In 1804, President Thomas Jefferson helped the United States in purchasing the Louisiana Territory from the French.  The size of the U.S. had doubled.

Americans did not know much about this land, and Jefferson wanted Lewis and Clark to explore the land.  He wanted them to follow the Missouri River as far as they could and he wanted them to go to the Pacific Ocean.  Along the way, Lewis and Clark were to write down everything they saw and did in a journal. 

Lewis and Clark have just returned from their journey west along the Missouri.  Thomas Jefferson, the president, wants a report on what they observed and found along the way.

Your mission: You and your partner will report your findings to President Jefferson. He wants a detailed report of what you discovered along your 2-year journey.

• Who were the members of your team?  What did they do?
• What kinds of plant and animal life did you discover?
• How did the Native Americans treat you?  How did you communicate with them?

• To begin, read pages 103-105 in your Missouri Then and Now books to gather some background information.
• Use your note-taking graphic organizer to help you with your research.

Use the following links to help you gather information about your journey.

• Lewis and Clark as Naturalists - Click on The Collection on the right side of your screen.  Then, click on plants or animals to find information. 
   
• Native Americans - Choose 2 or 3 Native American tribes to learn about. 
   
• Lewis & Clark Across Missouri
  
• Lewis and Clark Trail Map or Interactive Lewis and Clark Map
  

• Discovering Lewis & Clark
  

• Meet the Team - The Corps of Discovery - read about each important member of the team, including Seaman.
  
• More Information about Members of the Corps of Discovery