William+Clark

=William Clark= = = = = = = = = toc William Clark is one of the most renowned people in American history because of his famous expedition with Meriwether Clark called the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Because of their exploring on this adventure, we have states such as California, Nevada, Utah, North and South Dakota, Nebraska, and almost every other state in the continental U.S. that is west of the Mississippi River. Without William Clark and Meriwether Lewis and their amazing journey, America wouldn't be what it is today.

Early Life
Clark's birth occured on August 1st, 1770 as one of ten kids belonging to his mother and father. While living in Virginia, his family resided just about as far west as people at the time dared to live. However, they were able to live what was considered at the time "normal" lives. When he was 14, his family moved from their plantation in Virginia to Louisville, Kentucky. William Clark got a classical education that consisted of everyday subjects, but he didn't receive much education in mathematics. At 19, he became a member of the local militia in order to get the Native Americans that were around the Ohio Valley to get away from it. At 22, Clark became a member of the U.S. Army. He became an officer, but at 36 he had to quit his job he had at the time so he could administer the plantation of his family, the Clark family.

Why Explore?
Transportation for traveling and trading was hard in America in the late 1700s to the early 1800s, and President Jefferson who was elected in 1800. New Orleans was a place that was very beneficial for America to use for trading and through its ports they could get to the Atlantic ocean much more easily than having to cross the whole country, go over mountains, etcetera, so going down the Mississippi and to New Orleans' ports would be the best way to get to the ocean. France and Great Britan were fighting, basically to be the most powerful country in the world. France owned about three-quarters of the western part of America, which was called Louisiana. France wanted more money to fight off England, and a great way to do that would to sell Louisiana, benefiting both France and the United States. Once all this land was part of America, Jefferson wanted to see what it, its weather, inhabitants, plants, landforms, water systems, and many other things involving this new territory was like. In order to do this, Jefferson would need a lot of people fit for the job, so he hired his secretary he used for personal needs, Meriwether Lewis for the job. He met William Clark while they were warding off Indians around the Ohio area in the army; they became friends and Lewis wanted Clark to lead the journey with him. They gathered 43 other people to go on the expedition with them, making for a total of 45 on one of the most pivotal and accomplishing expeditions in the history of America.

The Journey
In order to make the United States bigger and more beneficial for itself, congress was asked for money to make the new territory cities and to make them developed. Congress gave $2,500 dollars to make this endeavor possible. In May of 1804, Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery started going up the Missouri River close to what is now St. Louis while boarding 3 canoes. Two months later, they met some Indians in the area that is now Council Bluffs, Iowa and they stopped there. The Indians there and throughout the expedition were mostly friendly and traded graciously with the Corps. After this encounter, the journey continued until they made Fort Mandan in preparation for the harsh winter coming in what is now North Dakota and they met the Mandan Indians. Lewis and Clark kept on going up the Missouri River, and they eventually, as they get farther west on the river, realized it had three tributaries. About halfway through the expedition they sent twelve members of the expedition back to Washington to show President Jefferson what the new land had to offer. They then used the Snake and Columbia Rivers trying to get to the Pacific Ocean. Throughout the journey, the Corps came across many obstacles: past the Missouri and through its mountains, there was no sight of the Pacific, just more mountains. But, in November, 1805, the ocean is sighted.

The End of the Expedition
Once the Corps of Discovery accomplishes their main goal, reaching the Pacific ocean, they turned back. They tried to use a shortcut to in a way "connect" the Missouri and Columbia Rivers. The Corps had missed this on the way west, costing them four extra days onto their time on the journey. The group also reincountered some Indians they had previously met. The group, which had split up about at the time two-thirds of the journey was completed, got back to St. Louis, Missouri on the 23rd of September, 1806. On the journey, almost 200 new plant species and almost 150 new animals were sighted and some returned back to Washington for the pleasure and education of the politicians there and President Jefferson. Lewis and Clark were praised very much, especially when they got back to Washington, for all they had done to benefit America, and they still are praised today.

Being second in command of one of the most important expedition in U.S. history was very beneficial for William Clark in many ways, one of which was in an aspect of fame. Clark earned Jefferson's trust hugely, which resulted in Clark being chosen as principal Indian agent by the President himself. Clark became a fairly big figure in government: he was in charge of a Louisiana Territory militia, and for seven years he was the Missouri Territory's governor. Clark's death occurred on the first of September in 1838.