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How Did William Clark To Explore The West

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Thomas Jefferson decided to send his secretary, Meriwether Lewis, to lead an expedition to explore the West. Lewis chose William Clark to go with him. They were to make careful studies on the geology, botany, and zoology of the region, and gather information on any natives they met. Also, they were to try to find the source of the Missouri River and seek evidence of British soldiers or forts in the area. They left St. Louis on May 14, 1804. They used a fifty-five-foot keelboat and two flat- bottomed dugouts, but when the Missouri River became shallow all the boats were abandoned. The group followed the Missouri, Snake, and Columbia rivers most of the way. At Fort Mandan a French fur trapper named Charbonneau and his wife Sacajawea joined

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