-
In the spring of 1803 Merriwether Lewis is picked by Thomas Jefferson to lead the expedition. That summer a large keelboat is constructed in Pittsburg. After construction Lewis takes it down the Ohio River picking up William
Cark and the recruits along the way. They establish Camp Wood upstream from St. Louis and prepare for the journey. -
The expedition marks the first 4th of July west of the Mississippi River by firing the keelboat's cannon, and naming Independence Creek.
-
Corps of Discovery meet with representatives of the Oto and Missouri Indians, give peace medals, 15 star flags and other gifts.
-
Near present day Sioux City, Iowa, Sgt. Charles Floyd dies of a probable burst appendix. Captains name hilltops where he is buired Floyd's Bluff and a nearby stream, Floyd's River.
-
Friendly council with Yankton Sioux held.
-
All of the men attempt to drown a never before seen prairie dog out of its hole for shipment back to Jefferson.
-
Confrontation with Teton Soiux, who demand one of the expedition's boats as a toll to travel farther upriver. Cheif Black Buffalo resolves situation before any fighting. Expedition stays with tribe for 3 more days.
-
Expedition discovers earthlodge villages of the Mandan and Hidatsas Indians. The captains decide to build Fort Mandan across the river from the main village.
-
Toussaint Charbonneau, a French Canadian fur trapper living with the Hidatsas, is hired as an interpreter. His wife, Sacagawea, a Shoshone who had been captured by the Hidatsas and sold to Cahrbonneau, is also condsidered helpful as the Shoshone are said to live at the headwaters of the Missouri.
-
Fort Mandan completed, expedition moves in for the winter.
-
Sacagawea gives birth to baby boy, Jean Baptiste. (Jean Baptiste is the only child represented on United States money.)
-
Lewis and Clark send the keelboat and about a dozen men back downriver, with maps reports, Indian artifacts and other scientific specimens for Jefferson. The remaining party heads west.
-
Lewis and another hunter kill a large grizzly bear, which had never before been described for science.
-
William Clark names the Judith River in honor of a girl back in Virginia he hopes to marry.
-
The expedition comes to a fork in the river. Lewis and Clark believe the south fork is the Missouri, while all of the other men believe it is the north fork. Although they are not convinced that the south fork is the Missouri the captains recount; "they were ready to follow us anywhere we thought proper to direct."
-
Scouting ahead of the rest of the expedition, Lewis comes across the Great Falls of the Missouri. He also discovers four more waterfalls farther upstream. The expedition will have to portage over eighteen miles, taking nearly a month to get past them.
-
Sacagawea recognizes Beaverhead Rock and says they are nearing the headwaters of the Missouri, and her people, the Shoshone. Lewis and three other scout ahead.
-
Lewis ascends the final ridge toward the Continental Divide expecting to see plains and river flowing to the Pacific Ocean but finds even more mountains.
-
Lewis discovers a village of Shoshones and tries to negotitate for horses. Clark and the rest of the expedition arrives as well, and it is discovered tfat the Shoshone chief Camelhwait is Sacagawea's brother. Lewis and Clark name the site Camp Fortunate.
-
The expedition sets out with a Shoshone guide called Old Toby, along with 29 horses and a mule.
-
The expedition reaches the Columbia River.
-
Clark sees Mount Hood in the distance, named by a British sea captain in 1792, proof that they are near the ocean.
-
Clark, who believes he can see the ocean writies his most famous journal entry: "Ocian in view! O! the joy." The expedition is actually still 20 miles for the sea. Terrible storms halt the expedition for nearly 3 weeks.
-
On the side of the Columbia River winter headquarters are built.
-
The winter camp, Fort Clatsop is presented to the Clatsop Indains and the expedition begins the journey home.
-
Having crosseds the Bitteroot Mountains again, the exspedition breaks into smaller groups in order to explore more of the Louisiana Territory. Clark and his group head down the Yellowstone River, while Lewis takes the shortcut to the Great Falls, and then heads north alon the Maris River.
-
Near present day Billings, Montana, Clark names a sandstone outcropping Pompy's Tower, after Sacagawea's son, nicknamed Little Pomp. On the rock face Clark enscribes his name and the date.
-
All of the parties are reunited downstream from the mouth of the Yellowstone River.
-
The expedition returns to the Mandan village. Charbonneau, Sacagawea and Jean Baptist stay.
-
Lewis and Clark reach St. Louis. Lewis and Clark are treated as national heros. In the fall they return to Washington D. C. Jefferson grants each of the crew double pay and 320 acres of land as a reward, the captains get 1600 acres. Lewis is named govenor of the Louisiana Territory, Clark is made Indian agent for the West and brigadier general of the territory's militia.
