Lewis and Clark's expedition originated in the mind of President Thomas Jefferson as a way to make scientific and geographic observations about the lands of the new Louisiana Purchase. Highlighting the extraordinary spirit of courage and cooperation that existed among the members of the expedition, author Judith Edwards shows how Lewis and Clark were able to overcome the obstacles of unknown territory and potentially dangerous encounters with American Indians to open the way for settlers to begin the westward expansion to the Pacific Ocean.

Few events in American history have shaped the nation like the Lewis and Clark Expedition. It opened the American West for settlement. It redrew the map of the United States. It identified an array of native peoples, spectacular places, fascinating creatures, and extraordinary flora unknown in "civilized" America. It defined the American nation as a land stretching from coast to coast-and it launched the spread of population in a mighty frontier migration unlike anything ever witnessed in America before or since. Lewis and Clark on the Trail of Discovery contains 19 chapters, detailing the expedition chronologically. A "museum in a book," this fascinating volume contains re-creations of original documents such as diary entries, letters, maps, and sketches-all meticulously reproduced so that the reader can actually handle and examine them. Among the documents included in the book are: The actual letter of credit Jefferson wrote to Lewis committing the U.S. government to pay for the expedition. The code Thomas Jefferson provided to Lewis for sending secret messages. Clark's sketch of the technique some Indians used to flatten their heads, a sign of prestige. Clark's letter of gratitude to Sacagawea, a Shoshone teenager who helped the expedition. A newspaper account of the expedition's return to St. Louis.

Lewis and Clark's Expedition from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean was the first governmental exploration of the "Great West." The history of this undertaking is the personal narrative and official report of the first white men who crossed the continent between and British and Spanish possessions.

Provides facts about the Lewis and Clark Expedition and its importance in American history.

Chronicles the epic journey of Lewis and Clark across uncharted wilderness to the Pacific Ocean, in a narrative that incorporates entries from the explorers' journals and a new preliminary essay on making a filmed recreation.

The Lewis and Clark expedition was an 8,000-mile journey that changed the United States forever. This volume introduces students to the history and politics of the Louisiana Purchase and westward expansion while exploring the adventures and challenges faced by the Corps of Discovery on their expedition. Readers meet important historical figures, such as Thomas Jefferson, Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, and Sacagawea. Primary sources allow readers to connect with historical context and place themselves in the time period. Accessible text and accompanying visuals will make the Lewis and Clark expedition come to life.

President Thomas Jefferson's Louisiana Purchase added about 828,000 square miles of unmapped, unknown land to the young United States. To explore and map this great swath of land, Jefferson sent Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, and their Corps of Discovery to brave rivers, plains, and mountains. They met American Indians both friendly and hostile, discovered dozens of previously unknown species, and carved for themselves an enduring place in American history. Complete with maps, excerpts from Lewis and Clark's journals, and images of artifacts, this volume tells a timeless tale of adventure, hardship, and triumph.