Meriwether Lewis was very significant in the Westward Expansion. He was one of the real leaders of this movement for over fifty years, and was one of the ones to lead America forward. Even today, his legacy still remains strong in America. After receiving our Louisiana territory in 1803, President Jefferson wanted to learn as much as possible about our new territory, therefore he sent Meriwether Lewis to learn about and explore the land. Lewis was one of President Jefferson’s secretary members, and Jefferson specifically chose him because he had the perfect skills required for a journey like this. Lewis chose a good friend of his, William Clark, to help out and decided Clark should be the commander of the journey. Their expedition began in May, 1804 near St. Louis, Missouri. They went through many hardships such as harsh weather, illnesses, rough waters, starvation, and injuries. Throughout their expedition, Lewis kept a journal and collected samples of plants and animals he came across. They finally reached the Pacific Ocean in November, 1805, and spent that winter in Oregon. On their way back, Clark and Lewis split up to explore more of the land and find a faster route home. In July, a group of Blackfeet Indians put Lewis and his men in danger when they wanted to steal from the corps. In the end, two Blackfeet were killed. The next month, one …show more content…
When they finally returned, Lewis received lots of money, 1,600 acres of land, and he was even named governor of the Louisiana territory for all of his hard work and efforts. Lewis started to have a drinking problem, thus abandoning his job as governor. On October 12, 1809, Lewis died while on his way to Washington D.C. Many historians believe that he committed suicide, while few believe he was