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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 04:25, Jun 19, 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 19 Jun 2013].
"Meriwether Lewis." 2013. The Biography Channel website. Jun 19 2013, 04:25 http://www.biography.com/people/meriwether-lewis-9381267.
"Meriwether Lewis," The Biography Channel website, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/meriwether-lewis-9381267 [accessed Jun 19, 2013].
"Meriwether Lewis," The Biography Channel website, http://www.biography.com/people/meriwether-lewis-9381267 (accessed Jun 19, 2013).
Meriwether Lewis [Internet]. The Biography Channel website; 2013 [cited 2013 Jun 19] Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/meriwether-lewis-9381267.
Meriwether Lewis, http://www.biography.com/people/meriwether-lewis-9381267 (last visited Jun 19, 2013).
Meriwether Lewis. The Biography Channel website. 2013. Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/meriwether-lewis-9381267. Accessed Jun 19, 2013.
Contents
Returning Home
Traveling to Washington, Lewis and the other members of the expedition received a warm welcome from nearly place they went. Many towns held special events to herald the explorers' return as they passed through. Once reaching the nation's capital, Lewis received payment for his courageous efforts. Along with his salary and 1,600 acres of land, he was named governor of the Louisiana Territory. Lewis also tried to publish the journals that he and Clark wrote during their great adventure. Always prone to dark moods, he began to have a drinking problem and neglected his duties as governor.Tragic End
Lewis died on October 12, 1809, at an inn near Nashville, Tennessee. He had been on his way to Washington, D.C., at the time. Most historians believe he committed suicide while a few have contended that he was murdered. Despite his tragic end, Lewis helped change the face of the United States by exploring uncharted territory - the American West. His work inspired many others to follow in his footsteps and created great interest in the region. Lewis also advanced scientific knowledge. Through his careful work numerous discoveries of previously unknown plants and animals were made.© 2013 A+E Networks. All rights reserved.
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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
