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Quick Facts
- NAME: Meriwether Lewis
- OCCUPATION: Explorer
- BIRTH DATE: August 18, 1774
- DEATH DATE: October 12, 1809
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Virginia
- PLACE OF DEATH: Nashville, Tennessee
Best Known For
Meriwether Lewis teamed up with William Clark to form the historic expedition pairing Lewis and Clark, who together explored the lands west of the Mississippi.
Videos see all videos
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Lewis & Clark - The Return (2:21)
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Lewis and Clark - Discovering the Louisiana Purchase
In order to learn about the territory in the Louisiana Purchase, President Thomas Jefferson hired explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to map the land.
Lewis & Clark - The Rockies Dilemma
Perhaps one of the most important people Lewis and Clark would ever encounter was Sacagawea, a young Shoshone girl who helped them navigate the harsh lands of the Western United States.
Lewis & Clark - The Return
After they returned from their two year journey, Lewis and Clark were national heroes.
Lewis & Clark - The Louisiana Purchase
When Thomas Jefferson wanted to unite the country from coast to coast, he chose two very qualified men, Lewis and Clark, to lead an expedition westward to find the best route.
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Play NowMeriwether Lewis. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 10:22, May 20, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/meriwether-lewis-9381267.
Meriwether Lewis. [Internet]. 2013. The Biography Channel website. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/meriwether-lewis-9381267 [Accessed 20 May 2013].
"Meriwether Lewis." 2013. The Biography Channel website. May 20 2013, 10:22 http://www.biography.com/people/meriwether-lewis-9381267.
"Meriwether Lewis," The Biography Channel website, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/meriwether-lewis-9381267 [accessed May 20, 2013].
"Meriwether Lewis," The Biography Channel website, http://www.biography.com/people/meriwether-lewis-9381267 (accessed May 20, 2013).
Meriwether Lewis [Internet]. The Biography Channel website; 2013 [cited 2013 May 20] Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/meriwether-lewis-9381267.
Meriwether Lewis, http://www.biography.com/people/meriwether-lewis-9381267 (last visited May 20, 2013).
Meriwether Lewis. The Biography Channel website. 2013. Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/meriwether-lewis-9381267. Accessed May 20, 2013.
Synopsis
Contents
the team successfully reached the Pacific Ocean in November of 1805.
Work for Jefferson
Explorer, soldier. Born on August 18, 1774, in Albemarle County, Virginia. As a member of the state militia, Lewis helped to quell the Whiskey Rebellion, a Pennsylvania uprising led by farmers against taxes, in 1794. The next year he served with William Clark, a man who would later help him on one of the greatest expeditions of all time. Lewis joined the regular army and achieved the rank of captain. In 1801, he was asked by President Thomas Jefferson to act as his private secretary.Jefferson made Lewis another offer - to lead an expedition into the lands west of the Mississippi. Already eager to know more about these lands, Jefferson's interest in the area increased with purchase of the Louisiana Territory from France in 1803. Jefferson asked Lewis to gather information about the plants, animals, and peoples of the region. Lewis jumped at the chance and selected old friend William Clark to join him as co-commander of the expedition.
The Expedition Begins
Lewis, Clark, and the rest of their expedition began their journey near St. Louis, Missouri, in May 1804. This group - often called the Corps of Discovery by historians - faced nearly every obstacle and hardship imaginable on their trip. They braved dangerous waters and harsh weather and endured hunger, illness, injury, and fatigue. Along the way, Lewis kept a detailed journal and collected samples of plants and animals he encountered.Lewis and his expedition received assistance in their mission from many of the native peoples they met during their journey westward. The Mandans provided them with supplies during their first winter. It was during this time that expedition picked up two new members, Sacagawea and Touissant Charbonneau. The two acted as interpreters for the expedition and Sacagawea, Charbonneau's wife and a Shoshone Indian, was able to help get horses for the group later in the journey.
Reaching the Pacific
The Corps of Discovery reached the Pacific Ocean in November of 1805. They built Fort Clatsop and spent the winter in present-day Oregon. On the way back in 1806, Lewis and Clark split up to explore more territory and look for faster route home. Lewis and his men faced great danger when a group of Blackfeet Indians sought to steal from the corps in late July. Two Blackfeet were killed in the ensuing conflict. The next month, Lewis was shot in the thigh by one of his own men during a hunt. Lewis and Clark and their two groups joined up again at the Missouri River and made the rest of the trek to St. Louis together. In total, the expedition traveled roughly 8,000 miles by boat, on foot, and on horseback.profile name: Meriwether Lewis profile occupation:
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Included In These Groups
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- In this group:
- William Clark
- Meriwether Lewis
Lewis and Clark
View groupMeriwether Lewis and William Clark, at the request of President Thomas Jefferson, led an expedition to survey the land West of the Missipppi, known as Louisana Territory, that had been purchased from France in 1803. Lewis, Clark, and the rest of their expedition began their journey near St. Louis, Missouri, in May 1804. This group - often called the Corps of Discovery by historians - faced nearly every obstacle and hardship imaginable on their trip. They braved dangerous waters and harsh weather and endured hunger, illness, injury, and fatigue. During their first winter, they recieved help and guidance from Sacagawea, a Shoshone Indian.
Lewis and Clark 2 people in this group
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Mysterious Deaths
View groupAn unsolved crime never fails to fascinate us, especially when it involves the death of a celebrity. Over the years many famous individuals, from movie stars to politicians to rockers, have died in mysterious circumstances. Conspiracy theories and accusations of foul play abound, but we may never know fact from fiction. Here's a look at some of the most famous mysterious deaths.
Mysterious Deaths 28 people in this group
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Wild West
View groupThe Wild West holds a special place in American history—Western films depict it as a place where the rules didn't apply, and where scores were settled with gun slinging and shootouts. The colorful characters who made up the old West were men, women, cowboys, Indians, sheriffs just plain outlaws. Though we've come to have a more nuanced understanding of the good and the bad of the old West, we can still learn from the stories of the people who made it and who wrote about what it was.
Wild West 24 people in this group
