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Approval of expedition to West
U.S. President Thomas Jefferson sends a secret message to Congress asking for approval and funding of an expedition to explore the Western part of the continent. -
Lewis and Clark start Recruiting
In Pittsburgh, Lewis oversees construction of a keelboat, then picks up William Clark and other recruits as he travels down the Ohio River. -
L&C begin journey up the Missouri River
The Corps of Discovery leaves Camp Wood and begins its journey up the Missouri River "under a gentle breeze." -
L&C hold council with Oto Indians
North of present-day Omaha, Nebraska, the Corps holds a council with the Oto and Missouri Indians. -
L&C hire Sacagawea
Lewis and Clark hire French-Canadian fur-trader Toussaint Charbonneau and his Shoshone wife, Sacagawea, to act as interpreters on the journey ahead. -
Sacagawea saves L&Cs prized possessions
One of their boats nearly overturns and Lewis credits Sacagawea with saving their most important possessions -
Clark thinks he sees the pacific ocean
Believing he sees the Pacific, Clark writes, "Ocian in View! O the joy." In reality, they are seeing only the widening estuary of the Columbia River. -
Expedition reaches the Pacific
Having reached the Pacific, the entire expedition—including Sacagawea and Clark's slave, York—take a vote on where to build their winter quarters. They chose the Clatsop Indian side of the Columbia, and the encampment came to be called Fort Clatsop. -
L&C return to St. Louis as heroes
Having found an easier route across the country, the men reach St. Louis nearly two and a half years after their journey began and are acclaimed as national heroes.