Thomas Jefferson had a certain curiosity about the vast region west of the Mississippi. He wanted to know all about the geography and how well the prospects were for trade and agriculture. In 1803, Congress approved his proposal to finance for a mapping and scientific expedition to the far Northwest, beyond the Mississippi, which was foreign territory. In May, 1804, Jefferson assigned as commanders, Meriwether Lewis his personal secretary and William Clark, to set out on an amazing expedition across the Louisiana Territory. Lewis and Clark succeeded in many areas: Opened the U.S. from the Missouri River north to the Pacific Ocean, mapped and described the areas in detail, discovered many previously unknown species of fauna and established contact the Indians.
Lewis could be descried as an expert woodsman. He knew much about many various things including: classifying plants and animals and how to determine geographical position by observing the stars. Now being knowledgeable in......
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