Lewis and Clark Return to St. Louis from Their Expedition
The return of explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to St. Louis on September 23, 1806, marked a significant milestone in American history, representing the first recorded round-trip overland crossing of the North American continent. Their expedition, which began on May 14, 1804, was commissioned to explore the vast territories acquired through the Louisiana Purchase, extending from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains. Accompanied by guides including Toussaint Charbonneau and his Shoshone wife Sacagawea, the team navigated difficult terrains, following rivers and traversing mountain ranges, ultimately reaching the Pacific Ocean at the Columbia River in November 1805.
The journey back to St. Louis was initiated in March 1806 and was comparatively swift compared to their outbound journey. Lewis and Clark's detailed accounts of the geography, flora, fauna, and indigenous cultures they encountered contributed significantly to the understanding of the American West. Their findings not only facilitated future exploration and settlement but also established a valid claim for the United States over the Oregon Territory. Upon their return, both explorers received substantial rewards, including land grants and important governmental positions, reflecting their pivotal role in the westward expansion of the United States.
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Lewis and Clark Return to St. Louis from Their Expedition
Lewis and Clark Return to St. Louis from Their Expedition
The explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark returned to St. Louis, Missouri, on September 23, 1806. Their return marked the first recorded round-trip overland crossing of the North American continent.
They had set out on May 14, 1804, with two dugouts and a 55-foot keelboat to explore the vast territory, stretching from the Mississippi to the Rocky Mountains, that the United States had acquired in the Louisiana Purchase. The explorers, including two guides— Toussaint Charbonneau and his Shoshone wife Sacagawea—followed the Missouri River north and west to its source in southwestern Montana. They next took to horseback and detoured through the Bitterroot Range of the Rockies until they finally reached the headwaters of the Clearwater River. The Clearwater River led into the Snake River, and the Snake River into the Columbia River, which carried the explorers westward along what is now the boundary between the states of Oregon and Washington. On November 15, 1805, they finally reached the mouth of the Columbia and sighted the Pacific Ocean. On March 23, 1806, after the end of winter, Lewis and Clark began their comparatively rapid trip back to St. Louis, where they arrived on September 23, 1806.
In providing the first detailed descriptions of the largely unknown territory through which they had traveled, Lewis and Clark helped open the west to further exploration and new settlement while giving the United States a valid claim to the Oregon Territory. Lewis and Clark were rewarded with double their promised pay and 1,600 acres of public land apiece. Lewis was later appointed governor of the Louisiana Territory while Clark was named superintendent of Indian affairs at St. Louis and eventually became governor of the Missouri Territory.