Lewis and Clark are well known explorers in the United States. They opened the fur trade and mapped the USA .

Soon after Thomas Jefferson became president, he began to plan an expedition for Lewis and Clark through the Louisiana Territory. He thought it should include gathering scientific information about the land and establishing communication with the Indians who lived there. Most Indians were friendly, but sometimes when they met they were not so nice.

Lewis and Clark were accompanied by Sacagawea, a Native American. She became their interpreter.

There expedition was sponsored by the U.S. government. At the beginning of the exposition there were about 50 men. The group mainly traveled by boat, canoe, Keelboat, and the pirogue. The men did have weapons like guns and air guns.

Lewis, the leader, mainly studied the plants and animals. Clark , an explorer and leader of the group as well, had been a commanding officer in the Army. Lewis would frequently walk along the shore taking notes on the plants and animals. While Clark would stay aboard their ship and map it's course.

All together they traveled about 8,000 Miles on the expedition. They started in St. Louis. they journeyed up the Missouri River, across the Rocky Mountains.

Lewis and Clark are our best known American explorers. However, many others explored this land before them. Here are a few; Leif Ericson, Bartolomeu Dias, Christopher Columbus, John Cabot, Vasco da Gama, Amerigo Vespucci, Pedro Cabal, Vasco de Balboa, Ferdinand Magellan, Juan Pore de Leon.