Today in History

May 14, 1804
Westward Ho!
Meriwether Lewis and William Clark sets out from Camp DuBois with the Corps of Discovery to explore the newly acquired Louisiana territory and points west at the behest of President Thomas Jefferson. Their two-year, 8,000 mile journey is the first American overland journey to the Pacific coast and back. Along the way they collect 108 botanical and zoological specimens, 68 mineral specimens and a number of live animals, including a "barking squirrel," or black-tailed prairie dog, sent to Jefferson in 1805, which lives out the rest of its life at the White House.



Today's Feature History Article

Why Lewis and Clark Matter

Amid all the hoopla, it's easy to lose sight of the expedition's true significance




 



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