure began in the summer of 1804 when Lewis, Clark, and their crew, collectively known as the Corps of Discovery, left Camp Wood and headed northwest up the Missouri River. After traveling along slowly going upstream, the lone death in the journey occurred when Sergeant Charles Floyd died due to infection. The group set up camp at Fort Mandan, where they met and kept friendly relations with the local Mandan Indian tribe. The Journey…

7. Charbonneau and Sacaguwea During the winter at Fort Mandan, Lewis and Clark employed a French fur trapper named Toussaint Charbonneau and his young wife Sacagawea to translate meetings with Indian tribes and help guide the journey. She had just given birth and carried the new born throughout the journey.

8. … The Journey Continued The group continued down the Missouri River and over the Continental Divide. The travelled in canoes to what is now Portland, Oregon. The voyagers set up camp south of the Columbia River for the winter and prepared for the long journey home. On March 23, 1806, the team left for home where the eventually split into two groups to explore more land. Along the way, both had troublesome altercations with Indian tribes, but reunited and quickly finished the trip home down the Missouri River where they arrived on September 23, 1806.

9. A Success? Overall, the Lewis and Clark Expedition accomplished many of the goals that were set. Lewis and Clark were able to produce accurate maps, discover and catalog over a hundred species of previously unknown plants and animals, establish relations with some Indian tribes, and produced the first real idea about what the American West was like.