Lewis and Clark - Clint Twist

Focusing on Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, this book is part of a series which looks at explorers whose discoveries helped to change the world, and which together chart 1000 years of seafaring, exploration and discovery. Each book describes the background to these amazing journeys, focusing on the economic pressures and technological advances which combined to make them possible. The books also examine the native societies that the explorers encountered, and assess the long-term impact of their discoveries at home and abroad.;In 1804, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark set out to explore the western half of America. Their journey to the Pacific Ocean and back took them through some 7000 kilometres of unknown territory. They suffered many hardships and encountered many dangers, not least fierce grizzly bears. They made friends with the native Americans that they met and learned much about their different life styles. They kept detailed notes about the things that they saw, and made the first accurate maps of the region. Their journey was an amazing feat of exploration and endurance - just as Columbus had discovered the New World for Europe so Lewis and Clark opened up the American West for the United States. The horizon boxes at the end of some chapters list people, places and events which readers can research to find out more about the period.