Lewis and Clark Expidetion
President Jefferson needed the land for the Louisiana Purchase to be mapped out. Jefferson sent Lewis and Clark to do this for him. Lewis wrote to his friend and former Army colleague, William Clark, and invited him to join the expedition as co-leader. Clark, then living in Kentucky, wrote back:
“This is an undertaking fraited with many difeculties, but my friend I do assure you that no man lives whith whome I would perfur to undertake such a Trip.”
The journey began as Lewis left Washington D.C. on July 5, 1803 and ended in St. Louis in September 23, 1806. Lewis and Clark faced many dangerous situations on their expedition. Lewis and Clark faced difficult weather along their journey from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Plains. The weather caused many hardships for their party. They endured sudden thunderstorms, extreme heat, bitter cold, raging blizzards, hail, and dust clouds. They trekked range after towering range through extremely cold, snowy, and wet conditions with little food to be found. Captain Clark described the huge mountains they were to climb: “The hills or mountains were not like those I had seen but like the side of a tree Streight up.”
The winter of 1805-1806 at Fort Clatsop, near the Pacific coast, had to be the most miserable winter the men ever experienced. It rained every day but 12 of the 106 days they were there. Their clothes rotted off their backs and basic comforts were scarce. Grizzly bears were the most dangerous animal confronted during the mission. The river, which was the expedition's highway, was also the grizzlies' kitchen, leading to at least 40 fierce challenges with the giants. In one of many meetings with grizzly bears, Lewis escaped by running into a river. He had forgotten to reload his rifle and had only his spon-toon to defend himself. Lewis Tuesday May 14th 1805 “…one of the parties wounded a brown bear very badly, but being alone
“This is an undertaking fraited with many difeculties, but my friend I do assure you that no man lives whith whome I would perfur to undertake such a Trip.”
The journey began as Lewis left Washington D.C. on July 5, 1803 and ended in St. Louis in September 23, 1806. Lewis and Clark faced many dangerous situations on their expedition. Lewis and Clark faced difficult weather along their journey from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Plains. The weather caused many hardships for their party. They endured sudden thunderstorms, extreme heat, bitter cold, raging blizzards, hail, and dust clouds. They trekked range after towering range through extremely cold, snowy, and wet conditions with little food to be found. Captain Clark described the huge mountains they were to climb: “The hills or mountains were not like those I had seen but like the side of a tree Streight up.”
The winter of 1805-1806 at Fort Clatsop, near the Pacific coast, had to be the most miserable winter the men ever experienced. It rained every day but 12 of the 106 days they were there. Their clothes rotted off their backs and basic comforts were scarce. Grizzly bears were the most dangerous animal confronted during the mission. The river, which was the expedition's highway, was also the grizzlies' kitchen, leading to at least 40 fierce challenges with the giants. In one of many meetings with grizzly bears, Lewis escaped by running into a river. He had forgotten to reload his rifle and had only his spon-toon to defend himself. Lewis Tuesday May 14th 1805 “…one of the parties wounded a brown bear very badly, but being alone