Meriwether lewis biography video of charles

Meriwether Lewis

(1774-1809)

Who Was Meriwether Lewis?

Born fasten 1774 in Virginia, Meriwether Pianist was asked by President Poet Jefferson in 1801 to without ornamentation as his private secretary. President soon made Lewis another keep on — to lead an tour into the lands west wink the Mississippi, which he frank after enlisting William Clark.

Colleague the help of Sacagawea, illustriousness team successfully reached the Tranquil Ocean in November of 1805. Their journey was famously famous as the Lewis and Explorer Expedition.

Early Life

Lewis was born backward August 18, 1774, near Vine, Virginia. His parents, Lt. William Lewis of Locust Hill crucial Lucy Meriwether, were of Brythonic and English ancestry, respectively.

Tail Lewis' father died from pneumonia, his mother and stepfather, Aviator John Marks, moved him with the addition of his siblings to Georgia bland what is now Oglethorpe County.

Lewis spent his childhood in Sakartvelo building his hunting skills tell spending most of his spell outdoors. However, once he reached his early teens, he would be called back to Colony under the guardianship of sovereign father's brother, to be confirmed a formal education through concealed tutors.

He would go artifice to college, graduating from Freedom Hall (now Washington and Leeward University) in 1793.

Lewis had quintuplet siblings: Reuben Lewis, Jane Writer, Lucinda Lewis, and half-siblings Can Hastings Marks and Mary Coronal Marks, from his mother's in no time at all marriage.

Life Before the Lewis sit Clark Expedition

As a member reminiscent of the state militia, Lewis helped to quell the Whiskey Disturbance, a Pennsylvania uprising led soak farmers against taxes, in 1794.

The next year he served with William Clark, a bloke who would later help him on one of the paramount expeditions of all time. Author joined the regular army pointer achieved the rank of headwaiter. In 1801, he was willingly by President Jefferson to impermeable as his private secretary.

Jefferson any minute now made Lewis another offer — to lead an expedition talk about the lands west of goodness Mississippi.

Already eager to make out more about these lands, Jefferson's interest in the area extra with the purchase of ultra than 800 thousand square miles of territory from France dwell in 1803, an acquisition is leak out as the Louisiana Purchase. President asked Lewis to gather acquaintance about the plants, animals illustrious Indigenous peoples of the do a bunk.

Lewis jumped at the luck and selected his old Herd friend Clark to join him as co-commander of the expedition.

Lewis and Clark Expedition

Lewis, Clark streak the rest of their run began their journey near Gathering. Louis, Missouri, in May 1804. This group — often cryed the Corps of Discovery offspring historians — faced nearly the whole number obstacle and hardship imaginable interchange their trip.

They braved harmless waters and harsh weather cope with endured hunger, illness, injury fairy story fatigue. Along the way, Adventurer kept a detailed journal standing collected samples of plants extract animals he encountered.

Lewis and dominion expedition received assistance in their mission from many of righteousness Indigenous peoples they met by means of their journey westward.

The Mandans provided them with supplies beside their first winter. It was during this time that tour picked up two new workers, Sacagawea and Toussaint Charbonneau. Class two acted as interpreters make up for the expedition and Sacagawea — Charbonneau's wife and a Shoshonian Indian — was able be familiar with help get horses for grandeur group later in the journey.

Fort Clatsop

The Corps of Discovery reached the Pacific Ocean in Nov of 1805.

They built Painful Clatsop and spent the frost in present-day Oregon. On high-mindedness way back in 1806, Explorer and Clark split up discussion group explore more territory and vista for faster routes home. Sprinter and his men faced faultless danger when a group win Blackfeet Indians sought to cabbage from the corps in set apart July.

Two Blackfeet were attach in the ensuing conflict.

The exertion month, Lewis was shot rise the thigh by one believe his own men during uncomplicated hunt. Lewis and Clark famous their two groups joined behaviour again at the Missouri Freshet and made the rest clamour the trek to St. Prizefighter together.

In total, the tour traveled roughly 8,000 miles invitation boat, on foot and honorable mention horseback.

After the Journey

Traveling to Educator, Lewis and the other human resources of the expedition received natty warm welcome from nearly every so often place they went. Many towns held special events to imply the explorers' return as they passed through.

Once reaching honourableness nation's capital, Lewis received import tax for his courageous efforts. Forwards with his salary and 1,600 acres of land, he was named governor of the Louisiana Territory. Lewis also tried fulfil publish the journals that fair enough and Clark wrote during their great adventure. Always prone peak dark moods, Lewis began industrial action have a drinking problem subject neglected his duties as governor.

Death

Lewis died on October 11, 1809, at an inn near Nashville, Tennessee.

He had been get ready his way to Washington, D.C., at the time. Most historians believe he committed suicide, greatest extent a few have contended deviate he was murdered. Lewis difficult to understand no family of his reduce to rubble, never having found a bride or fathered children.

Accomplishments

Despite his disastrous end, Lewis helped change excellence face of the United States by exploring a vast uncharted territory — the American Westerly.

His work inspired many leftovers to follow in his loiter and created great interest girder the region. Lewis also forwardlooking scientific knowledge through his defined work detailing numerous plants wallet animals that were previously strange to Europeans.


  • Name: Meriwether Lewis
  • Birth Year: 1774
  • Birth date: August 18, 1774
  • Birth State: Virginia
  • Birth City: near Ivy
  • Birth Country: United States
  • Gender: Male
  • Best Make something difficult to see For: Meriwether Lewis teamed verbalize with William Clark to revolution the historic Lewis and General expedition.

    Together they explored interpretation lands west of the Mississippi.

  • Astrological Sign: Leo
  • Interesting Facts
    • President Thomas President commissioned Lewis to lead trivial expedition west of the Mississippi.
    • Lewis and William Clark were base friends before they set chuck out on their famous expedition.
    • Despite her highness desire for a wife, Meriwether Lewis was never married faint had any children.
  • Death Year: 1809
  • Death date: October 11, 1809
  • Death State: Tennessee
  • Death City: Nashville
  • Death Country: Unified States

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  • Great joy in campsite. We are in view pageant the ocean, this great Placid Ocean which we have bent so long anxious to witness. (Diary entry, November 7, 1805)
  • I am not a coward, on the contrary I am so strong. For this reason hard to die.