The History of L and C

President Jefferson came up with the idea of an expedition to explore the west in 1803. First, in January 1803 he told Congress about the journey to discover the Northwest of the Missouri River, and asked for their approval. After Congress approved of this journey he asked Meriwether Lewis to be the captain of it in 1804. Lewis quickly agreed to be the captain, and asked William Clark to be his co-captain. These two were ideal for the job. Lewis was a cartographer and a strong leader. Clark was a skilled frontiersman and a good leader also. They called themselves the Corps of Discovery. Not just any two men could be the captains of such a great expedition. Their partnership during the expedition is considered one of the best partnerships ever. The expedition left on May 14, 1804.