A Simplified and Clark Timeline
If you’re not used to reading long and rambling historical texts, here is a simplified Lewis and Clark timeline to give you a comprehensive overview of their famous expedition.
1803
President Jefferson tasks his secretary-aide, Meriwether Lewis, to be a commander of an expedition, and Lewis writes a request for William Clark to be his partner in the expedition.
July 4
The President announced the Louisiana Purchase. Lewis and Clark are commanded by the President to find a Northwest route via the Mississippi River, create maps of the area, and establish the nature and scope of area of the Mississippi River Basin. If and when possible, Lewis and Clark must also establish diplomatic relations with Native American tribes, bring back relevant samples for further study, and write journals to keep note of events that take place during the expedition.
1804
May 14
The expedition leaves for the West from Missouri.
August to September
They meet with Oto and Missouri Indians, and the Corps of Discovery gifts them with fifteen star flags and peace medals among other things as a sign of goodwill. On August 20, Sgt. Charles Floyd dies.
Later, the corps enjoys a peaceful council with Yankton Sioux. They send back a never-before-seen prairie dog, which they initially attempted to drown, to the President. A fight between the corps and Teton Sioux is averted with the mediation of Chief Black Buffalo.
October to December
The expedition comes across earth lodge villages of Hidatsas and Mandan Indians and they build Fort Mandan for them, which would be completed at the end of the year. Meanwhile, they meet Toussaint Charbonneau and his wife Sacagawea, both of which would later prove to be helpful to the expedition.
1805
April
A dozen members return to east, bearing maps and other findings, while the rest of the expedition proceeds further west. Along the way, they encounter a never-before-seen grizzly bear.
June
Lewis and Clark find a fork which they believe rests at the south of Missouri while the others believe it to be in the opposite direction. In scouting the area, Lewis also discovers the Great Falls of the Missouri and for other falls upstream.
July to August
They reach all three forks of Missouri and continue on to the land of Shoshones, Sacagawea’s tribe. Meanwhile, back at home, the President receives shipment sent by the expedition.
The Shoshone chief is Sacagawea’s brother and they leave in the company of a Shoshone guide, a mule, and twenty-nine horses.
September – October
The expedition almost starves while crossing the mountains of Montana before reaching Idaho. They reach Columbia River and when Clark glimpses Mount Hood, he considers it proof of the ocean’s promixity.
November
In the wake of raging storms, majority of the expedition heads south of the river to set camp for winter.
1806
January
Jefferson meets returning members of the expedition together with several Yankton Sioux chiefs.
March 23, 1806
Clatsop Indians are gifted with Fort Clatsop. The expedition begins their journey home.
July
The expedition comes across several Blackfeet warriors and camp with them. Later, the warriors are caught attempting to steal the expedition’s weapons and horses and a fight ensues, resulting with the death of two Blackfeet warriors.
September 23, 1806
The journey ends when Lewis and Clark arrive at St. Louis.
Tags: Corps of Discovery
