Defining Moments: The Lewis and Clark Expedition provides a detailed account of the epic journey through the unknown western wilderness undertaken by Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, and their Corps of Discovery in 1804-1806.

Table of Contents

• Preface
• How to Use This Book
• Research Topics for Defining Moments: The Lewis and Clark Expedition
• NARRATIVE OVERVIEW
• Prologue
• Chapter 1: The Louisiana Purchase
• Chapter 2: The Corps of Discovery
• Chapter 3: Up the Missouri River, 1804
• Chapter 4: Across the Continent to the Pacific, 1805
• Chapter 5: The Return Journey, 1806
• Chapter 6: Settlement of the West
• Chapter 7: Legacy of the Lewis and Clark Expedition
• BIOGRAPHIES
• Toussaint Charbonneau (c. 1760-1843) Fur Trader and Translator for the Lewis and Clark Expedition
• William Clark (1770-1838) Co-Captain and Primary Mapmaker of the Corps of Discovery
• John Colter (c. 1774-1813) Explorer, Trapper, and Member of the Corps of Discovery
• George Drouillard (c. 1774-1810) Interpreter and Hunter for the Lewis and Clark Expedition
• Patrick Gass (1771-1870) Sergeant, Carpenter, and Journal Keeper for the Corps of Discovery
• Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) President Who Organized the Lewis and Clark Expedition
• Meriwether Lewis (1774-1809) Explorer, Naturalist, and Co-Captain of the Corps of Discovery
• Sacagawea (c. 1788-1812) Interpreter and Guide for the Lewis and Clark Expedition
• York (c. 1770-c. 1822) Enslaved African-American Member of the Corps of Discovery
• PRIMARY SOURCES
• Alexander Mackenzie Inspires American Exploration
• President Thomas Jefferson Asks Congress to Fund an Expedition
• The Louisiana Purchase Treaty
• Jefferson Provides Meriwether Lewis with Detailed Instructions
• Lewis Buys Equipment and Supplies for the Expedition
• Lewis Scouts the Great Falls of the Missouri River
• Sergeant Patrick Gass Crosses Treacherous Mountain Passes
• William Clark Searches for Winter Quarters on the Pacific Coast
• Sergeant John Ordway Returns to Civilization
• Lewis Informs Jefferson That He Completed His Mission
• Jefferson Meets with an American Indian Delegation
• Native Americans Offer Their Perspective on Westward Expansion
• Historian James Ronda Explores the Legacy of Lewis and Clark
• Important People, Places, and Terms
• Chronology
• Sources for Further Study
• Bibliography
• Photo and Illustration Credits