Lewis+&+Clark

**Meriwether Lewis (August 18, 1774 – October 11, 1809)** Meriwether Lewis was born on August 18, 1774 in Albemarle County, Virginia to parents Lt. William Lewis and Lucy Meriwether. His father died of pneumonia when Meriwether was a young boy. His mother remarried Captain John Marks and the family relocated to Georgia. In Georgia Meriwether grew a passion for the outdoors and hunting, he also had many interactions with Native Americans during this time. At the age of thirteen he was sent back to Virginia to his step-fathers relatives to be formally educated and ended up graduating from Liberty Hall. After receiving his education, Meriwether joined the Virginia militia in 1794. He was involved in the Whiskey Rebellion and then in 1795 joined the U.S. Army as a Lieutenant, one of his commanding officers happened to be William Clark. In 1801, as a Captain in the First Infantry Regiment, Lewis left the army and was appointed as the personal secretary and aid to President Thomas Jefferson. When Jefferson began to plan the expedition west, he chose Lewis to lead the expedition. Jefferson acknowledged Lewis as a skilled soldier and woodsman, only 28 years old but a man with immense courage.

**William Clark (August 1, 1770 – September 1, 1838)** William Clark was born August 1, 1770 in Caroline County,Virginia. He was one of ten children born to John and Ann Rogers Clark. He received no formal education however, was tutored briefly at home. After the American Revolutionary War ended in 1783, Clark and his family relocated to Kentucky. They lived on a plantation called "Mulberry Hill" near Louisville, Kentucky. While living in Kentucky Williams oldest brother George Rogers Clark taught him a lot about nature and wilderness survival skills. In 1789 at the age of 19 years old William joined a volunteer militia force and remained in the service for 7 years, during which time he joined the Legion of the United States as a Lieutenant. In 1796 he retired due to poor health. After his military career in 1803, Clark was recruited by Lewis to join him and share command of the newly formed Corps of Discovery, his expertise with map making proved to be a true asset on their journey. For more on the Lewis and Clark Expedition... http://www.nationalgeographic.com/lewisandclark/

http://www.lewisclark.net/

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