Lewis and Clark

This passage is about two famous explorers, Lewis and Clark.

Lexile Level: 560L

Categories: History People & Places

In 1804, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark set out to explore the land to the west of the United States. President Jefferson had ordered them to find a route to the Pacific Ocean. They led 45 men on this journey. Their group was called the Corps of Discovery. They traveled by foot and by boat. They visited lands that would later become 11 states. Lewis and Clark left from Illinois. They reached the ocean in present day Washington state. Along the way, the two men kept journals. They wrote about the Native Americans they met. A Native American woman helped guide the men over the Rocky Mountains. Lewis and Clark described the new plants, animals, and insects they saw. They mapped the land. In three years, they traveled 8,000 miles. Their trip was very important in U.S. history. It opened the doors for expansion to the west.