William Clark

Anthony Pellegrino
History
3/20/13
Per. 3
William Clark Research Paper
When Thomas Jefferson made the Louisiana Purchase, he bought land that had previously never been explored by Americans. When the time came to explore these lands, Meriwether Lewis called upon William Clark to assist him in his expedition. Clark created the first detailed map of the West, and was an integral part of the continuation of the expedition.If it wasn’t for William Clark and the maps he created on the journey, western settlement might have never been possible.
William Clark was born on August 1st, 1770, in Caroline County, Virginia. Clark was the youngest of five older brothers, who all fought in the Revolutionary War. Clark’s eldest brother was George Rogers Clark, who was a military leader during and after the Revolutionary War. He defeated British and Native American tribes in multiple frontier battles. The older Clark brothers were educated in literature, geography, history, and science. Once the Clark family moved to Louisville, Kentucky, the younger Clark brothers, including William, were not able to receive the same education (BWC). While Clark was a teenager, one of his older brothers taught him survival skills. When William was 19 years old, he enlisted in the army. He was stationed in the Ohio Valley, which protected the Kentucky settlements from Indian attacks.
Clark met Meriwether Lewis after he was transferred to General Anthony Wayne’s unit. Clark was a member of the fourth brigade; meanwhile Lewis was a member of the second (NHT). A few years later, in July 1796, Lewis retired from the military to help his family straighten out their business affairs. Once Clark left the military, he kept in touch with Meriwether Lewis. In mid-1803, Congress approved the wilderness expedition that had been a project of Lewis since 1792. William Clark was invited to co-captain the journey alongside Lewis (BWC). These two men would lead the first...