The Louisiana purchase
In 1803 the United States almost doubled in size when France sold them the area called the Louisiana Purchase. Today this area is part of 15 states but then not much was known about the new land. President Thomas Jefferson decided that it should be explored. He also wanted to explore all the way to the Pacific Ocean before other countries.
President Jefferson picked his personal secretary Meriweather Lewis to lead the expedition. Lewis asked William Clark to be the co-captain for the trip. Captain Clark got 43 men that he called the Corp of Discovery that would go on the trip. There had to be men that could do
everything from building boats and forts to hunting because the trip was going to be long.
President Jefferson picked his personal secretary Meriweather Lewis to lead the expedition. Lewis asked William Clark to be the co-captain for the trip. Captain Clark got 43 men that he called the Corp of Discovery that would go on the trip. There had to be men that could do
everything from building boats and forts to hunting because the trip was going to be long.