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Expedition begins
Expedition marks first 4th of July west of the Mississippi by firing the keelboat's cannon, and naming Independence Creek. -
Meeting the Indians
Expedition discovers earthlodge villages of the Mandan and Hidatsas Indians. The captains decide to build Fort Mandan across the river from the main village. -
Sacagawea
Toussaint Charbonneau, a French Canadian fur trapper living with the Hidatsas, is hired as an interpreter. His wife, Sacagawea, a Shoshone who had been captured by the Hidatsas and sold to Charbonneau, is also considered helpful as the Shoshones are said to live at the headwaters of the Missouri. -
Discovers another village
Lewis discovers a village of Shoshones and tries to negotiate for horses. Clark and the rest of the expedition arrives as well, and it is discovered that the Shoshone chief Cameahwait is Sacagawea's brother. Lewis and Clark name the site Camp Fortunate. -
return home
Fort Clatsop is presented to the Clatsop Indian, for which it was named, and the expedition begins the journey home.