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The Expedition Sets Off
a group led by Meriwether Lewis and his partner, William Clark set out from Camp Dubois to explore the land out west. The Corps of Discovery contained about 40 men, Clark's slave (York), and even a dog! They traveled in big keelboats and pirogues. -
First Encounter with Indians
the Corps of Discovery have an encounter with indians! They meet with a small delegation of Oto and Missouri Indians. These two groups are given a peace medal and are told of the land out east. Many of the men liked to show off their compasses, magnets, and telescopes to the Native Americans. -
Several New Animals Discovered
As the expedition starts to move more and more west, they are in the Great Plains. Lewis and Clark drew and recorded several animals of the East such as deer, mule, coyotes, antelope, and others. All men were occupied that day by trying to catch a prarie dog to send back to Thomas Jefferson. -
Sacagawea Joins the Expedition
Lewis and Clark decide to hire a french Canadian fur trader, Touissaint Charbonneau, as an interpreter, Charbonneau's wife, Sacagawea, had been captured by the Hioatsas (she was originally with the Shoshone tribe). For these reasons the captains thought this was a good investment. -
The Expedition Reaches Winter
Around this time of the expedition it was getting cold. One man in the Corps, John Croway, stated that it was colder than he could ever imagine in the States. Clark noted a temperature in his journal of negative 45 degrees! -
Sacagawea Gives Birth
Sacagawea gives birth to a son, Jean Baptiste. Lewis helped when she was in labor by making a potion out of crushed rattlesnake's rattle! Supposedly, this powdery substance helped speed up the process. -
Grizzly Bear Killed
the expedition has made it to what is now Montana. Back then, that was farther than any white man had ever gone before on the Missouri. The Corps discover herds of buffalo (up to 10,000) and ouch other game. On this particular date Lewis and another member of the expedition shot down their first grizzly bear! -
Naming Landmarks
Lewis and Clark have named several geographical landmarks by this point. They both decided to name a river "Sa - ca - gah - we - a" and on May 29, Clark named a stream after a young girl in Virginia named Judith. -
A Fork in The River
The expedition comes to a fork in the Missouri! Lewis and Clark both think its the south fork that is the corect path to take, while all of the other men believe its the north fork. The men stated that they would stand by their captains so they venture down the south fork. They later realize this was the correct route when the spot the waterfall. -
The Expedition is a Success
Clark writes his most famous journal entry on this date. It says that he spotted the ocean! Later that day Clark estimated that they have traveled 4,162 miles. Turns out he was only about 40 miles off!
