Name
Date
Thursday, February 16
Meriwether Lewis
By Colleen Messina
Most people have big dreams about adventures when they are young. Not everyone
can achieve them, however. Meriwether Lewis was different. His exploration of new
lands surpassed his wildest boyhood dreams.
Meriwether Lewis was born in Virginia on August 18, 1774. Meriwether lost his
father when he was only five years old. His father died of pneumonia. His mother,
Lucy, soon remarried. John Marks, Meriwether's stepfather, moved the family from
the family estate called Locust Hill. They moved to Georgia in 1780.
Young Meriwether loved to hunt and explore. When he was only eight, he often went
out in the middle of the night to go hunting with his dogs. Nothing bothered him. He
wasn't afraid of the dark. He wasn't afraid of being uncomfortable. He even went in
the middle of winter! He learned a lot about nature from his own experiences and from
his family. His mother taught him how to gather herbs. She knew how to use them to
cure illness. Meriwether thought that studying plants and animals was almost as much
fun as going out in the middle of the night.
Meriwether also met Indians at his new home. The Cherokees lived close to the white settlers, but they were not
friendly. Meriwether tried to help establish friendship between the Indians and his neighbors. A friend once
described him as "having inherited the energy, courage, activity, and good understanding of his mother."
Meriwether was not only brave and curious; he was also a good friend.
When he was about 13, Meriwether went back to Virginia for schooling and to manage his family's estate, Locust
Hill. He was taught by local pastors, known as parsons. He had two teachers, William Douglas and Matthew
Maury. Parson Douglas also taught three future presidents during his teaching career. Jefferson, Madison, and
Monroe were also his students. A few years later, his stepfather died. His mother returned to Locust Hill with the
rest of the family. Eighteen-year-old Meriwether was now the head of a large household.
Lewis served in the militia, but his real adventures began when Thomas Jefferson sent him a letter. The president
offered the young army captain a job as his secretary and aide. Jefferson wanted to send someone to study the
West. He talked about his ideas with Meriwether, who volunteered to lead the expedition. It would fulfill every
dream he had had as a boy exploring the Georgia woods.
Jefferson made sure that Lewis had all the training he would need. He wanted to make sure that Lewis had enough
knowledge to come back alive from the rigorous journey. Jefferson also wanted to be sure that everything Lewis
discovered on the trip would be well-documented. He sent Lewis to study botany, astronomy, and natural history at
the University of Pennsylvania.
Lewis wrote to his friend, William Clark, and asked him to come on the expedition. The two young men were both
ready for excitement. They both had the courage and intelligence to survive in the wilderness. Have you ever heard
the expression "opposites attract"? That phrase could easily apply to these men. Lewis was an introvert. Clark was
gregarious. Lewis was more refined and had a better education. Clark was practical and could take action quickly.
Their temperaments balanced each other and helped the expedition become one of the greatest feats of exploration
in the New World.
The expedition left on May 14, 1804, and came back at the end of the summer of 1806. Many books have been
written about Lewis and Clark's landmark expedition. The group was called the Corps of Discovery, and its
mission was to find the best route to the Pacific Ocean.
For his success in the expedition, Lewis received 1,500 acres of land and Jefferson appointed him governor of the
Louisiana Territory. In 1807, Lewis returned to Washington, D.C., to attend events celebrating the success of the
expedition. He began organizing his extensive journal and field notes for publication.
Name
Date
Thursday, February 16
Meriwether Lewis died on October 11, 1809. He died from gunshot wounds, but no one knows the details of his
death. Thomas Jefferson always thought highly of his determined friend. He said that Lewis had "courage
undaunted, possessing a firmness and perseverance of purpose which nothing but impossibilities could divert."
Meriwether Lewis was a great explorer and pioneer. Many monuments all over the Northwest mark the trail of the
expedition he led. A woodpecker, a group of fish, and a group of plants were named after him! His courageous
exploration of the West opened a new chapter in American history that helped many others fulfill their dreams, too.
Meriwether Lewis
Questions
1. What was the name of the Lewis family estate?
A. Grasshopper Grove
B. Bumblebee Bramble
C. Locust Hill
D. Dragonfly Dale
2. What did Meriwether do in the middle of the night when he was 8?
A. read
B. hunted for ghosts
C. made frequent trips to the bathroom
D. went hunting with his dogs
3. Which president wanted Lewis to explore the West?
A. Madison
B. Monroe
C. Jefferson
D. Washington
4. Where did the president send Meriwether to study before the expedition?
A. Harvard
B. Cornell University
C. Washington State University
D. University of Pennsylvania
5. Whom did Lewis select as his partner for his expedition?
A. George Washington
B. Thomas Jefferson
C. William Clark
D. his mother
6. Which Indian tribe did Lewis first become acquainted with as a boy?
A. Navajo
B. Cherokee
C. Sioux
D. Blackfoot
Name
Date
Thursday, February 16
7. True or false? Lewis was more introverted than Clark.
A. true
B. false
8. Which kind of bird was named after Lewis?
A. a chicken
B. an eagle
C. a duck
D. a woodpecker
If you explored a new territory, what kind of monument would you like erected in your honor? What kind of
bird or animal would you like named after you?
Name
Date
Friday, February 17
Exploration - Lewis and Clark
By Mary Perrin
When you look at a map, you will notice the United States includes all
land from the east coast to the west coast or from "sea to shining sea."
The United States did not always just have "states." At one time it had
what was also called territories. Some territories belonged to the United
States and other territories belonged to other countries.
President Thomas Jefferson wanted to gain more land for the United
States. He wanted more land west of the Mississippi River. He wanted
land that did not belong to the United States. The United States
purchased the Louisiana Territory from France in 1803. Lewis and Clark
were asked by President Thomas Jefferson to explore this new land.
While exploring, they found animals and plants they had never seen before. They met Native Americans. They
made maps. They marked rivers and lakes on the maps. They also wrote down important observations about the
temperature and weather. They also noted what the soil was like in different places.
When they returned to Washington, D.C., they were honored for an exploration well done. You may live or know
someone who lives west of the Mississippi River. Lewis and Clark were the first two Americans to travel west of
this major river. They were brave men! Later, the United States was able to include other territories, too.
Eventually, the United States included all land from sea to shining sea.
Exploration - Lewis and Clark
Questions
1. The Louisiana Purchase included land ______ of the Mississippi River.
A. north
B. south
C. west
D. east
2. The main idea of this passage is mostly about ______.
A. Exploring unknown land
B. Finding something that has been lost
C. Giving up land to France
D. None of the above
3. From "sea to shining sea" stands for all land between the Pacific Ocean and ______.
A. The Mississippi River
B. Lake Michigan
C. the Atlantic Ocean
D. The Gulf of Mexico
Name
Date
Friday, February 17
4. Before exploring the new territory, Lewis and Clark ______ their journey. They learned about different
types of medicines, plants, animals, and even how to follow the stars.
A. Made
B. Found
C. Prepared for
D. Refused
Why was the Louisiana Purchase a big deal for the United States? What do you think the United States would
be like today if the United States did not purchase the land from France?
Name
Date
Saturday, February 18
Lewis, Clark, Sacagawea, and Pomp
By Sharon Fabian
President Jefferson chose Captain Meriwether Lewis to lead an expedition. Captain Lewis chose Lieutenant
William Clark to help him. Along the way, they recruited other European American traders and trappers and also
Native American Indians to take part in the expedition. The most famous of these was the Shoshone Indian
teenager, Sacagawea. Sacagawea had a baby just before the expedition began. The baby, named Jean Baptiste,
made the journey too. Jean Baptiste was nicknamed Pomp.
The main purpose of the expedition was to find a water route across the continent to the Pacific Ocean. This was
not a new idea; others had tried before to find shorter routes across America to the Pacific. Earlier expeditions had
often involved fierce and violent battles with the Native Americans. Earlier expeditions were often a way to search
for riches, and often these treasures were just stolen from their owners. Lewis and Clark's expedition was a little
different. In fact, another purpose of their expedition was to establish friendly relationships and set up trade with
Indian nations. Taking Sacagawea along turned out to make a big difference too.
Lewis and Clark began their expedition in 1804 with a winter camp near St. Louis, Missouri. There they got their
supplies ready as they waited for their boats to be completed. Their second winter they camped at Fort Mandan,
home of the Mandan Indians. This is where Sacagawea joined the expedition. They traveled through the territory of
the Louisiana Purchase, which had belonged to France. One of the explorers described the Great Plains as being
flat as far as the eye could see, without a single tree. In the West, there was wildlife everywhere they looked: deer,
elk, buffalo, antelopes, grizzly bears, bighorn sheep, wolves, coyotes, eagles, geese, and more.
They followed the Missouri River as far as they could. By the time they arrived in Montana, they realized that if
they wanted to reach the Pacific Ocean, they would have to make part of their journey over land. The steep Rocky
Mountains loomed ahead of them.
Sacagawea helped make the expedition a success in many ways. She served as a guide, or "pilot" as Clark said,
through Shoshone territory. She acted as a translator between the European Americans and the Shoshones. She was
able to talk Shoshone Indians into trading horses, and also found out from them the best route over the Rocky
Mountains. She also was able to identify edible plants to keep the explorers fed.
They finally made it to the West Coast and built Fort Clatsop for their winter camp, named after the local Clatsop
Indians. There Sacagawea, baby Pomp, Lewis, Clark, and the rest of the explorers got to see the Pacific Ocean for
the first time. They also got their first look at a whale!
It has been more than 200 years since Lewis and Clark set out to explore the North American continent. To
celebrate the anniversary, many parks and museums had special Lewis and Clark events. Sacagawea and Pomp
were featured on the gold dollar coin.
Lewis, Clark, Sacagawea, and Pomp
Questions
1. ______ was chosen by President Jefferson to lead the expedition.
A. Pomp
B. Sacagawea
C. William Clark
D. Meriwether Lewis
Name
Date
Saturday, February 18
2. ______ was an Indian guide and translator.
A. Meriwether Lewis
B. Sacagawea
C. William Clark
D. Pomp
3. ______ was a nickname for Jean Baptiste.
A. Meriwether Lewis
B. Sacagawea
C. William Clark
D. Pomp
4. The main purpose of the expedition was to ______.
A. find a water route across the continent
B. establish friendly relationships and trade with the Indians
C. discover the Rocky Mountains
D. find the Missouri River
5. Lewis and Clark did accomplish the main purpose of their expedition.
A. true
B. false
6. Another purpose of the expedition was ______.
A. discover the Rocky Mountains
B. find a water route across the continent
C. establish friendly relationships and trade with the Indians
D. find the Missouri River
7. The explorers followed the ______ River.
A. Potomac
B. Missouri
C. St. Lawrence
D. Mississippi
8. Sacagawea helped to make the expedition successful because she could ______.
A. translate
B. find food
C. negotiate trades
D. all of the above
Name
Date
Sunday, February 19
Lewis and Clark: Meeting the First Settlers (Native Americans)
By Toni Lee Robinson
In 1803, President Jefferson sent men to France. They were on a kind of shopping
trip. They bought something very big! It was a huge chunk of land called the
Louisiana Purchase. Now the U.S. owned lots of property that no one knew much
about. There were many stories of the West. Some said there were wooly
mammoths and hills made of salt. There were even tales of blue-eyed Indians who
spoke Welsh.
Most people guessed that Indians lived in the area. But what were they like?
President Jefferson wanted to know about the people in the new land. Would the
Indian people be friendly? Jefferson sent Lewis and Clark to find out about the
West. Those who made the trip were called the Corps (core) of Discovery.
Jefferson wanted the Corps to visit as many native tribes as they could. He hoped
they would find a passage to the Pacific Ocean.
The Oto and Missouri were the first tribes the travelers found. These tribes had
lost many people to smallpox. They were now very few in number and lived
together on the Missouri River. Lewis and Clark met with some of their leaders. They gave the Indians presents
like sewing needles, ribbons, knives, and beads. Flags and peace medals were also presented.
The Corps had a parade for the chiefs. They showed gadgets like compasses and magnets. They fired Lewis's air
gun. Then Lewis gave a speech. He told the Indians they had a "great father" who lived far away. By this he meant
President Jefferson. Their new father wanted to help them, Lewis said. He wanted them to be friends with white
people and each other. After the speech, a chief from each tribe promised to visit Jefferson.
Lewis gave this talk to every tribe the explorers met. Each tribe was also given gifts and medals. The peace medals
had Jefferson's picture on one side and two clasped hands on the other. Jefferson wanted the tribes to know that
America now owned their land. He hoped the gifts would bring peace between Indians and whites.
The Corps had a friendly visit with the Yankton Sioux (sue). Tribal stories tell of a baby born during the visit.
They say Lewis wrapped the baby in a U.S. flag, saying, "He is a new American!"
The Teton Sioux were not so glad to see the explorers. This tribe was strong and fierce. They saw the Corps as a
threat to their position. One warrior tried to grab a canoe as payment for allowing the Corps to pass. A fight broke
out. Black Buffalo, one of the Sioux chiefs, stepped in. The fight was stopped, but neither side was happy.
In October the travelers came to the villages of the Mandan tribe. The Indian people welcomed them and gave
them food. Here Sacagawea (Sak-ah-gah-WEE-ah) and her husband joined the Corps. This native woman had a
new baby boy. The young mother would cross mountains, plains, and rivers with the explorers, carrying her baby
on her back. She became very important to the team.
The Shoshone were Sacagawea's people. The travelers were very glad when they found the Shoshone camps near
what is now the Montana-Idaho border. They wanted to buy horses from the Indians. The tribe was poor and its
people hungry. But they shared with the newcomers. The Indians were hoping to trade for rifles. Firearms would
help them hunt buffalo and protect themselves against other tribes.
Shoshone horses brought the team over the rough mountain pass. Cold and hungry, the travelers came to the
camps of the Nez Perce. Again they were given food and help. The Nez Perce were hunters and gatherers. They
were wonderful riders and had many horses. The Corps stayed a few days with the tribe on the Clearwater River in
what is now Idaho. There they made canoes in which to travel down the rivers to the ocean. Then they left their
horses with the Nez Perce and set out again.
Name
Date
Sunday, February 19
There were many tribes along the Columbia River. The Walla Walla, the Chinook, and the Tillamook were some
of these tribes. Paddling down the Columbia, Lewis and Clark reached the ocean in the fall of 1805. They built
Fort Clatsop and spent the winter as neighbors of the Clatsop tribe. In the spring, the weary travelers started home.
They gave their fort to the Clatsops.
On the way back home, Lewis and a small party of men camped with some men of the Blackfeet tribe. During the
night, one of the native men tried to steal a rifle. A fight broke out, and two Blackfeet were killed. Lewis and his
men left quickly! They rode day and night to get back to the main group. This was the only time during the whole
trip that anyone was killed.
Lewis and Clark met over fifty native tribes on their trip. Most were friendly and helpful. The journey might not
have succeeded without them. For the tribes, the meeting with the Corps was a sign that their world was changing.
Soon more people would come. The lives of the first settlers of America would never be the same.
Lewis and Clark: Meeting the First Settlers (Native Americans)
Questions
1. What president sent the explorers on their trip?
A. Madison
B. Lincoln
C. Washington
D. Jefferson
2. What did Lewis call Jefferson in his speech to the tribes?
A. the king
B. Mr. President
C. great father
D. great chief
3. What two tribes had many people die of smallpox?
A. Clatsop and Chinook
B. Oto and Missouri
C. Mandan and Shoshone
D. Teton and Yankton Sioux
4. What tribe was Sacagawea's people?
A. Mandan
B. Shoshone
C. Blackfeet
D. Nez Perce
5. What hunter-gatherer tribe kept the Corps' horses through the winter?
A. Nez Perce
B. Mandan
C. Blackfeet
D. Clatsop
Name
Date
Sunday, February 19
6. What tribe was given a fort when the explorers left?
A. Shoshone
B. Mandan
C. Clatsop
D. Nez Perce
7. About how many tribes did Lewis and Clark meet?
A. 50
B. 10
C. 20
D. 100
8. Did Lewis and Clark find a passage to the Pacific Ocean?
If you had been one of the native people who were visited by Lewis and Clark, how would you have felt about
the visit? Would you have been glad to see them? What would you think of the "great father?"
Name
Date
Monday, February 20
Sacagawea
By Mary L. Bushong
When the Lewis and Clark expedition went out to explore the Pacific Northwest, they were going where few, if
any, whites had gone before. This country was full of unexplored wilderness. When the expedition leaders needed
a guide, they chose a Shoshone woman named Sacagawea.
Little is known of her early life, but it is thought she was born between 1786 and 1790 near the present day town
of Lemhi, Idaho. Among many tribes the boys were rarely disciplined so that their spirits would not be broken, but
the girls were often beaten and made to do hard work. Sacagawea's tribe was poor from constant attacks by the
Minitaree Sioux. As a result there was little peace among the people.
When she was about 11 years old, her village was attacked. Many of her family were killed, and she was taken
captive. The Minitaree Sioux sold her to the Hidatsa-Mandans as a slave. While she was there with them, she was
given the name Sacagawea (pronounced with a hard G). It was actually two words put together, Sacaga, which
meant "bird", and wea, which meant "woman."
Sacagawea and another Shoshone girl were eventually sold to a French Canadian trapper, Toussaint Charbonneau.
He had been living with the Mandans for some time and married both of the girls in 1804.
It was in the fall of 1804 that the Lewis and Clark expedition arrived to spend the winter with the Mandans of
North Dakota. They eventually hired Charbonneau as a guide and interpreter, because he could speak Sioux. When
the explorers learned that his wife Sacagawea could speak Shoshone and Sioux, they insisted that she come along
to help them. Once they reached the Shoshone lands, they hoped she could help them barter for horses.
Sacagawea's baby son, Jean-Baptiste, was born on Feb. 11, 1805. When the expedition was ready to leave on April
7, 1805, she carried him in a cradleboard on her back. The explorers soon had good reason to be glad she was with
them. She could identify plants for their journals and find edible fruits and vegetables.
One time, they were on a river when a strong wing came up, tipping the boats over. She rescued the precious
journals, medicines and other valuable items that washed overboard. Her husband earned the scorn of the explorers
by sitting frozen with fear in the boat after allowing it to overturn.
While the explorers had been impressed with her quick thinking and constant help, they did not care personally
about her. In June 1805, she developed a fever, which soon became so bad the group was afraid she would die. It
was only at that point that they began to understand how important she had become to their success.
Sacagawea's husband Charbonneau cared nothing about his wife's health. Even when she was very ill, he would
give her no medicine but made her continue to gather and cook for him. Lewis and Clark finally stepped in to make
sure she was treated better. They gave her medicine and made sure she got some rest. Her gratitude for their help,
which allowed her to recover, made her very loyal to the explorers.
In July 1805, Sacagawea, her baby, Captain Clark, and Charbonneau were caught in a flash flood. They all
escaped, but Charbonneau lost his gun and ammunition in addition to Clark's compass. He sunk lower in the
opinion of the explorers, while they continued to think more highly of his wife.
By August 1805, the expedition met up with a band of Shoshone. Sacagawea's brother was their leader, and she
and he had a happy reunion. The explorers wanted to trade for horses, but the Shoshone felt sure that the white men
would eventually take their land. They eventually traded the horses for rifles with which they could defend
themselves and hunt more efficiently. The explorers showed their gratitude to Sacagawea by giving her a horse to
ride and making her husband walk.
As the expedition continued to travel west, they found even more reasons to be glad of Sacagawea's company. As
they traveled through the territories of other native tribes, they were allowed safe passage. The native peoples were
willing to believe the group was friendly, because war parties never traveled with women and babies.
Name
Date
Monday, February 20
When they finally reached the coast, it was decided that only a few of the group would go down to the ocean.
Sacagawea insisted on being one of the chosen as a reward for all of her help. Her request was granted, and she
was also given an equal voice in all decisions after that.
On returning home, Sacagawea had hoped for more equality in the white man's world, but she was disappointed.
She returned instead to the same Mandan village where she had met the explorers. It is thought she went to St.
Louis in 1809 with her husband. They were taking her son to Captain Clark to be educated. When she died from a
fever seven years later in 1812, she was about 24 years old.
When the exploits of Lewis and Clark were published, Sacagawea's legend began to grow. Many people did not
accept her death at first. Historical records indicate that she left behind an infant daughter. Eight months after her
death, with her husband already deceased; Captain William Clark formally adopted both of her children.
Some people believe that Sacagawea went to live on the Shoshone reservation in Wyoming, where she died an old
woman. There are only two unsubstantiated references though, and most experts say this woman was not the real
Sacagawea.
Although as a child Sacagawea suffered through beatings, slavery, and marriage to an abusive man as a young
teenager, her spirit was not broken. The result of her suffering was an enduring strength and courage, without
which the Lewis and Clark expedition would surely have failed. Because she chose to rise above her meager
beginning, she has a permanent place in history. She will always be remembered as the brave and courageous
woman who took part in the exploration of the Wild West.
Sacagawea
Questions
1. Why do you think that some Native Americans treated boys and girls so differently?
2. Why did the explorers respect Sacagawea?
3. When Sacagawea was very ill
A. she was given a horse to ride
B. she was left behind to take care of herself
C. her husband did her work for her
D. her husband forced her to do all of her work
Name
Date
Monday, February 20
4. Everyone was surprised when they saw the Shoshone chief was
A. a white man
B. Charbonneau's brother
C. Sacagawea's brother
D. a woman
5. The explorers showed Sacagawea how grateful they were to her by
A. giving her a horse to ride
B. giving her a day off
C. carrying her on their shoulders
D. allowing her to stay with her tribe
6. Why did the Shoshone tribe want rifles?
7. What special request did Sacagawea make when they reached the coast?
8. Why do you think Captain Clark adopted Sacagawea's children?
Name
Date
Monday, February 20
Clark's Signature 1806
William Clark's journal entry for July 25, 1806 read: "The natives have ingraved [SIC] on the face of this rock the
figures of animals &c. near which I marked my name and the day of the month & year."
1. Whose signature is this?
A. The Corps of Discovery's
B. the natives'
C. William Clark's
D. Meriwether Lewis's
2. On what date did Clark sign his name?
A. July 5, 1806
B. July 25, 1806
C. July 25, 1860
D. July 25, 1960
Name
Date
Monday, February 20
3. Why did Clark sign his name here?
A. He was bored.
B. He was marking his territory.
C. He was a vandal.
D. He was imitating the natives.
4. Who are the natives referred to by Clark in his journal?
A. American Indians
B. Colonial settlers
C. African-American slaves
D. none of the above
5. How do we know why Clark signed his name on this stone?
6. For what is Clark best known?
7. In one word, what was Clark's occupation?
8. How might Clark have engraved his name on this stone?
9. What was the Corps of Discovery? What was its objective? Did it accomplish its goal(s)?
Name
Date
Monday, February 20
10. Why might Clark have kept a journal? What function would it have served? Based on your knowledge of
history, create an imaginary journal entry for William Clark.